Brother/Sister

Jul 16, 2011 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars

Brother Sister is a deeply disturbing, dark story about a brother and sister who raised themselves while their mother was in and out of rehab for alcohol addiction. Dad left when Will, the brother, was six and mom put the terrible burden of being "the man of the house" on his shoulders and told him " if anything happened" it would be his fault. An awful lot for a six year old to bear on top of being deserted by his father, though there are hints that his leaving may not be a bad thing.

Will was p...more Brother Sister is a deeply disturbing, dark story about a brother and sister who raised themselves while their mother was in and out of rehab for alcohol addiction. Dad left when Will, the brother, was six and mom put the terrible burden of being "the man of the house" on his shoulders and told him " if anything happened" it would be his fault. An awful lot for a six year old to bear on top of being deserted by his father, though there are hints that his leaving may not be a bad thing.

Will was picked on, teased, bullied, humiliated- I've run out of words to describe the horrors he survived growing up, yet inside, he told himself it didn't matter as long as Asheley, his sister was protected. Asheley, for her part, remembered her dad as a good man, she was three when he left. She is a tad more social than her brother, she even has a boyfriend. She plays a team sport and after a spectacular game, finally feels like she's part of the group. But her boyfriend ruins it. Going home she finds her mother, after four months of sobriety being carted off to rehab again.

Will is inside the house having suffered the worst bullying of all-his mother beating him with the trophy he just won for being the best golfer in the county. She hit him so hard the golfer fell off the top of his trophy. Asheley comforts hims as always, holding him from behind rocking him back and forth. And the two realize, the summer is spread out before them with no parents. But what starts out as a fun summer of playing grown up, turns into a twisted nightmare.

The bullying Will suffered throughout his life has warped his mind until his only thought is to protect Asheley. He sees threats everywhere-even when there are none. He devolves into a manic mess that even Asheley is afraid of, playing along only because she's afraid for her life.

The novel is told in alternating points of view- one chapter Will, the next chapter Asheley. The story is being told it seems like at a police station. Will's deteriorating frame of mind is like watching a train wreck, you can't look away. As his mind sees threats everywhere you can't help but wonder even after reading the story, was it the bullying, the burden of being the man of the house, the desertion of his father, the behavior of his father, his mother's alcoholism or maybe a mental illness that caused Will's behavior. And why did Asheley go along with it? Or was she a part of it? The last line of the book was chilling and left me to look at the novel through a different set of eyes. Had it not been three am., I would have read it again.

This book is chilling, haunting, heart breaking, achingly sad, manipulative and horrifying. It will make you think and rethink and re-examine everything you read. It will make you want to hug the little boy that was Will who stopped being a child at six and became a man. He took the bullying and internalized it. It will show you how bullying can make a person shut off their feelings. I think that's what made Will who he was. He never had a chance - his dad, his mom, kids at school, others- they all bullied him. If he became mentally ill from that, its not surprising.

This isn't a happy book, but it is well worth reading. It's well written. The characters are well written and their motivations are understood. The story is unbelievable as it spirals out of control. And the way the author wrote it, telling it from the two characters points of view in hindsight, but in great detail, was perfect. Asheley never claimed involvement, Will took all the blame. But you do have to wonder if she could have stopped what was happening. This is a truly compelling story, never slowing down even for a second. This is a must read-I don't know for who-bullies maybe-people that want to see the end result of bullying-perhaps. But I know it was a bullying story. That part was so underplayed. Yet it affected him so much. I do know, I'll never forget it-especially the last line. And I'll be reading it again! (less)

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Mar 24, 2011 Alexa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, young-adult, 2011-reads, gave-away, early-reviewers

My review can also be found on my blog Collections.

Before I started the book, I read reviews that said that the ending was shocking and surprising. Now that I've finally read it, I have to say that I agree. I was not expecting it to end that way at all. It made me question everything else in the book. And now I'm wishing the entire book got a reaction out of me like the ending did because maybe I would have liked it more.

Will and Asheley are siblings. Their father left them when they were really...more

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Aug 27, 2011 Aly (Fantasy4eva) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: conflicted-thoughts, dark-and-gritty, fast-paced-and-engrossing, pleasantly-surprised

So after reading some reviews and the synopsis I was in. I'm so glad I went with my gut and went for this book because it's pretty freaking awesome if you ask me.

