An unflinching look at depression and suicide idealization.Beautifully written and much sadder than her last two (funnier) books.

I adored the concept of this story and the narrator's unique, humorous voice! However, I couldn't really connect to the epistemological narration. It make it hard to connect to the narrator or picture the environment and characters outside of Sigrid's immediate world. Nonetheless, this was a tender, emotional queer coming-of-age story dealing with heavy but important themes of mental health, family, and belonging.

We Could Be Rats is a stunning, unconventional novel about two sisters struggling to understand each other — and themselves — while carrying the weight of painful truths. Readers who loved the dark humor and emotional depth of The Wedding People will find a similarly moving and affirming story here.

The novel opens with a content warning: one of the characters is planning to end her life, and at first, this reality is treated with unsettling nonchalance. The first section unfolds as a series of drafts — Sigrid’s many attempts at writing a perfect suicide note. Through these versions, we glimpse her childhood, her present as a young adult, and the winding, nonlinear way she makes sense of the world as she lays bare her thoughts for those she’s leaving behind. Sigrid mourns the loss of childhood, reminiscing about long summer days with her best friend Greta and her complicated relationship with her older sister, Margit.

The book similarly sees Margit working through her own complicated feelings about her role as the older sister in a volatile family. As she uncovers the full truth of Sigrid’s pain, she’s consumed by guilt and regret, struggling to piece together what she missed and what she can still mend.

This very short novel is perfect for any reader who wants an afternoon with a book that will make them both ugly cry and laugh until their sides hurt. Sigrid and Margit are wildly different, yet both deeply relatable in their own ways. I loved this book and can’t wait to press it into the hands of readers who crave stories that crack you open and put you back together again.

I absolutely loved this book! It had such an unique narration style that made it easy to fall in love with the characters. It made me want to immediately go read Emily Austin's other books.

Thank you to Net Galley, the author, and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Emily Austin is one of my current favorite authors because she has this uncanny ability to write things that feel 100% entirely original. And despite the very particular situations her characters often find themselves in, there is always something very universal about what she's discussing. Across the board, that universal something tends to be mental health.

While I still hold Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead on a high, five-star pedestal, this has rolled in as being a very close second for me.

We Could Be Rats is told from the perspective of Sigrid, a woman who has decided (in a seemingly nonchalant way) to end her life. The author offers a full disclaimer that self-harm and suicide are never nonchalant topics (and that definitely rings true later in the text). However, we are initially being relayed this story through Sigrid's suicide notes to her loved ones, which help piece together the family dynamics at play, as well as some of the factors that went into her decision.

Ultimately, this is a story of two sisters who deeply love and care about each other, but often struggle to understand and empathize with one another's viewpoints. This is a true suckerpunch of a novel. Emily Austin may not be to everyone's preference, but I do believe she is capable of consistently offering us an endearing lens through which to view some of human nature's darkest, ugliest thoughts.

In short? One of my favorite reads of 2025 so far.

I’ve never felt more personally victimized by a book before.

As an eldest daughter I connected with Margit when I learned about her through Sigrid’s perspective, and when get to spend with Margit herself. This story had be crying in various parts through out and there was something healing about reading this.

Austin was able to take a heavy topic like suicide that is powerful, important and yet and overwhelming. Overall, I’m at a point now where if Emily Austin writes, I am going to read it, she is becoming one of my new favourite authors who tells a well grounded story.

I have a deep love of Emily Austin's writing and characters and this story is no different. It pulled greatly at my heart and at times was really difficult to get through, but was ultimately reflective, deep, and impactful in ways I think many readers will appreciate. There's such an ache in this story that feels so intimate throughout; I can tell I'll think about this one long after I reached the end.

I admit I put this book off for a really long time. I even had an ARC of it, but I just kept pushing it back. The writing style was never what I seemed to be in the mood for. However, in an effort to read through my NetGalley shelf, and because I could borrow it from the library, I went ahead and dedicated time to reading this. Especially because so many people here enjoyed it!

