thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

this was just as emotional as I expected it to be. emily austin just gets me idk something about her stories make you feel so sad but also so seen at the same time. her stories always are so human and I always relate and love the characters so deeply. emily I would read your grocery list. I loved the structure in which she decided to write this book in particular. I feel like I got to know the characters on a deeper level.

one thing about an emily austin book is it WILL make me cry

this was really good! emily austin has proven once again why she's my favorite contemporary fiction author. we could be rats is about the pains of growing up, being left behind, losing friendships, feeling alienated in your community, sisterhood, complex family relationships, rats, and hamlet!

I really liked the beginning, but I did feel as part 1 went on that it was getting just a bit repetitive, and then part 2 came in, punched me in the throat, and I was right back in it. I feel like I have to acknowledge this isn't favorite emily austin, but considering her other 2 novels are both in my like top 15 favorite books of all time-- it's an insanely high and unrealistic bar to clear.

I will continue to preorder/read/promote/endlessly talk about everything emily austin writes! i love her! thanks to netgalley and atria books for the arc!

Austin captures what it’s like to just exist in the world today as a queer and neurodivergent person: it can be joyful or excruciating, depending on the moment. I experienced some wild ranges of emotion reading this book– from nostalgic to resentful, from miserable to hopeful. I feel heartbroken and healed all at once. Once again, I’ve finished an Emily Austin book worried that she can see inside my brain because of how relatable her characters are– which probably says a lot about me.

Reading about Sigrid was really hard, because she knows she is a happy person but lives in an area populated by hateful bigots and grew up in a tumultuous home. She’s afraid of being evil and feels that she doesn’t belong anywhere. She’s ultimately just trying to feel safe and accepted and experience life innocently, but is unable to hold onto joy. I have a lot of love for her, people like her, and younger me. And what a beautiful ending– I cried.

emily austin read my diary and also my brain to write this book and boy oh boy did she knock it out of the park. this is not for everyone, but i absolutely loved it. Sigrid is scarily realistic and i jsut loved every second being in her (and others) brains. i am so lucky thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this eArc

I feel like most people can relate to not wanting to be around anymore. I feel like this gives insight to most people's hesitation on ending their lives. Austin does a very good job capturing the feelings of someone effected by suicide and what it would be like to deal with it after the fact. If you know anyone who has or went through this - this could possibly be a baseline for their grief or questions on why someone did and looking on the outside in.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC!

I have zero idea how I'm supposed to talk about this book. I sort of went into this blind, and I don't want to give too much away.

I love the narration. The writing style is pretty straightforward but very engaging, and the initial premise is initially darkly humourous, but as the story progresses, it changed in ways I didn't expect. The narrator is very unreliable but also bluntly honest. I loved both of the sisters; I found both of them to be very relatable, and while they are both very different people, it's easy to empathise with both of them and understand why they are the way they are.

At the risk of sounding like a vague blurb, all I can say is that this book is powerful and timely, and deeply resonated with me. It asks what the point of living is, surrounded by the seemingly never-ending mundanity of evil. It also made me cry.

Anyway, I'm definitely going to check out more by this author!

We Could Be Rats by Emily Austin is a thought provoking literary fiction!
This book was well written. It was funny and dark and poignant.
I just love how she takes a very dark subject, suicide and makes it relatable and personal.
I fell in love with the characters, they were developed so well. I found this very relatable
And I just adored her writing style.

I loved this. We have sisters, struggles with the reality of the word, an unreliable narrator, and some perfectly quotable thoughts.

The first half of the book is rambling attempts at a suicide note that delve into Sigrid’s childhood.

*Spoiler alert*

But then there’s a twist! Most of those letters were pure fiction because they were written by Sigrid’s sister, Margit, at Sigrid’s request.

From there we get both sister’s perspectives as they try to find a way to heal and move forward.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC of this novel.