Asheley and Will have always had each other to lean on. With no father and an out - of - control alcoholic mother it's Will in particular who has tried to protect Asheley. Whilst Will is constantly anxious, anti social and tends to have these aggressive outbursts, Asheley is the one with the boyfriend and is now slowly starting to make...more So after reading some reviews and the synopsis I was in. I'm so glad I went with my gut and went for this book because it's pretty freaking awesome if you ask me.

Asheley and Will have always had each other to lean on. With no father and an out - of - control alcoholic mother it's Will in particular who has tried to protect Asheley. Whilst Will is constantly anxious, anti social and tends to have these aggressive outbursts, Asheley is the one with the boyfriend and is now slowly starting to make friends.

But things are soon to become far from simple.

Let me make it clear and say this book is not about incest. It's about how a brother and sister cope with the circumstances they are in. But I can't say they have a normal relationship. There's definitely something unsettling about it, more so when it comes to Will, but that's something that creeps up with time and becomes apparent later on in the novel.

Will is a little crazy. There's no denying it. He doesn't just get mad, he goes out of control. Vicious almost. It's scary and it soon becomes clear that Asheley is scared out of her mind. And although he loves his sister as she does him, he tends to go too far when it comes to being overprotective, not only that, but he becomes obsessed with how others are around her. And as the reader you can't help but notice that despite knowing all this, Asheley kind of sits back and just lets it all happen until things go so out of control that it's a little too late.

As the book progresses things go more and more downhill. Will seems to loose all sense of reality and does not seem to care for anything apart from his sister. I didn't like either of them. I felt for Will, I really did, but although I know he has some serious issues I can't sit here and say that it excuses what he did. He does some terrible things and there's no forgiving that, and I can't say that his sister is all that innocent either. She was there after all, and god knows just how much a part of it all she really was.

That last line blows you away. It's a cleaver way to end things but the way it fucks with your mind is beyond crazy. I've sat here replaying everything in my mind and contemplating what I missed, any clues that I failed to see. I might just re - read the book all over again.

The pace is super fast. Every time I had something to do I couldn't will myself to pry away from the book. It seemed to end within a blink, leaving you with countless emotions, mainly confusion and frustration.

I want there to be a sequel so bad but I think the author has played it well. Leaving it with the ending he has will mess with our minds until we just accept, that really, who know? Who knows what really happened and perhaps that's where the beauty of this twisted story really lies.

Talk about epic.(less)

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Mar 22, 2011 Joni Thomas rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, teen, young-adult, mystery, reviewed

A mind-blowing read. This is such a fast paced read, I read it in one day. I would have read it in one sitting if not for the 3 year old running around my house. My point is that when I had to put it down, I regretted it. I finished this book a few days ago and I still find my mind drifting back to the way it ended.
It all starts on what appears to be the best day of Will and Asheley's lives. Will wins the local golf tournament and Asheley helps her softball team win a game against their biggest...more

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Dec 15, 2012 Booklover6 rated it 5 of 5 stars

Spoilers alert!

Two days. That's how long it took me to read this book. Two days!

It was fantastic. A very clever psychological YA novel, written from the point of view of Ashley and Will (the brother and sister). I liked how sometimes what Will said was happening wasn't the way it actually happened as we found out when it was Ashley's turn to tell the story. Like in the motel room in Mexico? That was really sick! Totally disgusting, though Will for some reason decided to leave that part out when...more

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Sep 29, 2012 Alicia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: abuse, dysfunctional, multiple-voices, odd

A very odd story but with a demented, can't-look-away plot where Will and Asheley are brother and sister sharing the bond of an absent father, alcoholic mother, and her pot-smoking boyfriend, Keith. Will has had anger issues and Asheley just tries to keep the peace, yet her boyfriend Craig is either hot or cold with her making her confused, while she encourages her friend Naomi to pursue Will.

