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The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers

by Thomas Mullen (Goodreads Author)

3.64 of 5 stars 3.64 · rating details · 660 ratings · 159 reviews

Late one night in August 1934, following a yearlong spree of bank robberies across the Midwest, the Firefly Brothers are forced into a police shootout and die . . . for the first time.

In award-winning author Thomas Mullen’s evocative new novel, the highly anticipated follow-up to his acclaimed debut, The Last Town on Earth, we follow the Depression-era adventures of Jason...more

Hardcover, 416 pages

Published January 26th 2010 by Random House (first published January 1st 2010)

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Apr 16, 2011 Denise rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: crime, historical-fiction, mystery, depression-era

Set during the Depression, a time of desparation and bank robbings this is a relatively quick read. Combination of historical fiction, mystery, crime and murder. The Fireson Brothers are survivors. They are surviving poverty, unemployment, family disputes and murder. The greatest mystery is not the who or the how of the story but the why. Why do they not die?

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Mar 02, 2010 Kemper rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi, crime-mystery, bad-guys-rule, thieves

People love to turn certain types of outlaws into folk heroes. Thieves and murderers are portrayed as varying versions of Robin Hood, and when they die, there are often stories about how they faked their deaths somehow. Billy the Kid and John Dillinger were both rumored to be alive long after they met their ends. Jesse James was dug up and DNA testing done a century after he was killed to prove it was really him in the grave. But what if there were famous outlaws who simply couldn’t die?

Jason an...more People love to turn certain types of outlaws into folk heroes. Thieves and murderers are portrayed as varying versions of Robin Hood, and when they die, there are often stories about how they faked their deaths somehow. Billy the Kid and John Dillinger were both rumored to be alive long after they met their ends. Jesse James was dug up and DNA testing done a century after he was killed to prove it was really him in the grave. But what if there were famous outlaws who simply couldn’t die?

Jason and Whit Fireson are brothers who lead the so-called Firefly gang of bank robbers during the Great Depression. The death of Dillinger has made them the top priority for J. Edgar Hoover’s fledgling Bureau of Investigation. The book begins with their deaths. Sort of.

The Fireson brothers wake up in the morgue with fatal bullet wounds. Confused and scared, they quickly escape and try to figure out what happened to them during their last day and how they managed to come back from the dead.

The police think that their bodies were stolen and Jason sees this a great opportunity to vanish forever with no one looking for them. They need money to get away and they plan to pull a couple of bank jobs and then disappear with confusion about their reported deaths keeping a serious man-hunt from being done. But Jason’s girlfriend has been kidnapped, and their uncertainty about how they died and returned is haunting them. The title of the book should be a clue that the dying isn’t over for the Fireson’s yet.

This was a unique idea for a story with an interesting structure. It starts with their ‘deaths’ and then uses flashbacks to tell the story of the Fireson family along with how Jason and Whit turned to bank robbery.. I liked how the author didn’t play along with the usual ‘30s era bank robber Robin Hood myth. Whit has leftist radical tendencies and tries to think of the robberies as class warfare, but Jason doesn’t allow himself such delusions. He knows that they’re just criminals.

The book also does a nice job of showing the toll that this takes on the non-criminal members of their family like their brother Weston, who has to try and hold onto his job even as the Bureau of Investigation is putting pressure on his employer. There was also a lot of interesting detail about life during the Great Depression.

Good book that put an interesting twist on the legend of the Depression-era bank robbers.(less)

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Jul 28, 2011 Robert Starner added it

Write a review...An incredibly deliberate and well crafted tale set in the depression midwest and follows the escapades of the Fireson brothers, Jason and Whit, rogue bankrobbers. Defying the odds, the brothers manage to escape the authorities, both local and federal, in repeated shootouts. Or do they? The brothers commit to complete one final as they make attempts to complete one final "endeavor" that will allow them to escape and set up a new life. Waiting on the sidelines to learn about the F...more