I have LOVED Emily Austin’s previous novels, so I knew this would be a must-read for me. “We Could Be Rats” carried similar themes to previous novels: a young Queer woman who is struggling to understand herself and her mental health. I appreciate the author’s ability to tell honest stories with authenticity and humor.

Thank you to Atria Books & NetGalley for an ARC copy of this. We Could Be Rats by Emily Austin just came out January 28th, 2025. And I fully believe it is Austin's best book yet.

Two sisters, Sigrid & Margit, have two totally different lives. Sigrid is sad, and sensitive, and weird, and doesn't conform to society's standards. She feels like she does not belong. If you've read an Emily Austin book before, you know this character. Margit is the type A perfect pretty sister who goes to college, stays on a straight path (is straight), and tries not to step on anyone's toes. In Austin's usual writing style, this is a stream of consciousness type book where we get alternating POVs. But this one has something special and different.

We Could Be Rats was the perfect book at the perfect time for me. As someone who has lost her sister, this book was hard to read and gut-wrenching. This is about the ins and outs of a sister bond, especially on how to navigate it when one of them is mentally ill. This is deeper than Austin's two other novels. As someone who is no stranger to grief, the opioid epidemic, mental illness, and grandparent loss, I can say this was profoundly impactful. I loved every single bit of it. The social commentary was so spot on for everything happening in America right now. Sigird and Margit were both so relatable in different ways. Highly recommend if you like rambling books and inner monologues.

(4.75⭐, rounded up) This is my 3rd Emily Austin book (also: yay, more great Canadian authors!!) and is probably very closely tied with INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT SPACE in being my top favorite by her thus far. WE COULD BE RATS is a coming-of-age story that follows two twin sisters, Sigrid and Margit, who are as vastly different from one another as they are the same in terms of their humanity and basic needs. The format in which this story is told is different than Austin's previous works, but ultimately showcases her same uniquely beautiful style of writing - at times rather stream-of-consciousness (which I love), unexpectedly hilarious and biting in its commentary, and genuinely vulnerable & moving until the very end as it works to capture that sense of innocence we all have in the days of our youth and how it inevitably changes/evolves as we grow older. There were so many passages I loved, highlighted, and felt deeply toward or related with - Sigrid and Margit are both such fully realized characters, imperfect and flawed, sure, but nonetheless very, very human.... the way Austin is able to really put us in their respective headspaces - into every dark corner and into every glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel they may feel - is truly commendable. I will caution other reads though to first check the CWs for this novel, as it does handle a lot of tough subject matter— from suicide ideation and literal attempts; depression & anxiety; toxic home environments & complex interpersonal relationships; SA/r*pe; hompohobia; and drug use, among other things. Knowing this though, I still highly recommend this read and am grateful to have discovered Emily Austin as an author over these last few years - I can't wait to see what she comes out with next!

Sigrid never finished high school and is working at the dollar store, while her older sister Margit is pursing her college degree. Bonded by parents who had violent arguments, and yet somehow so distant from one another, one singular event will forever shift their relationship.

A lot of unique storytelling, some stream of consciousness, diary entries, and multiple writing styles to move the story makes for an interesting read.

I didn’t feel connected to these characters, but someone with similar viewpoints to the author and experiences would certainly enjoy this more than I did.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley.

We Could Be Rats is a poignant and introspective novel that delves into the complexities of sisterhood, mental health, and the enduring impact of a tumultuous upbringing. The narrative centers on Sigrid and Margit, sisters who, despite their close age, have chosen divergent paths in life. Sigrid, a high school dropout, remains in their small, conservative hometown, grappling with feelings of stagnation and disillusionment. In contrast, Margit pursues higher education and distances herself from their shared past. The story unfolds through a series of suicide note drafts penned by Sigrid, offering a raw and unfiltered glimpse into her psyche. As the sisters navigate their individual struggles, they are compelled to confront their shared history and the deep-seated wounds that continue to influence their lives.

