I received an arc provided by Atria Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book! Wow. The narrative structure, the complexity of family dynamics, feelings of isolation, loneliness, and depression, and the painstaking performance of adulthood, were all so beautifully and uniquely written. Emily Austin, you have done it again. I can’t wait until the pub date so I can force my friends to read this and discuss it with them.

I love Austin’s writing. Although the subjects are deep, I catch myself always giggling at parts. She has a way of really capturing feelings and emotions you can feel and really relate to. Sigrid and Margit were both characters that drew me in immediately. I grew up in a small and closed minded town, so parts of this book really resonated with me. Learning about how they grew up and how they both now are trying to navigate adulthood was also very relatable for me. When we are children we are so naïve, and then we grow up and realize all the toxic shit that has been going on around us since we were little and Austin does a wonderful job showing this through both Sigrid and Margit. I think we can all agree adulting is hard. The sisters are so different and they cope in different ways, but I think depending on the reader, each can be very relatable. I related the most with Sigrid. There were parts that I didn’t expect but made the book really good. Another really great book by Emily Austin.

First I need to profusely thank Emily Austin and Atria Books for allowing me to read this ARC (that I have been so excited for since We Could Be Rats was announced) in exchange for an honest review. This is truly an honor for me!

Genuinely, GENUINELY such a good story. And I’m being honest. Because I have a deep and personal connection with the main storyline. And I wouldn’t normally read something that discusses this, but I just did, and I loved it because Emily Austin is a beautiful writer that knows how to mix sensitivity with harshness and bluntness and turn it into an important and moving story.

Anyways.

I love Emily Austin’s work so I automatically want to read anything she writes, but I was immediately drawn to We Could Be Rats because it’s a story about two sisters. I have sisters, and I love my sisters, and I love other sisterly relationships. For the first handful of chapters I was feeling skeptical about my ability to finish, and not because of the book but because it’s a tough subject. The story was incredible though and I knew I needed to finish it. Much of this book was relatable and I feel like it’s relatable to anyone that’s feeling out of place or falling behind or stuck where they are. If you’re missing someone, or your childhood, or who you used to be.

Sigrid and Margit have a complex sisterly relationship and tragedy ultimately knocks the final piece into place for understanding each other. I’m trying my best to not give anything away or blab too much from excitement but my main points are:

- This story healed part of my soul, and if you’ve dealt with mental illness I think you’d agree with that
- The writing style and the organization of this book only made it better; very unique structure
- Emily Austin is really good at writing about difficult topics and keeping things really honest and thoughtful

Thank you again, I cannot wait to get a physical copy when this releases so I can make my annotations!

Poignant, sad, lovely, and even funny at times, WE COULD BE RATS is a very well-written book. We get a good sense of both sisters and their struggles. I wish the attempted suicide notes had been sprinkled throughout the narrative as opposed to comprising the first half of the book. I love how we get both perspectives though. This book has something to say about what it's like to live in this world. I found it compelling and moving.

Highly recommended for fans of literary fiction.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-galley; all opinions in my review are 100% my own.

I am a fan of Emily Austin's so I expected to love this; it did not disappoint. She is just so good at writing relatable characters, and I find that I really care about their stories.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC! *We Could Be Rats* by Emily Austin is a darkly comedic and thought-provoking novel that explores themes of identity and belonging. Austin's writing is sharp and incisive, blending satire with poignant moments that make for a unique and engaging read. The characters are vividly drawn, and their struggles with self-discovery and acceptance are both relatable and compelling. While the novel’s unconventional narrative may not appeal to all readers, its originality and depth are sure to resonate with those who appreciate offbeat and introspective fiction. Overall, it’s a distinctive and memorable work that showcases Austin's talent for blending humor with serious themes.

Did this book make me feel things? Yes. But did it leave as big an impact on me as Interesting Facts About Space? Not quite.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with the story, and I’m sure many readers will love it. I’ve felt deeply moved by Austin’s other works, so when I didn’t experience the same emotional resonance with this one, I couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed.

That said, Austin’s writing is always beautiful and poetic, and I’ll forever recommend anything she publishes. No matter what, I’ll keep reading whatever she writes.

