At first, I thought "The Sisters Brothers" would be some family drama, a la TV show "Brothers & Sisters". Then I started reading, and the brotherly duo of Charlie and Eli reminded me somewhat of another highly enjoyable novel, "The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart"- especially when Charlie and Eli stumbled across a supernatural occurrence or two. But magic proved to be less than the main theme, and "The Sisters Brothers" took on its own voice, and I became engrossed.
Charlie and Eli Sisters are not good men, but Eli wouldn't mind becoming one. He has had enough of the mercenary life; while he gets a thrill from his very name striking fear into the hearts of men, he also experiences moments of darkness and loneliness which make him long for death. He sees where all this is headed, and it is not good. He knows he needs to change his ways. If only he could convince his brother of the same.
The novel meanders along with a distinctly fantastical bent; characters recur for no reason or logic, things fall unexpectedly into place, and events bookend each other in pretty parallels. But "The Sisters Brothers" is also a Western, set in the Californian gold-rush, when men were manly. And thieving. And murderous. As a result the novel feels, well, more dusty than gritty.
"The Sisters Brothers" has been one of my favourite novels in a long time. A great re-entry back into the world of Booker novels, except that I fear it has set the bar too high for some others to match.
No comments:
Post a Comment