Customer Reviews

The Sisters Brothers

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

I'm not sure what people found funny about this. I failed to find any humor. However, it did keep my interest to the end but you have to like Old West stories to enjoy it. Pretty much a 'day in the life of a gunslinger' type book.

This is a fine book. Beautiful language, interesting story. I have read that many people find it funny, but I confess that I did not. It was amusing at times, and never predictable or boring, but I never laughed. I do not mean that as criticism. I read it in a rush, which is unusual for me, because I just loved the narrator's words. It felt to me like a "guy book", but my wife's book club (all women) read it and seemed to enjoy it quite a bit as well.

I did not have high expectations for The Sisters Brothers before reading it, despite the awards and critic's reviews. It was a book club selection. I quickly discovered that it was not a typical read of the Western genre. It was witty, hillarious in parts, utterly readable, and educational to boot. There was a psychological richness to it that did not disappoint.

Pros: I loved the narrator's character, Eli, who is one of the Sister's brothers. It was a complex, rich and quite believeable character that offered plenty of surprises. I also really enjoyed the humour.

Cons: Despite the obvious point that the ending was making and its important message, I did not enjoy the ending. Perhaps that's just me, though. I will let you decide for yourself.

I am surprised that no one commented on the fact that Eli walked through the door adorned with the (seer)old women's trinkets, despite her chilling admonishment not to do so. Charlie didn't - too scared, but Eli did, because he needed to save Charlie. We all thought it was black magic, they were doomed. But it was the talisman that saved those hapless brothers. Defy fear, face and defy evil, and take care of your kin. They are the Sisters Brothers after all. And guess what? They made it out alive, they got home.

This is an amazing tale for today's times.

And I loved the dialect. So gentle, so powerful.

Not being a fan of westerns, this book wasn't "on my list" but a colleague at work enjoyed it and loaned it to me. And I'm glad I read it given all the hype. Did I love it? No. However, I did find the dialogue really entertaining. Just a little too shoot-'em-up for me.

A terrific story. I enjoyed every page; hard to put down. Reminiscent in tone of the remake of "True Grit" -- a quirky western with moments of violence coupled with dark humour. Highly recommended.

Excellent!!!!
Great story and great writing, could not put it down until I was finished. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

I wasn't overly impressed with this book. It is set during the gold rush days but the two brothers come off like they should be English professors rather then two hired killers. The details were not very realistic - particular about the state of dentistry in the 1850s. I read the book, just didn't enjoy it all that much.

I picked this book up after reading a favourable review in the Winnipeg Free Press. After the first five pages, I was completely hooked. The setting, characters, and vernacular is 1800's, but the overall theme from the view of the protagonist is somehow very 2011. I rarely read Westerns, but this book is one of my all-time favourites from any genre.

Got it for Christmas because I requested it thinking that if it's so highly acclaimed it must be good. Also, the back of the book sounded interesting and fun. Aside from the few, spare comical parts and the simple fact that the writing itself is relatively good, this book was incredibly disappointing, a waste of time. The story is not full of twists and turns, as some have said. It is boring, empty and depressing. The only part of the book I enjoyed was Eli's relationship with his horse, and that's not saying much. Several times, I had to read about how the narrator pleasures himself, and even more annoying, his many observations of his brother's genitalia. If you like that sort of thing, read this book. If you enjoy unlikable characters, read this book. If you're looking for a mundane, uninteresting plot, read this book. Were there so few other books laying about that this one lucked into winning so many awards?