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A review by yourspookymom
Brother by Ania Ahlborn
5.0
There are very few books that have left me a bit speechless this year. Brother, by Ania Ahlborn is one of them. This is NOT for the faint of heart. Please read CWs before reading.
The beginning was a bit of a slow burn, but within it a tragic story of MC Michael’s life is carefully woven together & laid out before us. Set in rural Appalachia, a family with generations of dark secrets use the desolate landscape to feed upon what they believe is rightfully theirs. The mother, as the head of the family, ropes her children into unspeakable acts. Yet, only her eldest son Reb relishes the depths of horror he lives. After meeting two young women in town, Michael’s life begins to unravel at a rapid pace & Reb is pulling the loose string. Reb is truly one of the most haunting and frightening characters I have encountered.
This book broke my heart. Ahlborn writes so well & her work is crafted with such great care. It’s so refreshing to read novels by women in this genre - the level of emotion in such a bleak story is unmatched. Brother touches on the sorrows of generational trauma, grief, true horror & complicated family dynamics.
4.8/5 - I look forward to reading much more of Ania’s work, but I’ll need to read something about rainbows and butterflies in the meantime!
The beginning was a bit of a slow burn, but within it a tragic story of MC Michael’s life is carefully woven together & laid out before us. Set in rural Appalachia, a family with generations of dark secrets use the desolate landscape to feed upon what they believe is rightfully theirs. The mother, as the head of the family, ropes her children into unspeakable acts. Yet, only her eldest son Reb relishes the depths of horror he lives. After meeting two young women in town, Michael’s life begins to unravel at a rapid pace & Reb is pulling the loose string. Reb is truly one of the most haunting and frightening characters I have encountered.
This book broke my heart. Ahlborn writes so well & her work is crafted with such great care. It’s so refreshing to read novels by women in this genre - the level of emotion in such a bleak story is unmatched. Brother touches on the sorrows of generational trauma, grief, true horror & complicated family dynamics.
4.8/5 - I look forward to reading much more of Ania’s work, but I’ll need to read something about rainbows and butterflies in the meantime!