I didn’t dislike the last Emily Austin book I read, but for some reason I went into it thinking it was a romance, and that skewed my enjoyment. There was no mistaking with this book what the core of it was about. And with that I have to say you need to check for trigger warnings. Suicidal ideation, mentions of cancer, drug abuse, sexual assault. It’s a book largely about mental wellness.

Overall, this was a quick emotional read. I was very surprised by the turns it took and had no idea they were coming, but they definitely made me like the book a lot more. So, I won’t say too much about the turns!

Also, once again applauding the representation with mental health and queer characters.

Definitely leaving myself open to this author.

I loved Austin's novel, Everyone in this Room will Someday be Dead, so when I saw this on NetGalley, I requested it immediately. Spoiler Alert: I was not disappointed. I especially love a novel about sisters, and this one offers up a fraught pair with more than their share of woes and childhood trauma. Austin tells a compelling story with the use of some interesting literary devices (no spoilers here, sorry). In Austin's capable hands, I went from upbeat to gutted in what seemed like an instant. Her characters are an eclectic bunch, often misunderstood, most trying to escape the dysfunction of their families (some, the causes of said dysfunction), but always, Austin renders them with overwhelming kindness and grace. And really, that's what I'm here for...aren't we all?

I love Emily Austin but I didn’t enjoy this book. I pushed myself to get to 50% and could barely get there. This was not it for me and I’m so sad about it. 😭😭

Emily Austin has absolutely captivated me once again. We Could Be Rats is a profound and compelling exploration of sisterhood, complicated family dynamics, grief, societal norms for young women, and the power of a brilliant imagination.

The story primarily follows Sigrid through the lens of her relationship with her sister, Margit. Although there's a deep love between the two, they often fail to relate to one another. Through the story they find reconnection and enlightenment on how their childhood perspectives differed and informed their adult experiences.

I always find Emily Austin's prose to be so powerful and gripping, and the spaces that she can take the story are dark and reflective, yet laced with humor and candor that is rarely so balanced. Her nuanced character development allowed me to feel incredibly empathetic toward both Sigrid and Margit, two very different people but deeply connected sisters trying to navigate life challenges. Big stuff!

This was tender, loving, and honest in a way that left me sighing and hugging it to my chest. 5 stars.

I really enjoyed We Could Be Rats, but I have to admit that the first half felt slow and repetitive. At first, I wasn’t sure if the pacing was intentional or if the story was just dragging, but by the second half, it all clicked. The structure made sense in hindsight, and I came to appreciate the way it was written.
Emily Austin has a gift for making anxious, existentially spiraling characters feel painfully real, and this book is no exception. We Could Be Rats is a darkly funny and deeply moving novel about sisterhood, trauma, and the stories we tell ourselves to survive. It follows two sisters—Sigrid, lost in grief after her best friend’s overdose, and Margit, the so-called "perfect child," weighed down by the pressure of always having it together. Their opposing personalities create a compelling dynamic as they navigate their complicated relationship.
Austin’s writing is sharp, raw, and filled with her signature wit. Though the pacing felt uneven at times, and some sections were emotionally heavy, the novel is beautifully crafted and thought-provoking. It doesn’t offer easy resolutions, but it does explore how our memories shape us—and how sometimes, the only person who truly understands our past is the one who lived it with us.
Highly recommended for those who enjoy literary fiction with a strong emotional core.
Thank you to Atria and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

🐀We Could be Rats🐀
By Emily Austin

Pages: 256
Rating: 4️⃣.0️⃣0️⃣
Book Goal 2025: 12/130

✨If you could be any animal, what would it be and why?✨

This book was a heavy read. Please check your trigger warnings.

We could be rats is a story of two sisters who are going through life living very differently. It focuses on how one tries to fit into the world while being very different than what people would consider “normal.” Then the other who just can’t understand why her sister can’t confirm to normal society standards. All with the hints of how they were raised, a challenging childhood and what that trauma could have done to shape them.

What unfolds is an unforgettable story of two sisters finding their way back to each other, and a celebration of that unshakable bond. I felt Emily Austin approached delicate topics in this story with an empathetic approach and a directness that was extremely brave.

Overall I enjoyed this traumatic read but it’s dark so please remember to check your triggers.

Look into the lives of sisters but especially poignant in the current hellscape. Hopefully screaming into the void.