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Jun 16, 2012 Patrick rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers was the second book in a row that I read and was surprised that there was a supernatural element involved. (The first being the excellent Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern) Unlike, the Night Circus, I don't feel like the supernatural element added a lot to this book. I'm not saying it took anything away. I just feel like a very similar story could have been told with some close shaves, instead of actual deaths. In any case, it wasn't so jarring that it made...more

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May 09, 2012 Danny rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Firefly Brothers are dead. Or are they? Jason and Whit Fireson, the founding members of the Firefly Gang, wake up in a morgue. The newspapers say they've been gunned down by small town cops, but the brothers don't seem any worse off for it. What's going on? And where is the $70,000 they stole from that bank?

In the middle of the Great Depression the Firefly Gang provides much-needed hope for people whose faith in the American Dream is fading fast. They had a good family, good upbringing, goo...more

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Jun 24, 2010 AM rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

The Many Deaths of the Firefly by Thomas Mullen is an amazing book. It is one of those rare titles where everything works. Starting with the outside, it has a deep red jacket with a fedora clad silhouette walking towards the reader its trench coat flapping slightly. It has an intriguing title that makes you want to pick it up, and it is a hefty in size. The book is about a pair of Dillinger-esque bank robbers called the Firefly Brothers. As you read Mullen’s beautiful prose you settle into a non...more The Many Deaths of the Firefly by Thomas Mullen is an amazing book. It is one of those rare titles where everything works. Starting with the outside, it has a deep red jacket with a fedora clad silhouette walking towards the reader its trench coat flapping slightly. It has an intriguing title that makes you want to pick it up, and it is a hefty in size. The book is about a pair of Dillinger-esque bank robbers called the Firefly Brothers. As you read Mullen’s beautiful prose you settle into a non-chronological account of two men caught up in there own story. For this book is very much about story – the stories in the newspapers, the stories they tell each other (and the ones they don’t), the history and mythology of the era, and even the stories they can’t remember.

“…people need to tell there stories to place themselves somewhere solid in this great swirl…” – Mullen

Jason is the dapper one, as charmed as he is charming. He didn’t want any part of his father’s store and the two strong men butted heads. So, Jason took off to become a driver for a bootlegging operation. Sure it was illegal, but wasn’t Prohibition the real crime, seemed to be the thought process, besides he like the fast cars and the good clothes. Two jail stints and his father’s death, which haunts the book, escalated him bootlegger to bank robber. He honestly hadn’t wanted to get his brothers involved in what he did, but eventually he saw no choice, especially when it came to Wit.

Wit, the youngest Fireson, is rougher around the edges then his brother and not nearly so vain. He is on the path of anger fueled self destruction and Jason figures if he takes him along then at least he can attempt damage control. Together they have adventures galore and the next big score is always right around the corner. Jason tries not to think of the killing as his fault –self defense or an over zealous conspirator. He tries to reject the newspapers myth making and see himself as level headed.

But, little of this do you find out right away. See, Jason and his brother Wit are introduced to us waking up on cold metal slabs in a police morgue. They’d been killed and have the bullet holes to prove it. They know who they are, but not how they got there. The book bounces around in time telling you stories from various points of view. Some are from past, many are from the present and the all stitch themselves together nicely. Conjuring as if by magic, what it meant to live in that era, why people mythologies some criminals, and how these men found themselves in that life, even if they are not sure why they are alive.

“She wanted to breathe the brothers back into life with their stories.” — Mullen

Books like this one enthrall me. I listened to this one audio (purchased from Audible.com) even though I love the physical book. The audio production is superb. It is read by William Dufris whose voice I remembered from listening to a Richard K. Morgan novel a while back. He really breathes life into all the characters. The author talks about the phoneme of someone speech or there geographically dialect and Dufris keeps pace with it all. In the end The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers is a wonderful historical fiction that I’m sure my co-workers will get tired of me raving about. It is the kind of wonderful that makes me afraid that any clumsiness in my review will turn somebody off to it, yet I can’t just leave it at, “A Must Read!”
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Mar 01, 2010 T. Edmund rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers is set in the great depression and follows the immortal escapades of the Fireson brothers, Whit and Jason.

