Quirky lesbian lit fic at its finest! This really world well for me for a lot of reasons. It is really short but packs a punch in that short amount of time. It was a beautifully illustrated view of how trauma fundamentally fractures family, including how siblings can respond differently to trauma and have it significantly negatively impact their lives in different ways. This book touched on a lot of meaningful topics, including mental health, the opioid epidemic, sexual assault, and trauma in a way that was impactful without being overdone. I can really related to Sigrid’s hopelessness about all of the bad in the world, now more than ever. I also was extremely surprised by the twist at the halfway point In the story, which made it even more engaging to read. I think the book approached these topics in a very creative and interesting way, and I really have never read anything like it before. Really beautifully done!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review

5 🌟

How to describe this book? It was heavy and heartwrenching, but it was also beautiful and ultimately hopefully. Books about sisters always tug at my heartstrings, and I loved Margit and Sigrid. While this is a short read, it has a lot to say about the current political climate, mental health, and empathy. It was really lovely and I enjoyed it immensely.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This is a story of two sisters finding their way back to each other. Like Austin's previous novels, there is humor interspersed within the serious topics. Sigrid hates her job, misses her best friend, Greta, and struggles with living up to her family's and society's expectations. Her sister, Margit, is a high-achiever but is always worried about smoothing things over for everyone else. The sisters weren't particularly close. A tragic event brings them back together.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this digital e-arc.*

This was my first Emily Austin book and it was quite a whirlwind. The beginning part of this book, the first section where we see the “drafts” of Sigrid’s suicide note, I read through feeling disturbed, sad, and like I was listening to a child. patronized to a point of being just hard to read. But, the second and third sections of the book, where we meet Margit, learn more about Greta’s story, and learn the truth of Sigrid’s story underneath the veil of childhood naivety, I was so invested.

I feel like with the subject matter covered in this book (suicide, sexual assault, domestic violence, drug abuse, homophobia, racism, etc.) it was obvious that this would feel like a sucker punch, but I didn’t expect how much it would hurt. The feeling of loneliness, detachment, and resentment for the world around you that can come from growing up in a violent and toxic family environment, and also having no escape from it because you live in a small, mostly white town filled with ignorant people, felt so real. I felt so deeply for Margit and Sigrid who clearly learned no coping skills. I think this is a book that shows how difficult it can be to deal with grief and coming to terms with the reality you live in. I also think this book eloquently shows the intricate relationship between siblings who grew up equally disturbed by their environment, but how it can manifest differently.

I can’t wait to read the rest of Emily Austin’s work! Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the early copy of this book.

Wow I really loved this book. It was dark, but still hopeful and witty at the same time. I found myself really rooting for the characters. I can’t wait to read more from this author!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
Wow this was such an interesting read. It was really beautifully composed. I loved stylistically how this book was written with its dual povs and how part of it was written like letters. It is definitely a heavy read and really makes you think.

I’m not sure what to rate this. I think I loved it?! it was simultaneously about nothing and everything at the same time. The characters will absolutely stay with me for a while. The writing feels like a true of consciousness and a diary entry, but it makes the book fly by. But the writing is about very sensitive material so you want to really save it and take your time reading this.

Emily Austin's We Could Be Rats is a poignant and unflinching exploration of mental health, queer identity, and the suffocating weight of societal expectations. The raw honesty of her writing is both unsettling and incredibly cathartic. Austin delves into the darkest recesses of the human mind, capturing the debilitating grip of depression and the insidious nature of suicidal ideation with a brutal and unflinching honesty that is both terrifying and strangely comforting.

The novel masterfully intertwines themes of childhood innocence, the struggle for self-acceptance in a homophobic environment, and the suffocating pressures of growing up. Austin's characters feel deeply real, their struggles resonating with a raw vulnerability that is both heartbreaking and ultimately hopeful.

While the subject matter is heavy, there's a glimmer of hope that permeates the narrative. As her characters navigate their inner demons and find solace in unexpected places, a sense of possibility emerges, offering a glimmer of hope to readers grappling with similar struggles.

We Could Be Rats is a powerful and unforgettable read. It's a must-read for anyone who has ever grappled with mental illness, felt stifled by societal expectations, or simply yearned for a deeper understanding of the human condition.

Oof. I didn’t like this.

Pub date January 27, 2025

Austin’s Interesting Facts about Space made my top 10 of 2023, so I was of course overjoyed that I got to read an eARC of We could be Rats. That same character that you read about in Interesting Facts is seen here as well: that anxious, funny, vulnerable, lovable, queer girl. I love that character and want to read her again ( I still need to read Everyone in this Room will someday be Dead), but besides that the story was a flop.

Maybe I wasn’t the target audience. It read almost YA and the characters are in fact in their early 20’s. It felt like a contemporary Catcher in the Rye with its coming of age angst.

Structurally, it was also too much. I love novels that try something different with structure, but without giving anything away, I’ll just say that this story, with its epistolary structure, pov switches, and unnecessary plot devices, made the novel feel overpacked. Lastly, the writing was repetitive. Some of the repetition served a purpose, but it didn’t make it less annoying to read.

I respect Austin taking on such difficult topics, but I think she did too much. let me know if you’ve read this and what you think!