Contemporary Fiction • Mental Health • Queer
Published • 28 January 2025

‧₊˚🖇️✩ ₊˚⊹ Thank you @atriabooks for the free book. #atriapartner ♡

I read Interesting Facts about Space last year, so knew I wanted to get my hands on this one as soon possible.

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚✎・❥ Why You Should Read This・♡‧₊˚🖇️✩ ₊˚⊹
╰➤ Austin writes highly relatable neurodivergent characters
╰➤ This book is short and could be read in a single afternoon...
╰➤ However, it packs a punch. Please mind the trigger warnings!

Sigrid and Margit are sisters. They are both misunderstood. Coming from places of best intentions. When you’re trying to fit in, in a world that does not understand you, you twist the truth for the comfort of others.
The narrators are unreliable which makes the book interesting, with many layers.

·˚ ༘₊·꒰➳: ̗̀➛ The overall tenor is sad, and I was left feeling a bit morose. However, what I do love about Emily Austin is how real her characters are.

The writing is simplistic yet poignant, written in epistolary form from the perspective of a 20-year-old who in many ways still thinks like a child (and I mean that in a good way).

‧₊˚🎧⊹ I alternated between audio and regular book format and found both to be easily accessible.

TW: Suicide, Rape (not of main characters), Drug Use, Addiction

I found it difficult to connect with Sigrid through her attempts to write a suicide note because it was a bit all over the place and her lies made me unsure if I could fully trust her. The letters read more like diary entries then suicide notes because Sigrid kept trying to be funny or ask how the wording was...the whole thing was a little odd. This was a unique story and a tough topic to approach, but unfortunately I didn't connect with the characters and found this difficult to get through.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria, and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for a honest review.

I loved it so much. Emily R. Austin breaks my heart every single time. This book felt like it was written specifically for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.

TL;DR: this is a bizarre book written in a really interesting format that lends itself well to the overarching story and themes it explores. Definitely look up trigger warnings before reading, but honestly I think this book brilliantly creates windows and mirrors for readers to learn more and see themselves reflected in someone who might be incredibly similar, or might be entirely different, than them.

Wow. Wow. I started this on my couch with a cup of coffee this morning, and three and half hours later am closing my kindle and realizing I haven't eaten or switched over the laundry and I accidentally read the whole thing. I feel a mix of guilt like a kid who ate an entire bag of candy, and relief because wow that was good and I'm glad I did.

This is a rough book, and simultaneously made me laugh out loud. Parts of it hit really hard. I absolutely despise Kevin and it made me (rationally) angry at real people who I also despise. I felt for Margit and Sigrid, a lot, and despite not having a ton in common with them, felt strangely connected to both of them. Parts of the story were a little close to home and I wished I'd paid better attention to the plot line before picking this up, although i don't think it would have prevented me from reading it. In any case, this was a very solid book.

It's not going to be everyone's cup of tea. I really liked Emily Austin's other book, <i>Interesting Facts About Space</i>, so I correctly suspected I'd like this one, too. But it's very reflective and philosophical and odd. It's also very character driven. In fact, there is no neat plot to follow, nor is the ending particularly "ending like" in a traditional sense. I think you'll either love this or hate it, with little in between.

Personally? I really loved it.

Emily Austin could publish her grocery list and I would read it. Her command of the english language is masterful. The fact that she was able to contain such a complex story into such a short book is baffling to me.

This book made me feel so many feelings despite it's simplicity. I loved that I never knew what was real and what to believe - by making me question my reality this book made me think deeply about humanity. Such a gorgeous and weird and wonderful story that I'll remember for a long time.

I am super sad that I am DNFing this book because I was SO excited for it, but I am 65% of the way through it and I just can't read it anymore. I like books with unreliable narrators, but Sigrid's letters (the first half of the book) were so rambling and repetitive that it was hard to believe any of what she said. Margit's perspective (which comes a little over halfway through the book) is just not enough to save it for me. And when she quickly also deteriorates into rambling, I had to be done. I understand from looking at reviews that there is a bit of a twist or reframing of things at the end of the book. I just don't care enough to get there, unfortunately.