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sorcha's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Car accident
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Miscarriage
Minor: Domestic abuse, Dementia, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Cancer, Gun violence, Infidelity, and Murder
juliamb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Alcohol, Car accident, Miscarriage, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Blood, Classism, Cursing, Gun violence, Murder, Death of parent, Infidelity, Dementia, and Toxic relationship
chris_reads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Miscarriage, Infidelity, and Abandonment
Moderate: Car accident, Sexual assault, Dementia, Mental illness, Ableism, and Alcohol
Minor: Blood, Cancer, and Murder
ifoundcallie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Miscarriage, Grief, and Alcohol
Moderate: Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Infidelity, Car accident, Gun violence, and Dementia
Minor: Murder, Violence, Death, Classism, Blood, Chronic illness, and Death of parent
caribbeangirlreading's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Miscarriage, Blood, Grief, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Cancer, Death of parent, and Dementia
The Brennans are not a close-knit family. They are a toxic family in which the patriarchy is alive and well, women are either whores or madonnas, and victim shaming is practiced on a regular basis. The characters are nothing but clichés and stereotypes and are totally devoid of nuance. The whole thing reads like a daytime soap - superficial, predictable and fast moving. Ironically, sometimes these awful books make for interesting book club discussions.alisonreadsitall's review
- 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
4.75
Multiple POV ✔️
Family Secrets✔️
Strong Family Bonds ✔️
A Touch of Romance ✔️
What more could you ask for?
Graphic: Blood and Miscarriage
Moderate: Car accident
Minor: Murder and Emotional abuse
kelly_e's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
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."
Graphic: Miscarriage, Sexual assault, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Blood, Alcohol, and Car accident
Minor: Abandonment, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Death, Mental illness, and Dementia
drunk drivingjmariereads's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Gun violence, Miscarriage, Grief, Emotional abuse, Dementia, and Car accident
Moderate: Murder, Alcohol, Blood, Death, and Abandonment
cheye13's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Miscarriage, Car accident, Sexual harassment, and Blood
Moderate: Mental illness, Violence, Alcohol, Sexism, Gun violence, Dementia, and Murder
Minor: Death of parent
kimveach's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Alcohol, Abandonment, Medical content, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Grief, Blood, Car accident, Dementia, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, and Mental illness