This is when things begin to get odd when readers discover that Will especially has feelings for his si...more

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Sep 11, 2011 Louisa rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 99-problems, boys-on-the-side, dead-girls-abound, teenagers-in-peril, ya

Probably closer to 2 and a half. The author does a wonderful job of recreating the California Central Coastal town where Will and Asheley grow up. There are old hippies and potheads and misogynist surfers and awesome old cars. The plot, too, is fast-paced and hypnotic. As you read about the train-wreck the lives of the siblings devolve into, you literally feel like you are powerless to do anything but find out what's going to happen to them.

Frankly, I don't think I was even aware of how ridicul...more

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Sep 01, 2011 Rachael rated it 3 of 5 stars

Will and Asheley are siblings and best friends. They’ve grown up being the odd ones out, with no one to rely on except each other, since their dad left when they were young and their mom is the town drunk. Now, with summer approaching, things are starting to look up. Their mother has been sober for a few months for a change, Asheley has started to make friends with the other girls on her softball team, and Will is starting to relax. But of course, in Will’s and Asheley’s lives, things don’t stay...more Will and Asheley are siblings and best friends. They’ve grown up being the odd ones out, with no one to rely on except each other, since their dad left when they were young and their mom is the town drunk. Now, with summer approaching, things are starting to look up. Their mother has been sober for a few months for a change, Asheley has started to make friends with the other girls on her softball team, and Will is starting to relax. But of course, in Will’s and Asheley’s lives, things don’t stay good for long. First their mom gets carted off to rehab—again—and then things progress steadily downhill. How did their lives get so out of control? And what can they do to fix things—or can they?

Brother/Sister is one of those “read to find out!” books. Readers pick up books like these because their teased with a synopsis so tantalizing and juicy that it’s impossible to not want to know more. I’m not ashamed to say that this was initially the only reason I wanted to read Brother/Sister. I just wanted to know what happened. Once I found out midway through the book, I thought that I had seen it all and mentally prepared myself for a slow and boring descent into the consequences. Instead, the plot becomes steadily creepier and more twisted than I ever would have thought. What’s really fascinating about this book is that the reader gets two somewhat contrasting perspectives on the worsening situation and can see every detail that’s misread and blown out of proportion, leading to disastrous results. Brother/Sister is a book that is definitely very hard to put down, but I’m still not sure whether the story is completely satisfying or not. There’s one thing I can say, and that is that the ending will leave you still wondering what’s really going on.

Brother/Sister appeals to readers who liked Liar by Justine Larbalestier, The School for Dangerous Girls by Eliot Schrefer, and Wish You Were Dead by Todd Strasser.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com (less)

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Aug 21, 2011 Vyki (On The Shelf) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads

Find this review and more at On The Shelf

Brother/Sister is a very unusual book told from the switching perspective of Will and Asheley who are siblings. They have something go quite wrong in their life and everything becomes a huge mess. The novel is told from the siblings’ points of view as they tell their sides of the story. The writing style is used in a way that makes it sound like the siblings are actually speaking, as if they are talking during an interrogation and you hear only their sid...more

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Jul 17, 2011 Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-release, arcs-i-own, mundie-moms-reviews

*reviewed by Cynthia for MMs

Brother/Sister was crazy twisted, I was not expecting it to mess with my head as much as it did. It left me thinking about it way after I was done with it, I was trying to make dinner and kept itching to go back and read the last few pages again.

The synopsis doesn’t give much away and there’s a reason for that, I won’t say much about what really goes on in the story so I won’t spoil it for you, just know that there’s a lot of things that you just don’t see coming and...more *reviewed by Cynthia for MMs

Brother/Sister was crazy twisted, I was not expecting it to mess with my head as much as it did. It left me thinking about it way after I was done with it, I was trying to make dinner and kept itching to go back and read the last few pages again.