We Could Be Rats is the story of two sisters, Sigrid and Margit, who lead very different lives but have more in common than they realize. Through these relatable and memorable characters, we explore the hard truths that come with growing older, creating safety through imagination, and what it’s like when you don’t fit neatly into your family or society’s expectations. With humor and care, Austin has crafted a deeply moving portrayal of mental illness, suicide, addiction, and complex family dynamics. A must-read for 2025 that is poignant, funny, and insightful.

...I wasn't really sure what to expect of this book. It felt a little all over the place and was giving me Euphoria vibes at first, I mean, it really covers the topics in that show a bit!

Then, we get to Marg's side and I felt so bad.. What a wild ride for a novel. I am glad it ended the way it did, but it was interesting seeing things within the story from both sides that felt so every day. It was more interesting to see Marg in a worse "bad place" vs Sigird's "bad place". It didn't really conclude why Sigird felt the way she did..

But also, doesn't Marg have her phone?! lol

Painful. Like a tumblr post droning on and on. No like a livejournal post maybe. Just not for me I guess.

I was very sad to realize that this book was not for me. Although I liked the writing and thought it provided a lot of insight into the characters, I had a hard time getting into the story. I really liked Austin's other books, but this one was not my favorite.

Emily Austin is my favorite author because she is the only author I've read that has found the perfect "voice" for depressed/anxious characters. This book is no exception. It deals with heavy topics like suicide idealization, but then the character's attempts will be paused because of the thought of someone not getting their Secret Santa gift and other "trivial" things that to the average person is funny (in a dark way) but to people who suffer and think like the character, it's all too real. It's very comforting, in a dark way, but feeling represented is great. Her books always make you wonder if perhaps you're a bit crazy along with her characters, but then it reaffirms that there is hope in the darkness and if you open yourself up a little, good things can happen.
Another great read from Ms Austin.

Lit fic is not my usual genre (with a few exceptions), but I really loved this one! I didn’t totally get it at first, but it felt more and more meaningful as the book went on. It made my heart hurt at times. I don’t want to say too much about the plot or themes because I think it’s better to just experience it. If you liked the author’s other novels, you will most likely enjoy this too. I’d say it’s my second favorite after Everyone In This Room Will Someday Be Dead. Highly recommend!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Without a doubt one of the best books I have ever read - I cannot even explain how much I adored this book! Austin’s writing is stunning and her characters are painfully relatable. She creates an incredible atmosphere of nostalgia and I couldn’t put this book down. Cannot recommend enough!

Thank you to publisher/netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a tough read, but I'm glad I didn't DNF.
I think dealing with a suicide in September did mess with my judgement a bit as well... as well as I was already having a very tough go currently with depression…
But be prepared… 50% of this book is different variations of suicide letters as we get to know Sigrid, her upbringing, her family, her tumultuous relationship with her sister...
but... keep reading!
Finding out the twist, albeit small, was still good!

I'm so glad I stuck with it and finished this book.
While it won't be my favorite book of 2025, I enjoyed it for the most part. I almost gave up. I think I hoped this book would help me heal some of my own familial wounds, but alas, this book didn't do that...

Favorite quote:
Do you think the right thing to do is to live out your life, even when you feel like you're becoming a swamp-monster? Should I have stayed alive, been a grown-up, and tried to fix things? Do you think the reason most people with bad lives don't kill themselves is just because they're afraid of dying?

An ode to queer youth & the conservative small town experience.

While this book at face value is exceptionally dark, Emily Austin’s humor, wit, and quirky, reflective storytelling rounds this story out soooo perfectly!

Our plot centers around 2 sisters who could not be more different. We examine one’s attempt to take her own life while the other is left to grapple with the repercussions. Pretty bleak, I know.

Despite this being THE plot, this story is SO. MUCH. MORE. With our quirky cast of characters, this story is coming of age, an examination of complicated familial relations, and a surprisingly human reminder that even when living gets hard (and our own self destruction feels quite trivial) we deserve to live despite.

*TW/ Suicide Attempt*

first off, i cried... twice.

truthfully, i went into this book not expecting it to go the way it did at all, in fact, i was quite confused at first! nonetheless, i ended up resonating with it so intensely. you come across multiple examples of various relationships in this story and how they can alter your entire worldview as you grow and experience life, which i think was so admirable. there's the aspects of growing up in a toxic environment, feeling isolated because of your identity and the longing to remain young and carefree forever!

its also such a great depiction of how mental health and suicide can affect not only yourself, but those around you as well, and to have dived into that perspective made the story so much more delicate and heart wrenching. i am so thankful to have received this as my first ever arc and to have been able to enjoy it the way i did!

first: thank you SO much to netgalley , atria books and emily austin for this e arc.

as an older sister, this was so … tender. so much i’m still feeling and felt through out. this might be my favorite emily austin novel yet. i found myself relating so much to both sigrid and margit. the relationship with your sister is sooo complex (just like most relationships) so to capture the essence of sisterhood soooo beautifully, raw, and honest is * chef’s kiss * !!! i cried , i laughed , i resonated. navigating the relationship w your siblings in a toxic household is truly .. something. Sigrid is me in so many ways when it comes to how she views her familial relationships. plus the greta and Sigrid friendship … i can’t.. brb gonna go hug my sisters extra tight now.