The tone of Firefly Brothers is fairly light, almost comical, and while the action is often gruesome and many of the events are heavy the overall feeling of the novel is kinda fluffy. While the story is a good blend of the familiar clichés with a touch of originality one does feel like the story needs something more.

Part-one ‘the first death of the F...more

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Feb 22, 2010 Dupree rated it 5 of 5 stars

It wasn't my usual taste when it came to books, but the cover and the summary made me curious as ever. It made me see how lucky I am to have all this technology around me. And it also made me realize that life back then or whenever was better than now. Jason and Whit are the most funny and daring duo since Tom and Jerry. I loved the back story they revealed throughout the book as it all added up to what really happen. Darcy is the most bravest girl i have read about this year and it just started...more

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Apr 26, 2012 Danny rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-book

I enjoy the feeling that I've figured something out about a book, even if it's obvious. Of course, the thing I 'figured out' about this book is actually referred to in the flap copy so...maybe I just read it there.

Either way, what I figured out (or was informed of) is that this book is about the American Dream and how we as a nation try to cope with this overarching narrative of the possibility of success when confronted with an economic disaster like the Great Depression.

The Firefly Brothers, b...more

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Feb 04, 2011 Starhistnake rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow. I just finished this book and I have to say I loved it. It's been awhile since I read his first book but it seems to me Mullen has grown as a writer since then, and I did like "The Last Town on Earth" a lot. In fact it's the reason I was happy to add a twelfth item to my library book bag.

Maybe it helps that 1930's bank robbers and the Depression have always been an interest of mine but the story is so much more than that. The book contains a lot of information - both historical and expositi...more

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May 30, 2011 Corey Ryan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

A wonderful read for the first book of summer vacation. The setting, the depression era, proved a wonderful background that often took the foreground for me. (I’d like to add to my list of to-reads some non-fiction books about Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson and J. Egdar Hoover.) Particularly Whit’s unhealthy stay at a “Hooverville” and the short story told by one of Darcy’s kidnappers about a time when he watched a stockbroker jump from a window. He took money out of his wallet, more than he had in...more

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Feb 12, 2013 April Loebick rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers is the second novel from author Thomas Mullen. I had previously read both first and third books, The Last Town on Earth and The Revisionists respectively, and enjoyed both immensely. So when I found this title at the local library’s used book sale, I knew I had to pick it up. And BONUS: It was a signed copy.

Firefly Brothers is set during the Depression-era in the mid-west, when bank robbers and gangsters were seen by many as folk heroes, their exploits fol...more The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers is the second novel from author Thomas Mullen. I had previously read both first and third books, The Last Town on Earth and The Revisionists respectively, and enjoyed both immensely. So when I found this title at the local library’s used book sale, I knew I had to pick it up. And BONUS: It was a signed copy.

Firefly Brothers is set during the Depression-era in the mid-west, when bank robbers and gangsters were seen by many as folk heroes, their exploits followed closely by the ever widening-media. The story centers around two brothers, Jason and Whit Fireson (they obtain the moniker “Firefly brothers” from reporters and the world at large). The brothers are infamous bank robbers and murderers who, of course, are constantly in the news for crimes they commit and more that they don’t.

The story begins with death, two deaths to be more precise. Jason and Whit are dead, but miraculously wake up in a morgue, both riddled with bullet holes. They have no memory of the previous night’s exploits or their deaths, they only know that they have to get away. Using their now-famous death as cover, the brothers return to the only way of life known to them—robbing banks.
Another side of the story comes from the point of view of Darcy, Jason’s girlfriend, who gets left behind not knowing the fate of her lover, until she receives a mysterious telegraph, which gives her hope that Jason is still alive, despite all the rumors and media stories to the contrary.

