{"id":1853,"date":"2025-02-04T12:08:34","date_gmt":"2025-02-04T12:08:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/?p=1853"},"modified":"2025-02-04T12:08:34","modified_gmt":"2025-02-04T12:08:34","slug":"we-could-be-rats-by-emily-r-austin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/?p=1853","title":{"rendered":"We Could Be Rats by Emily R. Austin"},"content":{"rendered":"

In her third novel, \u201cWe Could Be Rats,\u201d Emily R. Austin ventures deeper into the themes of mental health and family dynamics that she previously explored in \u201cEveryone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead\u201d and \u201cInteresting Facts About Space.\u201d This time, she examines the complex relationship between two sisters<\/a> navigating their way through a conservative small town, their family\u2019s dysfunction, and their own divergent paths into adulthood.<\/p>\n

The Story and Its Layers<\/h3>\n

Set in the fictional town of Drysdale, the narrative alternates between the perspectives of sisters Sigrid and Margit. Sigrid, the younger sister who never graduated high school, works at the Dollar Pal and struggles to find her place in a world that seems increasingly hostile to her sensibilities. Margit, pursuing an English degree at college, grapples with her role as the \u201cresponsible\u201d sibling while trying to understand her sister\u2019s apparent inability to conform to societal expectations.<\/p>\n

The story begins with Sigrid\u2019s suicide attempt and unfolds through multiple narrative layers, including Sigrid\u2019s various attempts at writing a suicide note and Margit\u2019s efforts to forge one on her behalf. This structure, while initially jarring, effectively reveals the depths of both sisters\u2019 inner worlds and the ways they\u2019ve been shaped by their childhood experiences<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Writing Style and Structure<\/h3>\n

Austin\u2019s prose is raw and immediate, often reading like stream-of-consciousness thoughts while maintaining narrative coherence. The author takes risks with her storytelling approach, particularly in the way she structures the suicide notes as numbered \u201cattempts,\u201d each revealing different facets of Sigrid\u2019s character and experiences.<\/p>\n

However, this experimental structure sometimes works against the novel\u2019s emotional impact. The multiple versions of the suicide note occasionally feel repetitive, and some readers might find it challenging to maintain engagement through these iterations.<\/p>\n

Strengths<\/h3>\n

The novel excels in several areas:<\/p>\n

Childhood Memory Portrayal<\/strong>: Austin masterfully captures the magic of childhood imagination and the pain of losing it to adulthood<\/a>
\nSister Dynamic<\/strong>: The relationship between Sigrid and Margit feels authentic, complete with its complications and contradictions
\nLGBTQ+ Representation<\/strong>: The author handles Sigrid\u2019s sexuality with nuance, making it an integral part of her character without reducing her to just this aspect
\nMental Health Discussion<\/strong>: The exploration of depression, anxiety, and suicide is handled with sensitivity and depth<\/p>\n

Areas for Improvement<\/h3>\n

Some aspects of the novel could have been stronger:<\/p>\n

The pacing sometimes suffers from the recursive nature of the suicide note attempts
\nSecondary characters, particularly the parents, occasionally feel underdeveloped
\nThe resolution might feel too neat for some readers given the complexity of the issues addressed
\nThe political elements of the story sometimes feel heavy-handed<\/p>\n

Themes and Social Commentary<\/h2>\n

Small Town Politics and Social Issues<\/h3>\n

Austin doesn\u2019t shy away from addressing contemporary social issues, particularly through the lens of small-town conservatism. The character of Kevin Fliner and the upcoming mayoral election serve as effective vehicles for exploring themes of political polarization and social justice. However, these elements occasionally overshadow the more intimate family drama at the story\u2019s heart.<\/p>\n

Mental Health and Identity<\/h3>\n

The novel\u2019s treatment of mental health issues is particularly noteworthy. Through Sigrid\u2019s perspective, we experience the crushing weight of trying to maintain authenticity in a world that seems designed to suppress it. The author skillfully portrays how mental health struggles can be exacerbated by social and familial expectations.<\/p>\n

Sisterhood and Family Dynamics<\/h3>\n

The heart of the novel lies in its exploration of sisterly bonds. Margit and Sigrid\u2019s relationship is complicated by their different approaches to life and their shared trauma from growing up in a volatile household. Austin effectively shows how family members can simultaneously be both lifelines and sources of pain.<\/p>\n

Literary Merit and Cultural Impact<\/h2>\n

Austin\u2019s writing style has matured since her previous works. While maintaining the raw honesty that characterized \u201cEveryone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead,\u201d she demonstrates greater control over her narrative voice in \u201cWe Could Be Rats.\u201d The novel contributes meaningfully to contemporary discussions about mental health, family relationships, and the challenges of maintaining individuality in conservative environments.<\/p>\n

Verdict<\/h2>\n

\u201cWe Could Be Rats\u201d is an ambitious novel that largely succeeds in its goals, despite some structural flaws. It will particularly resonate with readers who appreciate:<\/p>\n

Stories about complex family relationships
\nExplorations of mental health and identity<\/a>
\nLGBTQ+ narratives set in conservative environments
\nLiterary fiction that experiments with form and structure<\/p>\n

While not perfect, the novel offers a compelling examination of sisterhood, mental health, and the challenge of maintaining one\u2019s authentic self in an often hostile world. It\u2019s a worthy addition to Austin\u2019s growing body of work and to contemporary literary fiction addressing these crucial themes.<\/p>\n

Similar Books and Recommendations<\/h3>\n

Readers who enjoy \u201cWe Could Be Rats\u201d might also appreciate:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Bell Jar\u201d by Sylvia Plath
\n\u201cAll My Puny Sorrows\u201d by Miriam Toews
\n\u201cEverything Here Is Beautiful\u201d by Mira T. Lee
\n\u201cTell the Wolves I\u2019m Home\u201d by Carol Rifka Brunt<\/p>\n

These works similarly explore themes of sisterhood, mental health, and the challenges of finding one\u2019s place in the world.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In her third novel, \u201cWe Could Be Rats,\u201d Emily R. Austin ventures deeper into the themes of mental health and family dynamics that she previously explored in \u201cEveryone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead\u201d and \u201cInteresting Facts About Space.\u201d This time, she examines the complex relationship between two sisters navigating their way through a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1853","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bookreviews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1853"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1853"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1853\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1853"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1853"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1853"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}