Reviews with content warning for Death - We Are the Brennans

Title: We Are the Brennans
Author: Tracey Lange
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 4.5
Pub Date: August 3, 2021

T H R E E • W O R D S

Suspenseful • Intriguing • Complex

📖 S Y N O P S I S

It's been five years since Sunday Brennan up and left her home in New York, leaving behind her family and fiancé with little explanation. In the wake of an drunk driving accident that left her in rough shape, she decides to return home with a little encouragement from her older brother, Denny. With her family rallied around her, she hopes to rebuild her life on the east coast. When a man from her past resurfaces, his actions put the family pub at risk, force Sunday to confront her past, and expose decades of family secrets. Now, the Brennans must band together to find a way forward.

💭 T H O U G H T S

We Are the Brennans was not the book I was anticipating, and I was shockingly surprised just how much I enjoyed it! The Brennans sucked me in from the very first page, and I was so intensely invested in how the story would unfold. Exploring the theme of family, there were so many secrets, lots of miscommunication, and so much heart. Each character had their strengths and their flaws, and the variety of perspectives allowed me to really get into their take on what was happening. Despite Sunday's shaky start, I couldn't help but root for her and get to the heart of why she left. Additionally, Kale seemed like such a down to earth and kindhearted person, as did Shane.

The pacing kept me turning the pages with just the right amount of mystery, and I definitely liked the slow reveal of the backstory. The alternating chapter structure worked perfectly for this narrative. And for reasons I cannot pinpoint exactly, the plot just felt like a realistic portrayal of family life, with secrets and high drama.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by Tracey Lange's debut novel and this messy, loveable family, especially appreciating the underlying message on the meaning of family and the importance of communication.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• readers who liked Ask Again, Yes and/or Little Fires Everywhere
• fans of domestic dramas
• bookclubs

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"You were my emergency contact because if I ever got into trouble, you're the one I wanted them to call."

"What happened to Sunday wasn't an illness she could get over. It was part of her, part of who she'd become."

"But she was right. They would do everything they could to protect their father, and each other, because that's what family did. They all screwed up, made mistakes, and hurt one another. But in the end they came together."

Content Warnings

jmariereads's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

iamnita's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was a deep family story. I found myself wanting to know them personally, their characters were written so consistently. The switching of perspectives between chapters was done really wonderfully. I enjoyed the way in which the story was told. Really heart warming.

Content Warnings

amandalorianxo's review against another edition

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emotional sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

This was heavily marketed as a comparison to the Shameless family but minus both of them being big and drama infused - I didn’t think the connection made too much sense. Regardless- there was a lot of tension and secrets that eventually were brought to light. The strong victim blaming, especially done by the mother, felt uncomfortable. I do wish we got to know Shane more as a person. I also wish authors would stop explaining and telling some of the important backstory. It felt a little like I dropped into a historical documentary at times. Minus that - this was a decent book. Some of it was a tad predictable but you can’t win them all.

Content Warnings

happiestwhenreading's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I absolutely loved everything about this book - a strong contender for my final Top 10 List at the end of the year!

Five years ago, the Brennan's are left hanging in confusion as the only daughter, Sunday, packs her bags and leaves for California with no explanation. She leaves behind her fiancé and familial responsiblities. When the phone rings one night, Denny heads to California to retrieve his sister after she has a drunk driving accident. Her return to New York sets the family ablaze and the long buried secrets begin to bubble to the surface. It's complicated and dramatic and the writing is outstanding. I loved the characters and all of their messiness. I loved the pacing and how the secrets brought all the pain and confusion of the past five years to full circle and, ultimately, the whole disaster had a totally satisfying ending for me.

The blurb mentions Ask Again, Yes vibes and I agree. I'd also add The Most Fun We Ever Had and Olympus, Texas.

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