The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers is a rich, in depth story full of wondrous details and description. One of my favorite descriptive passages comes about halfway through the book. It’s from Weston, the third Fireson brother who isn’t a bank robber: “He was afraid of losing things because everyone seemed to be losing things. You walked a few blocks and passed a table or chair lacking legs and sitting there like a war amputee. Or you passed a car whose windshield wipers clung to such a bursting notebook of parking tickets that you knew it was abandoned, its owner having decided it was too expensive to maintain. In certain neighborhoods the police weren’t towing cars anymore, so the heaps simply sat there unmolested. Scavengers didn’t even strip their parts, because whom could they sell them to?” This passage displays both the desperation and learned apathy of the era that ran rampant through society.

Not only is Mullen’s writing beautiful and fascinating, his story telling skills are masterful. Throughout the story, there are subtle hints dropped about Darcy’s mental health, and not until about half way through did I start questioning whether the Firefly brothers are actually reanimating. Mullen likes to give his readers something to ponder about throughout his books. He asks questions that are not easy to answer, and it makes for a wonderful and intriguing read every time I pick up one of his books.

(From loebick.com)
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Dec 30, 2010 Jennie rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is really more of a 3.5, but I rounded up because the author went to my alma mater.

This book is a fun and engaging read. It has a unique plot, well-developed characters, and an evocative setting. In true dorkish fashion, I also enjoyed the fact that the Firesons' stomping grounds pretty much encompass all the states I've spent a significant amount of time in.

It lost points with me at the end, however. I kept hoping the introductory premise of the book--that Jason and Whit continually rise...more

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Apr 06, 2010 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars

More than anything, this booked skewed my views. Characters that should have angered me, that I should felt righteous indignation towards, were instead viewed as dangerously dashing protagonists who were doing right by themselves, their families and their loved ones. The characters that should have been applauded, who were just doing their jobs to keep the public safe, were instead vilified and set aside as incompetent, bumbling, misguided fools.

Let me start with Thomas Mullen’s writing. To say...more More than anything, this booked skewed my views. Characters that should have angered me, that I should felt righteous indignation towards, were instead viewed as dangerously dashing protagonists who were doing right by themselves, their families and their loved ones. The characters that should have been applauded, who were just doing their jobs to keep the public safe, were instead vilified and set aside as incompetent, bumbling, misguided fools.

Let me start with Thomas Mullen’s writing. To say it was “evocative” wouldn’t be enough. It went beyond seeing his images in my head. It was more like I was there, driving down the dusty roads with Jason and Whit, staring at the hopelessness of those around Weston, stewing in close-quartered offices of the local police with Delaney. I know a good author is supposed to do that with their writing, but there was something more to Mullen’s style. It was descriptive, sure, but it was also...well, charming, for lack of a better term. And even that phrase is inadequate.

So let me move on to the characters. I didn’t expect to like Jason or Whit, to be honest. But, Mullen was able to transform my scorn into regard and wonder. The lure of the crime, despite the whole “it’s immoral and wrong” argument, dragged me further into the brothers’ world.

I fell for Jason. So calm, so smart, so suave and so strong. I felt less inclined towards Whit and Weston, but they do hold special places in my memory. I loved Darcy’s spunk, spontaneity, and grit. I became engrossed by their lives. I wanted them to succeed, I wanted them to survive, I wanted them to realize all their dreams, dammit! I was so invested in their story and well-being that by the time I hit “The Second Death of the Firefly Brothers”, my insides were screaming, “NOOOOOO!”

The only criticism I have is that there were a few predictable moments. Like from the beginning, you’re fairly certain of the identity of the snitch. Then, though Mullen did an excellent job of building up the suspense of just what happened the night of the Fireson’s first death, when it came to the “Ah-ha!” moment, it was just all too clear. Maybe it was designed to be that way, though. This reader spent the majority of the book creating, analyzing and dispensing with theories as to who “did ‘em in”, and yet I never managed to conjure up the truth...at least, not until it the exact moment that it was slowly dawning on the brothers. So, maybe I can live with that one.