I was so excited to read this because I LOVEDDDDDD EITRWSBD. The first half of this book are various attempts at suicide notes by our protagonist Sigrid. The second half of this book gives us the POV of the other sister, Magrit. I really enjoyed the overall point of this book which was about someone who fears growing up. It’s about how much our lives drastically change as we get older and we lose people along the way. I was just not a fan of the way this one was written. It felt very disjointed and all over the place because it would jump to one letter to the next in the first half and it felt like a short story each time. I really enjoyed Magrit’s POV in the second half and getting to learn more about her feelings and their relationship and family life. I think the tone was inconsistent throughout and I would have loved this if it was just one continuous story about these two sisters but the way it was written made it feel jumbled.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love Emily Austin!! That is all I have to say.
Just kidding.

We Could Be Rats by Emily Austin is another testament to her versatility as a writer. With four books under her belt, Austin has a knack for telling wildly different stories that still manage to feel deeply personal and true to her unique voice. This one, with its opening in a letter format, took a bit of getting used to, but once I settled into the rhythm, I was hooked. The pages flew by, and before I knew it, I was completely immersed in the story.

This novel hits close to home as it explores the complex relationship between sisters—a theme that resonated deeply with me given my own strained relationships with my siblings. Austin captures that mix of love, frustration, and emotional disconnect in a way that felt very real. Growing up in a small, conservative town similar to the one in the book, I found myself relating strongly to Sigrid’s experiences and the sense of not quite fitting in. Her emotions mirrored many of my own as I navigated life before finally moving away.

What I loved most was how the story balances humor and heartache. I found myself laughing out loud at parts, only to realize that the humor often masked the deeper disconnection between the sisters. It was a bittersweet reminder of how much they, and many of us, hide behind jokes when real communication feels too hard. Austin does a fantastic job of highlighting the differences between the sisters, not just in their personalities but in the distinct way she writes their voices. Their "plan" felt doomed from the start simply because they were speaking from such different places—something that stood out clearly thanks to Austin’s sharp writing.

We Could Be Rats is emotional, funny, and reflective all at once. It’s one of those books that’s easy to read but leaves a lasting impact, making you appreciate your own life experiences—both the good and the challenging. Austin’s ability to blend wit with genuine emotion makes this a book that’s not just enjoyable but also deeply relatable for anyone who’s navigated the messy, complicated waters of family relationships and being too large for the town you're from.

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
We Could Be Rats releases January 28, 2024

2.5

Austin’s latest novel encompasses suicide and the daunting feelings that come with the transition of leaving childhood and becoming an adult, as well as sisterhood, toxic family dynamics, queerness in conservative spaces, and opioid use.

I think this could have been something great had it not been structurally set up the way that it was.
The story is not lengthy to begin with, so to have the first 60% comprised of Sigrid’s attempts at writing a suicide note felt repetitive and weighty. I was in a constant state of only being half-invested because I couldn’t get a true grasp on who Sigrid was as a person when every fact was balanced out with a white lie; in hindsight, having made it through the entirety of the story, I understand why this was.

I definitely wanted more time spent in Margit’s pov, and more of a reconciliation between the sisters — by the end, they still felt very separate from each other.
If you’re going to base a whole story around attempted suicide, I want to actually see the day of or the days leading up to the attempt instead of glossing over it, and to know if Sigrid might have exhibited any regret or second thoughts in the split second before it happened.

I do think I could grow to appreciate this story more with a reread and knowing the full picture, though I’d still be left yearning for a more immersive connection with the characters.

I could not put this book down. I read it in a day. This is my first book by this author and I cannot wait to read their other novels.

This book made my heart feel a lot. It’s sucks to say but I identified with Sigrid a lot. Mourning my childhood, how I had placed my parents on a pedestal when I was a kid, how life seemed warm and happy. This book beautifully told how growing up is hard, people can be horrible and when the people who you thought were your world, suddenly become the biggest disappointment it’s hard to continue being the person you want to be.

Yes this book is centered around suicide, most times it comes off as trivial, but I think most people going through a hard time, do try to make light of a really shitty situation because it’s how we have learned to cope as humans. The symbolism and almost poetic style of writing really paints the picture of how Sigrid and Margit grew up, and how they see the world as adults.

