The Sisters Brothers
Patrick
deWitt
I
picked this book up on a whim, with a faint recollection of having
heard of it before but mostly with a view toward exploring the modern
Western, a genre that I haven't really experienced. Coincidentally
(or perhaps not, given that the novel was a staff selection), author
Patrick deWitt now has a new novel coming out; I arrived just in time
to scout him out. Despite being largely unfamiliar with Westerns
aside from the traditional stereotypes, I thoroughly enjoyed The
Sisters Brothers
for both its mood and execution. The relatively straightforward plot
follows a pair
of feared fraternal
assassins
as
they seek a particularly slippery target, but subtle touches firmly
establish his strong
characters in a
convincing narrative
arc that
is disrupted only by a few unnecessary romantic subplots and clumsy
interludes. Eli and Charlie's development and growth feel natural and
allow for the book's climax to have its maximum emotional impact
without excessive authorial meddling or moralization. While the
brothers' maturation does make me yearn for a prequel featuring the
acts that earned their ferocious reputation, it renders them
sympathetic and likable even when traces of their former selves
appear.
One
of the book's interesting aspects is its relaxed tone, which is all
the more surprising given the plot's time-sensitive nature. Even the
action scenes glide at a leisurely pace, yet without sacrificing
suspense in the bargain. I continually longed to read further, to
find out whether the Sisters brothers would encounter their quarry
and what they, as changed and ever-changing men, would do when they
did. The shifting dynamics of their relationship also contribute to
the novel's forward thrust, which is carried ever onward by
occasional twists and surprises such as temporary love interests,
scams of several descriptions, and chaotic encounters with local
toughs. The fights are as convincingly portrayed as the characters
and atmospherics, evoking a captivating vision of the Gold Rush-era
West, from Oregon's forests to 49ers' camps and the suddenly bustling
metropolis of San Francisco.
The Sisters Brothers
is a difficult book to nail down, flourishing within its Western
paradigm but failing to fully capitalize on its strengths. The
brothers' remarkable growth forms the novel's emotional- and,
ultimately, its narrative- core, but it is difficult to fully grasp
or, indeed, believe their fearsome reputation without the assistance
of flashbacks or other hard evidence about their past. They are
sufficiently amoral to function within the scope of the novel's plot,
but it is unclear whether they fully deserve to inspire the fear that
they apparently do; if this uncertainty exists to prove a thematic
point, it is ineffective and instead slightly aggravating. The novel
is also hampered by a group of interludes that do little but distract
from the core story. Altogether, though, the story feels complete,
being robust without becoming burdened by unnecessary information.
The thoroughly realized Charlie and Eli Sisters drive The
Sisters Brothers,
forming the backbone of a thoroughly enjoyable novel that only
suffers slightly from the vague sense that, somehow, it could have
been just a little bit better.
Grade:
A-
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