There were so many thoughts that were in my head throughout the entire story. I loved the small nuggets of history that were thrown in to lend a bit of background and color. I enjoyed the background that Mullen created for each of the three main characters, as well. I fell into those side-stories, willing them to continue, and hoping it’d give insight into what would happen at the end.

I was continually thinking, “These guys are crazy!”; thinking, “They’re doomed!”; thinking, “They’re AWESOME!” And they really were. All the swagger of being on the wrong side of the law aside, Jason and Whit were truly, spectacularly, awesome.

Despite their flawed brotherly relationship, they managed to stick together, to grieve together. Jason showed he truly cared for Darcy, and Whit sometimes showed his feelings for Veronica. Throw in their feelings for their mother and Weston, and it made them whole.

Oh, and I must applaud the devious ending. I was wondering, as I was reading it, where Mullen was going with the doings of Darcy’s mind. In truth, I was frightened by the unhinged Darcy that was creeping out towards the end. The discussions in my mind went between shock that she was unraveling, to outrage at my shock. I had to remind myself that Darcy’s moods weren't so strange, especially after all she’d been through. I reminded myself that she had remained strong through it all, and that she was much stronger and smarter than I could ever hope to be (I’m mean to myself when I have these conversations...)

And then, the ending that wasn't quite closure, but still somehow felt final. I see now what he was doing, that sneaky author, and knowing that he was delivering a sort of “choose your own adventure” ending makes it all the more entertaining. For myself, I chose the only ending that would be worthy of the Fireson brothers, and I'm fairly certain that I picked the best ending.(less)

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Feb 12, 2013 Ben rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebooks, favorites, historical-fiction, i-own, sci-fi-and-fantasy

A beautiful and haunting book which explores the effects of the Depression on a Nebraska family, and how each member (especially the three brothers) deals with their situation. Two of the brothers become bank robbers, incredibly famous ones, while the third sticks to the straight and narrow at home. The fourth narrator is one of the bank robbing brother's girlfriend, who struggles with her own demons. Mullen weaves a unique, enthralling, and powerful story in which his characters grapple with gu...more

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Apr 12, 2011 Bill rated it 3 of 5 stars

Hard book to review, I will say up front that I went in with rather low expectations. I blithely assumed that this book was another "let us inject zombies into a historical type book," which sounded tired and somewhat of an excuse for bad writing (I'm thinking here Pride & Prejudice & Zombies, etc.)

Luckily I was rather wrong in my initial assessment, the story itself is played much straighter. The majority of the story is about two brothers during the depression who rob banks. The story...more

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Mar 24, 2011 Suzanne rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Firefly Brothers top Americas Most Wanted, at the height of the Depression, idolized by millions of the most hopeless and demonized by J Edgar Hoover and crew. Until they are betrayed and killed in an abandoned farmhouse. Or are they? News of their death doesnt stop the reports of more bank robberies by the pair, and more claims by local police departments of their demise. Who is right? This book is about the myths and adoration of the most famous bank robbers (Bonnie and Clyde, Pretty Boy F...more

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Feb 04, 2010 Mike rated it 2 of 5 stars

Mullen's Public Enemy saga features the Fireson family. Patriarch Pop is a hard working man, the owner of small grocery stores, and a man attempting to improve the lives of his family through real estate investments. Bad business partners and the crash have taken care of those dreams. Although Pop has attempted to instill his three sons with his Horatio Alger values, oldest son Jason has taken to bootlegging to bring in money. He is his father's greatest disappointment. Younger brothers Whit and...more Mullen's Public Enemy saga features the Fireson family. Patriarch Pop is a hard working man, the owner of small grocery stores, and a man attempting to improve the lives of his family through real estate investments. Bad business partners and the crash have taken care of those dreams. Although Pop has attempted to instill his three sons with his Horatio Alger values, oldest son Jason has taken to bootlegging to bring in money. He is his father's greatest disappointment. Younger brothers Whit and Weston seem to be following in Pop's foot steps until Pop is charged with the murder of a business partner and convicted. Upon Pop's untimely death in prison, Jason turns to bank robbing, a more lucrative profession than bootlegging. Against his best reasoning, Jason allows Whit to join his gang. The Firesons soon become known as the Firefly Brothers because of their lightning fast robberies and getaways. Younger brother Weston continues to attempt an honest profession. However it is the proceeds of the Firefly Brothers' exploits that support the family.

