We Could Be Rats - Spoiler Free Review

Sigrid loves to hate working at the Dollar Pal. A lesbian high school dropout turned apathetic cashier who spends her time avoiding her essential oil-ingesting family. She knows there’s better out there, she’s just unsure if she wants it. Much to the chagrin of her older sister, Margit, who is obsessed with maintaining order and ensuring the details of her life stack up to her expectations. Margit can never seem to understand Sigrid and Sigrid seemingly has no interest in understanding Margit, leaving the sisters estranged and complicated.

But when Sigrid decides to end her life, the two sisters find themselves thrust together again. Where Margit finally gets a glimpse into Sigrid’s lonely inner world. And Sigrid finds out Margit is not as put together as she seems. Can the sisters finally put down the gloves and let each other in? Or will generational trauma and societal expectations prove too much for even them to overcome? All that and more in We Could Be Rats.

This book is a very hard one to review. It was refreshing and interesting to see Emily Austin take on multiple POVs but I am not sure if the style was my favorite. I loved the differences between the MCs and the complex nature of their sibling relationship. There were twists and turns I did not expect that left me devastated and resigned. The writing style, although not in real-time, gave me a good idea of how the characters interact and had a much-needed element of humor to cut the dark subject matter. If you like emotionally devastating yet hilarious characters, you are in the right place!

Their sibling relationship is complicated but you immediately understand why. Their generational trauma is heavy from the get-go, having a conservative family from hell. Each sister represents a different coping style, which leads to friction between them. Margit wants everybody to get along, whereas Sigrid wants everyone to change for the better. Yet you can still see how they care for each other and try their ways to show it. The plot is not linear but easy to follow, with the letters being the majority of the book. The first 50% is mainly context and background, the middle 45% deals with the character’s actions, and the last 5% are the most emotionally devastating scenes possible. I recommend reading this in one sitting to get the most out of it.

All in all this literary emotional disaster is a must-read. From the swamp monsters to the gut-punching turns you will not want to put this down. Not to mention immediately calling your sibling to check-in. If you hate adulthood and love crying, this book is for you. Happy reading!

CW: Alcohol, anxiety, bullying, depression, drugs, emotional abuse, lesbiphobia, mental health hospitalization, misogyny, physical abuse, PTSD, homophobia, suicide, and terrorism threats.

Thank you to Atria Books for sending this ARC for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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