The Sisters Brothers

A Novel

By: Patrick deWitt

Narrated by: John Pruden

Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

Hermann Kermit Warm is going to die. The enigmatic and powerful man known only as the Commodore has ordered it, and his henchmen, Eli and Charlie Sisters, will make sure of it. Though Eli doesn't share his brother's appetite for whiskey and killing, he's never known anything else. But their prey isn't an easy mark, and on the road from Oregon City to Warm's gold-mining claim outside Sacramento, Eli begins to question what he does for a living - and whom he does it for.

With The Sisters Brothers, Patrick deWitt pays homage to the classic Western, transforming it into an unforgettable comic tour de force. Filled with a remarkable cast of characters - losers, cheaters, and ne'er-do-wells from all stripes of life - and told by a complex and compelling narrator, it is a violent, lustful odyssey through the underworld of the 1850s frontier that beautifully captures the humor, melancholy, and grit of the Old West and two brothers bound by blood, violence, and love.

©2011 Patrick deWitt (P)2011 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

“…gritty, as well as deadpan and often very comic…DeWitt has chosen a narrative voice so sharp and distinctive…it’s very narrowing of possibilities opens new doors in the imagination.” ( New York Times Book Review)

“Weirdly funny, startlingly violent and steeped in sadness… It’s all rendered irresistible by Eli Sisters, who narrates with a mixture of melancholy and thoughtfulness.” ( Washington Post)

“[T]here’s something cinematic about Mr. deWitt’s unadorned prose style, which at first made this reader do a double-take—can this be serious?—only to continue flicking the pages with pleasure.” ( Wall Street Journal)

unusual story. the reading could have been better

the reading could have been better. I bought the book and enjoyed the story more from the written word.

Great book, unfinished

The beginning of this book had me excited, but the ending was not done well. This could have been a great story if the author had weaved the earlier scenes into the ending of the book

fun listen!

I'm not generally a fan of Westerns, but I do like different and quirky and "The Sisters Brothers" is both. It might be a little light on plot at times, but it's still enjoyable because of the language (great dialogue!) and all the odd/funny things that happen and Eli's philosophical thoughts. I also liked the relationship between Eli and Charlie...it was pretty deep and touching. They are both likeable characters even though Charlie doesn't have as many morals as Eli.

The biggest problem I had with the book was the two intermissions. I wasn't sure what they meant (or if they were supposed to mean anything).

Good, unique, fun story. The reader also did a good job and was well-matched to the story.

extremely refreshing western

if you love westerns but need something fresh this is the book. great story earlier in American history than most westerns with a great narrator. this book tripped my trigger and I'm willing to bet it will yours too.

Ok story but definitely not funny

I purchased this audio book because it was advertised as funny. It’s not. It’s a somewhat interesting story about 2 outlaws during the California gold rush, but it is not funny.

Be aware: the dialogue is true to the times, This means that like the book “True Grit”, the dialogue is very wordy. I generally listened to the book at 1.3 to 1.5 speed, which helped some.

Incredibly mid

By no means too boring to finish, but not at all gripping. The writing style is good, but in no way beautiful or unique. If it weren’t for the many adult themes, I would’ve thought this a young adult book, as it is in no way challenging .The performance was fine, though the variation between characters was lacking.

Beautiful, Absurd & Melancholic Frontier Noir.

Absurd, fantastic, and the narrative almost measures up to the cover art. A book about two frontier assassin brothers in search of the 'pot of gold' over the rainbow. Two killer angels seeking to "understand why, or how they might change things for the better." This novel is about that quest. A quest to change, to understand, to alter lots, cheat fate and better predicaments. Fundamentally, however, it is about the things that link us: blood, death, family, lust and greed. The book's absurdity lacks nihilism, its craziness exists without meanness, and the killings and murders seem to echo with a beautiful melancholic fatalism of Charles Portis and Mark Twain.

More tales of the wild west

I wanted to read this book after seeing the movie and reading and listening to True Grit this summer, and I was not disappointed. No, it's nowhere near as well written and engaging a tale as True Grit, but the characters' dialogue was similar (kind of high-falutin' elegant English for two criminal cowpokes to be using) and the adventures were entertaining. The narrator was excellent. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. If you're in a Western movie mood, like I've been, you'll enjoy it too. Next up for me: the movie Meek's Cutoff.

A really fun read and poignant too!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes I would recommend this book beucase I found it was laugh out loud funny. It was also dramatic and had an interesting plot. I liked some of the historical details about life in the West during the Gold Rush. It also was a poignant story about two brothers and their choices in life.

What other book might you compare The Sisters Brothers to and why?

One of the reasons why I really liked this book is I have never read anything else like it.

Have you listened to any of John Pruden’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No because I like to savor books.

Character-driven Western

Would you listen to The Sisters Brothers again? Why?

I rarely re-listen to books, but this one deserves it. Great narration by John Pruden ! He captured the characters with his voice and intonation perfectly.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The narrator, Eli, is of course the best.

Have you listened to any of John Pruden’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I haven't listened to him previously, but based on this, I am looking for more books narrated by him.

Any additional comments?

This is reminiscent of a Joe R. Lansdale story, similar flawed but sympathetic characters and a dry humor that I found appealing. Loved it !