The synopsis doesn’t give much away and there’s a reason for that, I won’t say much about what really goes on in the story so I won’t spoil it for you, just know that there’s a lot of things that you just don’t see coming and it begins to turn darker as the story goes along. Also if you’re afraid of it being about incest don’t worry, it’s not. The book is told from the point of view of both Will and Asheley, they seemed to be in police custody and narrating their story about what happened from the beginning, before their alcoholic mother got taken to rehab and they were left alone. Will and Asheley have pretty much fend for themselves since their father left them after the divorce with their mother. Will has some serious issues, he’s got a crazy temper and just snaps at people all of a sudden, he’s a loner, his peers make fun of him and he’s very antisocial, like seriously the scary type. He also feels that he’s the only one that can protect his little sister from everyone that tries to get too close to her, he thinks everyone is after her and he soon begins to take that to the a whole new level thinking that he needs to get rid of whoever might be a threat to her. This crazy thoughts of his start a whole chain of events that just keeps escalating and Will can’t seem to be able to stop. His narration of what happened and his thoughts begin to seem exaggerated and insane. While you’re reading the story you are thinking that he’s definitely gone crazy, he’s taking it way too far and is losing control fast, the only one that seems to be able to help him is Asheley, but she soon becomes afraid of him too and has no idea how to stop it.

I wanted to feel sorry for Will and Asheley because they had horrible parents and their childhood wasn’t great, but I just couldn’t. I knew that Will was damaged and Asheley was all he had since he was a kid, he felt the need to be the man and protect her but he kept making so many mistakes, and pushing everyone out, even after she kept trying to get him to become a bit more normal, that I just didn’t feel anything for him. This book was definitely captivating, in its own twisted way. I found it really hard to put down, there’s just things that you never see coming and I just needed to know how it was all going to end because it just gets so out of control that you have no idea what will happen to these two and how they end up getting caught. The ending was insane! I was left with my mouth open screaming “WHAT?!!!” and flipping the pages back and forth. I felt a little too wired by that ending and couldn’t stop thinking about the whole book and what I had just read, it was great how the author messes with your head like he was playing some sort of prank on you. I love books that make me shriek the “EEKS!” and “WTHs” all the way through and leave me thinking about them long after reading them. Be warned that there is a lot of language and plenty of f-bombs through the whole novel. There also won’t be any romance in this one, but you definitely don’t miss it, it’s a bit more of a psychological thriller that’s so engrossing you won’t want to put down.(less)

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Apr 01, 2011 Sue Morris rated it 2 of 5 stars

SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT!
Asheley and Will live with an alcoholic mother who has been dragged off to rehab for a couple of months and her friend, a daddy wanna-be who tries to keep an eye on them by popping in every now and then. The two teens essentially have no adult supervision for the summer. Will is socially inept for reasons unclear. He is dependent on Asheley for everything, but believes he is her guardian and savior. His lust for his sister is palpable from the beginning but only acte...more SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT!
Asheley and Will live with an alcoholic mother who has been dragged off to rehab for a couple of months and her friend, a daddy wanna-be who tries to keep an eye on them by popping in every now and then. The two teens essentially have no adult supervision for the summer. Will is socially inept for reasons unclear. He is dependent on Asheley for everything, but believes he is her guardian and savior. His lust for his sister is palpable from the beginning but only acted on near the “end.” Asheley is a typical teenager in high school. She has friends and a boyfriend and enjoys hanging out with them. She understands Will and tries to help him socially. Will is only concerned with pleasing Asheley.

While out hitting golf balls over a cliff, to avoid the party he and Asheley are throwing in the house, Will hears his sister’s cries and goes to her rescue. Asheley’s boyfriend Craig is raping her. Will bashes Craig over the head with his golf club, saving Asheley but killing Craig. At Will’s direction, Asheley helps throw Craig off the cliff and into the bay. This one incident unleashes an evil part of Will that also becomes increasingly paranoid and delusional. In all he kills three people and then runs off to Mexico with Asheley uncomfortably and forcibly taken along. Will tells her their father called and wants to see them. Asheley is thrilled and believes her father will be able to help them get out of the messes Will has made. Instead, things go from bad to worse. Will inappropriately touches and kisses his sister. She runs away determined to walk to her father’s home. When she realizes dad never called, never asked to see them and wishes they would just leave, Asheley decides the police are a better option than Will. In the middle of a statement to the Mexican police the story simply stops. No ending, just empty white paper.