Emily Austin captures the intricacies of sibling relationships, illustrating how shared experiences can be perceived differently and how these perceptions shape one's identity. The novel's structure, interweaving Sigrid's introspective writings with Margit's perspective, provides a comprehensive view of their bond and the personal demons each sister faces. Austin's writing is both evocative and nuanced, balancing moments of dark humor with profound emotional depth. The narrative addresses heavy themes such as suicide, addiction, and trauma, yet it also highlights the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring power of familial love. The book evokes a spectrum of emotions, from empathy and sorrow to moments of reflection, leaving readers contemplating the profound impact of family and the paths we choose in life.

This novel is recommended for readers who appreciate character-driven stories that explore mental health and complex family dynamics.

I love every book Emily writes so much. They’re weird, the characters are weird but they also make me feel better about being weird. The content was a bit tough to get through as it’s a bit depressing but I loved the characters so much and the sisterly bond between them. 5 ⭐️

Emily Austin does not fail to amaze me!

WE COULD BE RATS is a love letter to suburbia, a tale of siblings meeting in the middle, and an example of how unsafe upbringings can result in suppressing mental health issues. This also involves the crippling reality of drug addiction and suicidal ideations/attempts.

While she incorporates these deeply serious topics, Austin still manages to add a light, comedic writing style that adds a dark humor aspect to the story. She presents Sigrid as a complex character whose mental health issues get worse, mainly undiagnosed schizophrenia or psychosis. Her continued desire to reflect on her childhood is relatable, especially as a fellow neurodivergent person.

The sibling dynamic was also powerful. While I am only child, I felt touched reading Sigrid and Margit's separate POVs about the past and present. It makes me think of Jandy Nelson's I'LL GIVE YOU THE SUN, which is one of my favorite books of all time. Their shared childhood traumas and miscommunications of how they interacted before the events of the book were executed very well.

Thank you to Atria Books for letting me read this in advance! This was such a journey

We Could Be Rats starts like a stream of consciousness that doesn’t have a pause button. The further you read through Sigrid’s letter attempts - And who exactly is she writing these letters to? I thought it was Margit, but now I’m not so sure. Is each attempt to a different person? - the sadder it is because you can see how lost she seemingly has become in her own head and in her own life.

Then, halfway through, the book takes a surprising turn that is completely unexpected in my opinion, but it does explain why I couldn’t figure out who was writing those original drafts! The continued exploration of Sig, Marg, and their dynamics both together and individually make for a beautifully heartbreaking look at mental health and the need for connection in this world.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy.

“I googled the cost of caskets, and it’s criminal. Please bury me in a garbage bag.”

We Could Be Rats by Emily Austin is exceptionally well-written, well-thought out, and so aligned to our current society that you find yourself relating to the characters on the page in some capacity. This book follows two sisters: Sigrid and Margit--two complete polar opposites in all aspects. Where Margit would rather keep the peace in a situation and conform to those around her; Sagrid is a massive walking middle finger that as much as she doesn’t want to make people around her unhappy she also has her own morals that she stands on repeatedly. The book opens with Sagrid attempting to write a suicide letter for her loved ones and has to keep backpedaling because she is unsure how to exactly write one that says everything it needs to.

If you liked Everyone in this Room Will Someday Be Dead, you will like this as well! This book contains a lot of those moments where you might find yourself nodding your head because you agree with a random thought--or better yet, that same thought has crossed your mind. It has a lot of those “this is not written as a joke so why am I laughing” type of moments as well. You’ll find a lot of relatability in some of the statements either character makes. Trigger Warnings: Suicide, Drugs, Addiction, Ignorant MAGA-like people that are mentioned which definitely pissed me off because these people actually exist in our society. Don’t worry, I am very much like Sigrid and call them out when given the opportunity.

