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!

I've read all of Austin’s novels and this newest one covers some similar ground while still being distinct. It follows Sigrid and her sister Margit who are in their early twenties. The book examines toxic family dynamics, growing up queer in a small town, suicide, and the opioid crisis. Like Austin’s other works, this book is heavy on interiority with very neurotic/neurodiverse narrators who struggle with anxiety/depression.

Unlike her previous books, this features a much more unreliable narrator which I found made for a somewhat difficult reading experience, though I was sucked in by the reveals as the story went on.

I wasn't as into this one as much as her previous works, maybe because it reads too similar to those that came before. I didn't like the repetition of how much Sigrid liked playing as a child and struggled with growing up, but perhaps I'm just a bit old compared to the target audience. It covers a lot of interesting themes and it's well done so I do think a lot of people will like this one, unfortunately it just failed to resonate for me.

Also recommend: Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors and In Universes by Emet North

I adore the structure of this book. The first half are attempts at a suicide note by our protagonist, Sigrid. We get a sense of her general malaise and small town frustrations. We later switch to the more responsible sister, Magrit, for her perspective on Sigrid and some of the family troubles. The author could have had a stronger differentiation between the two character voices, but overall this was a tender portrait of someone who fears growing up, feels like a misfit, and could benefit from some inner child work.

This one was somehow even more moving than Austin's previous novels. I had to read sections slowly and take breaks so I wouldn't publicly cry in my office (don't tell my boss). It's hard for me to imagine anyone not identifying with this story, at least a little.

Emily Austin, you've done it again. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the arc.

A triumph. Emily R. Austin has done it again.

This is a much darker story than Austin's previous. Although dark humour is typical in her stories, We Could Be Rats focuses less on humour and more on reflection of how our past affects us in the present, although you may still get a surprise giggle here and there. There's a lot in here for people to relate to when it comes to mental health, familial relationships, and grappling with growing up,

Lots of beautiful discussion of childhood friendship, imagination, and sisterhood.

Only twice in my life has a book made me cry, and they were both Emily Austin books, We Could be Rats was the second.

10/10

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6607165287

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I feel like I was teetering on the edge of an emotional breakthrough for a lot of this book but I couldn’t quite tip over far enough to get there. It took me until a little over halfway through to become fully committed to the story but when that happened, I promptly stopped my Lord of the Rings marathon in order to finish it, so that should say something about how good it ended up being.

There’s a relatability to Emily Austin’s writing that you just don’t see when reading books that deal with the content that this one does; relationships, transitioning from childhood to adulthood in what feels like abrupt ways, mental health and reaching out to hands that are coated with Vaseline. Of being human in a space that only accepts robots. It felt poignant without being condescending or pretentious and I loved the writing style with my whole heart.

I didn’t quite get tears coming out of my eyes while reading this but it did feel like my heart was attached to this book with a string that was continuously being tugged. In many ways, I couldn’t fully personally relate to Sigrid’s story, though I did empathize with her. However, in the parts where I did relate, I felt so seen. This was my first foray into Austin’s writing and if the relatability and darkly humoured writing style is a pattern, I’m probably gonna have to go pick up her other works.

4/5

Emily Austin is an autobuy author for me and will continue on as such. This story was so moving and brilliant. I feel seen and understood. I love Austin’s incredible depiction of mental health in all of her characters. She writes queerness and neurodivergence with such candor and life. I can’t wait for more and more from this author

When I read "Interesting facts about space" earlier this year, I knew it was one of my all time favorites. The main character was unique but also relatable, single lines would jump out and punch me in the guts, and at the end I had a greater appreciation for others around me. Having finished "We could be Rats" I know Emily Austin is one of my favorite authors.

Instead of a synopsis I'll tell you how it starts. Sigrid keeps trying to write her suicide note but can't quite get it right. It's darkly comedic and tragic as Sigrid looks back on her life while also writing out to her sister Margit to make edits so it at least sounds a bit better. Ultimately this is a story about 2 sisters who grew up in the same small town and how after drifting apart come back to eachother.

One thing I really appreciated was how often the lead gets buried. You're introduced to something and later it comes back different. The full truth is never told first and it takes both sisters to fully understand what or why something is. Also I appreciated that the initial narrator is unreliable, which makes going into the second half just as engaging as the beginning. I find most books tend to drag around the middle but this time I was hooked all the way through.

Thank you to Atria books for the ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.