No Ending, thus the two stars. This story does not have an ending. It does not satisfy or even attempt to make closure. There is a beginning that raises interest and a middle story that keeps the reader guessing, but no ending. I really wish authors would finish their story before sending it to print. If they do not know the ending then wait until you figure it out instead of foisting it on unsuspecting readers, causing frustration. This is a waste of time to read, unless you like stories that just stop, worse, in midsentence. At least movies with no real ending attach “The End” so we know it is over. If this is a ploy for a sequel, it is a terrible injustice to the reader. Author’s need to understand that readers spend a good chunk of time reading their books and when there is no ending, and worse, when the book just stops, the reader becomes frustrated. We have just wasted time on you and you did not deliver. Writing 101: beginning, middle, and end. Know your craft. Do not disappoint your readers else, you may not have any for the next book.

Without an ending, with stopping in mid-sentence, I cannot recommend this book to anyone. Without an ending, it is a waste of time to read. Frustration is what you can expect to feel when the words simply stop.

Note: book received from publisher(less)

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Jul 07, 2011 Amna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: just-finished-reading

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 30, 2012 Madison rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned, ya-read

Brother/Sister is a really bizarre book and is pretty dark for the Young Adult genre. I feel like I went on a roller coaster between liking and not liking it. I can say one thing, though. The ending completely rocked my world and because of it, I would definitely read the book again- which isn't something I say very often. The novel is a great example of what I feel like English teachers have emphasized all of my life- first person point of view is not always accurate. Throughout the story, you...more Brother/Sister is a really bizarre book and is pretty dark for the Young Adult genre. I feel like I went on a roller coaster between liking and not liking it. I can say one thing, though. The ending completely rocked my world and because of it, I would definitely read the book again- which isn't something I say very often. The novel is a great example of what I feel like English teachers have emphasized all of my life- first person point of view is not always accurate. Throughout the story, you have no clue who is right- Will or Asheley. They contradict each other a lot. Personally, I think that both of their views held some truth and some lies. But, it certainly made for an interesting read.

The story itself has a pretty good plot line. At the beginning, I wasn't very happy with the writing style or the fact that Will admitted to murder so early. But, as it went on, the novel held some surprises for me and I ended up liking Olin's writing more and more. I'm not saying it's worse or better than some other styles that are out there, but it's refreshingly unique, which I respect him for. The story was fast paced and like I said before, fairly dark. I liked that aspect of it- Olin did a great job at getting into the mind of a killer. As other reviewers mentioned, it also wavers on the disturbing side. There aren't very many graphic depictions of murder. The darkness really stems from Will's past AND the affection he holds for his sister. Not very many young adult novels address brother/sister relationships, which was another aspect that made this book interesting. It's a little on the mature side (because of the sexual tension between the two), but nothing that I don't think teens 14 and up could handle.

Of course, I did find some issues with this book, too. But, none of them were terrible. I think they were more so out of Olin's writing style than anything else. For example, there's hardly any description. I didn't mind this too much, except for the fact that he doesn't even tell you about the appearances of any characters. Also, the book abruptly ends. The last sentence is absolutely shocking, but then... there's nothing else. You don't really find out the fate of the main characters, which I thought was slightly irking. Then again, it really leaves a lot open for the reader's own interpretation, which is nice. All in all, this book is just extremely different- in a good way. It's a very fast read and has a good story to it. I would recommend Brother/Sister to anyone that's interested. It's definitely worth your time. If it seems a little slow at the beginning, just stick with it. I promise, it will get better as it goes along. I think I'll read it again soon, just to see if I notice anything new after reading the end.(less)

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Jun 03, 2011 Emily rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: tla-2011, 2-stars

For some reason, when an ARC of this book was handed to me by the people at the Penguin booth at TLA, the first word that came into my mind was “incest”. I mean, doesn’t the title “Brother/Sister” sound at least a little suggestive? And the tagline was “Just give them a chance to explain…” That sounds quite suggestive too. But I wouldn’t say this book was incest-themed.

No, it was not incest-themed, but Will and Asheley did have a very close relationship. Maybe a little too close. At first, Will...more

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Jul 29, 2011 Nina rated it 3 of 5 stars

The story was alright. The plot was very dark and would twist me around until I couldn't figure out who and what I believed.