It is no spoiler to state that Jason and Whit begin their tale by waking from the dead following an incident they cannot remember. Both have been shot. They lie on cooling boards in a morgue in a small Indiana town. As though their earlier exploits were not enough to raise them to mythic status, their continued appearances following the reports of their deaths certainly do.

John Dillinger, Pretty Boy Floyd, Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker are all dead. However, the Firefly Brothers continue to capture the imagination of victims of the economic plight of the great depression. Torching mortgages in the banks they rob, giving food to the homeless in Hoovervilles across the country may seem to make them heroes. However, the Firefly Brothers will not hesitate to kill whomever might be a threat to their failure or capture.

During the books brightest moments, the times of the great depression are vividly portrayed. There are episodes reminiscent of Davis Grubb's "Fools' Parade", Horace McCoy's "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?"; and Edward Anderson's 1937 classic, "Thieves Like Us".

Unfortunately, the brighter moments are obscured by the meaningless repeated resurrections of the Firefly Brothers. The brothers make no changes in their lives for better or worse as they ponder their apparent immortality.

Author Thomas Mullen's debut,"The Last Town on Earth" was favorably reviewed by The Washington Post, a Chicago Tribune book of the year in 2006, and USA Today's Debut Novel of the Year. Mullen's second effort is not as notable. (less)

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May 10, 2012 Randi Stowe rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is set during the beginning of Great Depression as the FBI is starting and the infamous bank robber gangs were at their peak. The Firefly brothers are founding members of the firefly gang of bank robbers and have just woken up in a morgue. They have bullet holes in their bodies and the police department is claiming victory for killing them. However, they walk away.

The book is divided into each of their deaths. They don't seem able to die. As they continue to rob banks "just one last time"...more

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Mar 11, 2010 Liza rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-fiction, abandoned

Two young men, the Firefly Brothers, have made a successful career out of robbing banks. Set shortly after Dillinger's movie-house murder, Mullen has certainly captured the "romance" of American robber gangs.

The two brothers are gunned down by police prior to the start of the novel. Then, the brothers "wake up" in the morgue, with their bodies full of bullets.

Mullen competently writes dialogue and humor for two newly alive robber brothers, and the concept is a winner.

However.

Mullen is clearly a...more

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Apr 08, 2010 Sharon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical

Very interesting and entertaining. The author does a great job with a unique premise; making the Great Depression real to the readers while still allowing them to be carried away by the exciting life of the charming and charismatic Jason Fireson and his intense and somewhat unpredictable brother Whit. Historical and fantastic elements live together peacefully in the story, and while I saw some plot points coming a mile away, others took me by surprise. I liked the ending, even though a small par...more

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Nov 21, 2011 Megan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers follows the ups and considerable downs of the Fireson family. Jason and Whit have turned to bank-robbing to survive the Depression and their saintly father's murder conviction, while their brother Wes clings desperately to an honest life in the shadow of his infamous brothers. After years of impossible escapes and increasingly daring heists, the Fireson brothers are finally killed - until they wake up again.

On the run once again, Jason and Whit plan more h...more

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Aug 28, 2012 Jessica Powers rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was completely drawn in by the premise - notorious, folk-hero bank robbers wake up in the morgue, with absolutely no explanation for what has just happened. Although the book in general is not funny, per se, the first scene is very much so, just because of the absurdity of it all. The book goes backwards, building their story, and then forward, as they try for that one last score that will set them free to start a new life. The tension builds, as their re-appearance causes them even greater no...more

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Feb 28, 2010 Nancy Hadley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Really enjoyed reading this book about Depression era bank robbers. The frightening part was reading about Great Depression America and how closely it resembles our country today. They say that history repeats itself and making the comparisson of our government and politicians out of touch with how to create jobs and banks that make huge sums of money while people lose everything was an eye opening look into our future today if something doesn't change and quickly. As I see more and more robberi...more

