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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A brutal, dark horror-thriller about a family in West Virginia; specifically about two Michael, and his relationship with his brother Reb, and a girl he meets named Alice. This book has a lot of strong violent content and sexual content, not for the faint of heart. I enjoyed the book but definitely would have enjoyed more character depth about Reb and the parents.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Gore, Incest, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Rape
Review – Brother by Ania Ahlborn
Brother was one of those books that left me feeling unsettled in the best way. It’s gritty, strange, and deeply uncomfortable, but I think that’s exactly what Ahlborn wanted to deliver. I didn’t quite get the full “horror” atmosphere I was expecting, but what I did get was a chilling mix of dysfunctional family drama, small-town decay, and a steady string of brutal, haunting moments.
The pacing worked well—I never felt like it dragged, even though the story wasn’t a breakneck thriller. Instead, it gave just enough space for the dread to sink in before pulling the rug out from under me again. I’ll admit, some of the twists I saw coming (probably a side effect of reading a lot of thrillers), but there were still moments that genuinely shocked me.
Alice stabbing Michael at the end really surprised me. I was convinced she might forgive him, even after everything, so that moment hit hard.
Character-wise, I couldn’t stop thinking about Rebel. His presence is menacing, but also layered in a way that made me wonder how differently things might have unfolded if certain choices had never been made. That “what if” kept nagging at me. Michael, meanwhile, is a tragic figure—someone trapped in cycles he can’t escape, making choices that only pull him deeper.
The overall vibe of the book is unsettling and eerie, rather than pure horror. It’s the kind of story that makes you feel like you need a shower after reading, but you also can’t quite look away.
I’d recommend Brother to readers who enjoy dark, atmospheric thrillers with heavy psychological undertones—something more disturbing than scary, but with enough grit to leave a lasting impression.
⭐ 3.5/5 stars – Some twists felt predictable, but the execution was still strong, and the atmosphere kept me turning pages.
Brother was one of those books that left me feeling unsettled in the best way. It’s gritty, strange, and deeply uncomfortable, but I think that’s exactly what Ahlborn wanted to deliver. I didn’t quite get the full “horror” atmosphere I was expecting, but what I did get was a chilling mix of dysfunctional family drama, small-town decay, and a steady string of brutal, haunting moments.
The pacing worked well—I never felt like it dragged, even though the story wasn’t a breakneck thriller. Instead, it gave just enough space for the dread to sink in before pulling the rug out from under me again. I’ll admit, some of the twists I saw coming (probably a side effect of reading a lot of thrillers), but there were still moments that genuinely shocked me.
Character-wise, I couldn’t stop thinking about Rebel. His presence is menacing, but also layered in a way that made me wonder how differently things might have unfolded if certain choices had never been made. That “what if” kept nagging at me. Michael, meanwhile, is a tragic figure—someone trapped in cycles he can’t escape, making choices that only pull him deeper.
The overall vibe of the book is unsettling and eerie, rather than pure horror. It’s the kind of story that makes you feel like you need a shower after reading, but you also can’t quite look away.
I’d recommend Brother to readers who enjoy dark, atmospheric thrillers with heavy psychological undertones—something more disturbing than scary, but with enough grit to leave a lasting impression.
⭐ 3.5/5 stars – Some twists felt predictable, but the execution was still strong, and the atmosphere kept me turning pages.
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I had heard about this in a horror book group I was a member of on Facebook, so when it showed up on the shelves of a local bookstore, I figured I'd give it a try. It was kind of a surprise to see it in this particular bookstore, because the aforementioned Facebook group seemed mainly interested in splatterpunk and highly taboo themes (to such a degree that I didn't feel like being a member of that group anymore), and the bookstore in question sells a lot of mainstream stuff and wouldn't normally distribute such graphic, underground-like content.
Turns out that while Brother does admittedly have some disturbing themes, it wasn't the worst I had heard of, and I'm not sure it qualifies as splatterpunk (which is fine by me). For being about a violent, psychotic family (think Texas Chainsaw Massacre but from the perspective of the Sawyers), the story is fairly introspective, psychological, and quite a slow burn. It focuses on Michael, who is essentially a very warped version of the black sheep trope; with him in large part being the most timid and conflicted about the actions of the family who has "adopted" him.
I appreciate the analogical aspect. The literal graphic violence can symbolize the raw emotional distress of being in a real-life dysfunctional family (something that I am quite familiar with), exploring concepts like the internal turmoil of environmental influences versus inherited nature, a struggle for identity, the psychological consequences of neglect and abuse, power dynamics within a group/family, and the good ol' generational cycle that you can either get trapped in or break free from.
The writing itself was fairly good, consistent. It may not have fully brought anything sensationally unique, but it also never became stale or fully clichéd. It's Ahlborn's second book overall, and her first official release through a professional publisher, after gaining a lot of attention from her self-published debut, Seed, and I'd say it's a solid start to her career as an author. I did mention a slow burn, and the plot does eventually build up to quite a disturbing climax, which was satisfying. That climax has aspects I had anticipated for the story overall, but I think it was clever of Ahlborn to hold back a little bit until that explosive final act.
I liked it!
Turns out that while Brother does admittedly have some disturbing themes, it wasn't the worst I had heard of, and I'm not sure it qualifies as splatterpunk (which is fine by me). For being about a violent, psychotic family (think Texas Chainsaw Massacre but from the perspective of the Sawyers), the story is fairly introspective, psychological, and quite a slow burn. It focuses on Michael, who is essentially a very warped version of the black sheep trope; with him in large part being the most timid and conflicted about the actions of the family who has "adopted" him.
I appreciate the analogical aspect. The literal graphic violence can symbolize the raw emotional distress of being in a real-life dysfunctional family (something that I am quite familiar with), exploring concepts like the internal turmoil of environmental influences versus inherited nature, a struggle for identity, the psychological consequences of neglect and abuse, power dynamics within a group/family, and the good ol' generational cycle that you can either get trapped in or break free from.
The writing itself was fairly good, consistent. It may not have fully brought anything sensationally unique, but it also never became stale or fully clichéd. It's Ahlborn's second book overall, and her first official release through a professional publisher, after gaining a lot of attention from her self-published debut, Seed, and I'd say it's a solid start to her career as an author. I did mention a slow burn, and the plot does eventually build up to quite a disturbing climax, which was satisfying. That climax has aspects I had anticipated for the story overall, but I think it was clever of Ahlborn to hold back a little bit until that explosive final act.
I liked it!
So so disturbing but at the same time - amazing. Wow.
WOW JUST WOW this book was phenomenal it is slow at times but I didn’t mind it at all. THE END OH MY GOSH I FELT SUFFOCATED BECAUSE IT WAS SO TENSE. The ending was just the cherry on top for me to give this book 5 stars