I have to say it has been a minute since I’ve read a story with an unreliable narrator because wow! Sigrid took us on a ride to tell us her side of these during the first third of the book. It was really intriguing to read her trying her hardest to formulate the ideal, “perfect” suicide letter for her family that perhaps might stumble across it. She was very aware of what her issues were but kept avoiding being completely honest. But the further you read into the story, that first part is explained and honestly left me shocked because I wasn’t expecting that from this book at all! This book is very nonlinear with the way the events that Sigrid outlines are told, we go from the far past to the distant past to the almost recent past. It definitely felt like a stream of consciousness where Sigrid would bounce from thought to memory to feelings in a single breath. I wish I could include every part of the book I highlighted because there were SO many things that Sigrid said or experienced that I was like wow this book really mirrors our current generation of youth so well.

There are so many ways we can discuss this book which is so crazy--the trauma that Sigrid and Margit experienced during their adolescence which caused them to be neurodivergent; which wasn’t explicitly said in the book but I know they are just from their behavior. We could also touch on the fact that Sigrid felt like she was forced to grow up when she still wanted to play with dolls and how that factors into how teenagers nowadays skip the preteen phase entirely when they really should embrace it and feel pressured to change to fit the norm. There’s also the aspect of how people with addictions are ‘othered’ by society and talked about as if they were less than human. All this to say, I didn’t even outline every potential conversation that can be had after reading this book which just shows how this book really had it all!!

Thank you to Atria Books & NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

“We Could Be Rats” perfectly captures how as kids we all create expectations for who we will be and the lives we will lead but things don’t always turn out that way. Through a series of journal entries, we meet Sigrid and Margit, two sisters who are trying to navigate adulthood while trying to make peace with the events of their childhood and each other. This story provides laughs, tears and brings comfort to all who have felt a little lost as adults and wish for the simpler times we once dreamed of.

This was my first Emily Austin book and I absolutely enjoyed her writing style and how she tackled difficult topics with humor and grace. The journal entries made it easy to intimately connect and understand the characters, their past struggles and concerns for the future. I also admired the way she depicted the complexities of sisterhood between Sigrid and Margit. Sisterhood is a special bond but sometimes mix-ups and hurt can lead to resentment and secrets that weigh down this unique relationship. It was beautiful to see Sigrid and Margit try to understand each other and heal in order to be there for each other.

I look forward to reading more works by Emily Austin in the future.

I’ve read three of Emily Austin’s books now. I loved Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead, and I liked Interesting Facts About Space, though it started out slowly for me before it took off in a great feat of storytelling by the last half. She has a wonderful knack for writing female characters who are atypical but find their way in their own time.

All that to say that I liked but didn’t love her newest offering We Could Be Rats. It follows Sigrid, who writes letters in order to explain some of her actions, so it begins as an epistolary novel of sorts. She’s a person who’s always thought that her best life would be as a carnival rat, riding the carnival rides, feasting on leftover carnival food and hanging out with other rat pals. Her rat life span would be about two years, which she finds pretty okay. She’s not a person who fits easily into the actual life she was born into.

The other main character is her sister Margit, a peace-maker, high functioning and perfectionistic. Gradually, details of their difficult family life emerge, along with community problems like the fentanyl crisis. I liked the way that these sisters could tentatively, gradually find common ground.

However, like the first half of Interesting Facts About Space, I found that this book became repetitive. Austin is a talented writer of interesting sentences and paragraphs, and she portrays Sigrid with great depth. If I could quote freely from this ARC I would, because there are such great lines full of meaning. But there wasn’t enough story for me; I needed more plot.

That said, if you’re a fan of Austin, then I say you should read this book. There is much praise for it, and I can see why. My time was well spent getting to know Sigrid and Margit, and the way that two sisters deal with trauma differently.

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for a gifted copy for review!

This book very much felt like it was pulled from my brain at some parts. Parts of the different notes hit me so hard that I would have to step away from the book because it just felt too much. I think that is one of the great things about books. I loved the aspects of sisters and their relationships. There were times where Sigrid and Margit were either talking or talking about something they did as kids and could see my sister and i having those conversations or doing those things as kids.

It is hard to describe what i liked about this but there were so many things and now i want a rat tattoo.