This book is for anyone. But more specifically if you grew up in a tumultuous household, a small town with small minded people, identified as part of the LGBTQ+ community.

Thank you Atria Books Publicity Department for providing this ARC via @netgally in exchange for my honest review - I absolutely loved it. 💗

If I could I may read one author for the rest of my life I would be content if it was Emily Austin. There’s such a sense of venerability in her work that drags me in and holds me down forcing me to consume every word until I’m finished and left dry waiting until the next book is published.

Wow. Talk about a book that you just CANNOT put down. It was a tough book to read, emotionally, but in a good way. The way the dual POV’s made me never fully trust who was narrating was brilliant. The twist at the end, incredible! It was heartbreak in a bottle in a way I have never experience before. I cried, and pondered this book way after I had finished it. It has been such a long time where I book has captivated my soul in such a way, that will be hard to read others for a while because of the hangover I have from this one. Absolutely all the stars.

TW: suicide, depression

Quick synopsis: A story of two very different sisters who drift apart then come back together when one tries to commit suicide.

Review: Ms. Austin has done it again! Another beautifully written story with themes of depression, childhood, imagination, friendship, and family woes. This story is dual POV from the two sisters as it delves into trying to understand why the one tried to commit suicide. The beginning may sound confusing but the more you read the more you start to understand. You learn about the story of two sisters with a complicated childhood and how they each handled it in very different ways; one conforming and one struggling to conform. This book paints a beautiful portrait of the complexities of sisterhood and growing up in a conservative/traditional home. If you have ever felt like you wanted to live in childhood innocence forever, out of place for being a lesbian, or using IBS as an excuse to get out of social events this book is for you.

My head hurts from crying so hard. Emily R. Austin never fails to make me feel so entirely understood. The feeling of growing up and losing track of time is so perfectly articulated. It hurts so badly to grow up. I wish I had this book when I was 13. It would have saved me a lot of tears.

Emily Austin is back at it with another weird & wonderful story. <i>We Could Be Rats</i> follows the complicated relationship between sisters, Sigrid & Margit. In the past, Austin’s novels have fell slightly flat for me, although I am always intrigued by the synopses. This is by far my new favorite novel of Austin’s. I couldn’t put it down.

<i>We Could Be Rats</i> comes out on January 28th, 2025. Thank you to NetGalley for an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review!

This was my first dive into Emily Austin’s work, and let me tell you, I’m definitely going to be exploring her backlist. From the very first page, I was hooked. As someone who values the complex dynamics between sisters, I was completely engrossed in how the book delved into these relationships and their profound impact on our lives.

Everything about this novel captivated me—especially the masterful use of the unreliable narrator. That twist later in the story? Absolutely brilliant.

Austin has done an incredible job using her platform to address important issues like mental illness, queer life in a small town, and toxic family dynamics. These are crucial conversations, and she handles them with such care and depth.

This one’s going to stay with me for a long time!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Atria for providing the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed We Could Be Rats. I’m a sucker for any book about sisters, and I liked reading from both Sigrid’s and Margit’s perspectives. They clearly loved each other but didn’t show it outwardly very well. I could relate to Sigrid’s struggles with spending time with a family who supported politicians and ideas that are harmful to marginalized groups of people. Trying to come to terms with the fact that someone you love supports hateful things is incredibly challenging.

When I say this book was excellent, I truly mean it. I've read all of Emily Austin's novels and this is by far my favorite. It is such a beautiful story with incredibly complex characters and it kept me on the edge of my seat with eager anticipation of answers. I cannot thank the publishers & NetGalley enough for the ARC. This is definitely one of my favorite books I read this year.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read We Could Be Rats as an advanced ebook!
Emily Austin has proven to be one of my favorite recently discovered authors.
Ms. Austin is such a gifted writer that even when she's addressing heavy topics (death- EITRWSBD, anxiety (IFAS) and now suicide with WCBR, as the reader you feel as if you're talking to a friend. She eases you into the heavier elements with humor and heart warming moments.
I especially appreciated the family dynamics in this one and it's so refreshing to read about everyday characters that I can relate to.
I will definitely be recommending this one to my followers on instagram. Thanks again!