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Jun 01, 2012 arjuna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Thoroughly enjoyable, although the end seemed a little abrupt... still satisfying. I really liked the central characters - to the point where a sequel would be wonderful (if ultimately not a good idea, probably).... one just wants to know What Happened To Them Next, is all). It's the sort of thing one can imagine working really well on the small screen - a Carnivale-style mini-series, maybe... lots of time and detail and just-plain-being-human stuff mixed in with the beautifully understated occu...more

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Sep 07, 2011 Mark rated it 4 of 5 stars

In the summer of’34, Jason and Whit Fireson wake up in the morgue. Apparently both have died from gunshot wounds, possibly in a police ambush. A miracle or a second chance? You’ll have to take a ride along with the Firefly brothers, to find out. They are a pair of Depression-era bank robbers, modeled after Dillinger and Pretty Boy Floyd, reviled by the law and adored by the public.
This is a well-written and exciting tale, chock full of machine-guns, kidnappings, double-crosses and of course car...more

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Feb 05, 2010 Joanne rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone who liked Chabon's Kavalier & Clay

Shelves: fiction, mystery, ignite-ames-2011-talk

This was an interesting magical realism / historical fiction / mystery about a pair of shoot'-'em-up bank-robbing brothers from the Great Depression who seem immortal, much to their surprise. It's a page-turner, and the characters seem realistic and have that snappy noir dialogue I associate (rightly or no) with that period. Obvious parallells to our own current economic downturn. Commentary and symbolism about what's real and what's right. Smoothly written.

Has the occasional F-word and plenty...more

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Apr 09, 2012 Anabel Boyanova rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The first time I saw this book, I was in a Borders Express in the mall with my best friend in 2009. We were just picking up random books that looked interesting, and taking pictures of the covers so that we could get them from the library later. Welp- I didn`t buy this book, but it caught my notice with the intriguing title, not just the "many deaths" part but also the name of the brothers. Needless to say, 3 years later when I was browsing the fiction aisles of the library, even though I`d last...more

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Feb 07, 2012 Shelli rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012

This is not an easy book to describe. I was looking for something different than I usually read when I picked it up, and I got that for sure. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It is a depression era story filled with families suffering the cruelties of the time and a couple of bank robbers born from it. This story however adds a unique and creative supernatural twist....and it works. It is historical fiction...with a cherry on top! A tale of hardship and redemption and love, w...more

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Mar 05, 2010 Nolan Morris rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a much better Depression-era book than "Water for Elephants". Looking back on "Water for Elephants", it appears simple and grossly undersells the Depression in comparison to this book. "The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers" empties the Dust Bowl on the page, realizing the stark desolation of that time period far better than "Water for Elephants". The book paces itself well and effectively uses the nation's past and current dissatisfaction with the status quo as motivation for its char...more

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About Thomas Mullen

Thomas Mullen is the author of "The Last Town on Earth," which was named Best Debut Novel of 2006 by USA Today and was awarded the James Fenimore Cooper Prize for excellence in historical fiction, and "The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers." His books have been named Best of the Year by such publications as The Chicago Tribune, USA Today, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Onion, and Amazon.c...more

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“His voice, the very sound of rolling eyes.” — 19 people liked it

“The right thing was confusing, and difficult, and sometimes Jason wondered if it was in fact a nonexistent ideal, like heaven or the American dream. There was no right thing. You did what you did for whatever reasons occurred to you at the time, depending on whichever emotion was running thickest in your blood. Your desire and fear and adrenaline and longing. You made your choice and came up with the reasons later.” — 3 people liked it

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BBCode	[url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6589672-the-many-deaths-of-the-firefly-brothers?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1348700755l/6589672.jpg[/img][/url] [url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6589672-the-many-deaths-of-the-firefly-brothers?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers by Thomas Mullen[/url]

The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers

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