It was written in first person with Will and Asheley's point of view. I don't believe any other writing style would make the story as believable as this. Their stories stay consistent but then in the second half of the book, I realized that their stories had many inconsistensies. This gave me a peak at the true personalities of the characters were.

I had my initial expecta...more

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Sep 20, 2011 Sarai rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, suspense

SPOILERS!!!!!

This was an interesting book overall, but made even more interesting by what happens in the last chapter. It made me want to reread the book (though I didn't) and had me questioning everything that had happened. I thought it was written well. The characters developed as they each told their versions of what had happened, and the mental illness aspect was played out well.

Product Description
Will and Asheley have a troubled past. Their father left them when they were little, and their...more

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Nov 24, 2011 Glass rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, realistic-fiction, favorites, best-of-2011

I want this book.... I've heard some pretty wicked things about it!:)

P.S. So, I've read it and as you can see, I liked it. A lot. It's a wierd story, very well written with ending that'll leave you with your mouth hangging open.
Just read it. And one more thing - this is not Tabitha Suzuma kind of a story if that's what makes you all hot and interested.

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Jun 30, 2011 Kay rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: did-not-expect-that, received-for-review

Received for review from the publishers.

I really really enjoyed this book. I mean, really enjoyed it. Or maybe I loved it. Now that I think about it, I think I did kind of love it. Loved it like you love your best friend even after they've killed their father...

Where was I? Oh yes, Brother/Sister.

This book is dark - very dark. It has the magical trio that would make it great source material for an HBO show: great characters, bloody deaths and incest (albeit, there's not that much incest). The no...more Received for review from the publishers.

I really really enjoyed this book. I mean, really enjoyed it. Or maybe I loved it. Now that I think about it, I think I did kind of love it. Loved it like you love your best friend even after they've killed their father...

Where was I? Oh yes, Brother/Sister.

This book is dark - very dark. It has the magical trio that would make it great source material for an HBO show: great characters, bloody deaths and incest (albeit, there's not that much incest). The novel jumps between two main characters, siblings Will and Asheley, as they recount their story to the police. Even though they were telling the same story, the differences between their accounts were fantastic. You know how they say no two people see the same thing? Well, that is exactly what Brother/Sister plays on. I was never sure which of them was the stable one...

Neither of the siblings have had any stability outside each other. Their father abandoned them, their mother is a violent alcoholic, and their school mates are all self-centred, abusive and petty children. That this turned Will and Asheley into less-than-stable individuals is not surprising. That I liked them and rooted for them anyways, well, that was rather surprising.

But while the characters and their ultra-realistic world were excellent, it was the mystery and suspense kept me reading. I thought I knew where the book was going, but half way through Olin took it to a whole new level. Most novels have 1 twist, Brother/Sister must have had 50. Hell, there were twists within the twists.

And the ending... just, wow. The ending made this book for me. Just when I thought things were winding down, BAM. Olin brings in yet another plot twist out of left field.

Bottom line? Brother/Sister is unexpected. Unexpectedly good, thrilling, disturbing... just unexpected. Read it if you're starting to tire of the cookie-cutter YA that has been clogging the shelves.

http://deadbookdarling.blogspot.com/2...(less)

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Aug 02, 2011 Chloe Price rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, favourites, my-bookshelf, realistic-fiction, ya-fiction, dark

Wow, I totally loved this book! I finished it in less than a day, it was such a quick read, so fast paced! Perfect, as lately I've been finding reading more of a chore than anything else, definately something to break up the heavy stuff.

Five stars, it was totally unlike anything I've ever read before. The ending was... just perfect.

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Mar 04, 2012 Midu Hadi rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: people looking for something different

Shelves: crime-fiction, modern-fiction, serial-killers-and-other-murderers, 212books, incest, singles

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 05, 2012 Fiona rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I didn't know what to expect when I read this book. Not knowing anything about it made me really like it. It's one that I just couldn't put down. Sitting on a train I read easily more than half of it.

After having read the book I had a look at some of the reviews of this book, I can agree with most of them. There was a definite shock ending to it, but I liked the shock ending. I liked how I had to wait to the end for it. I never even thought what happened in the end would happen. I couldn't see...more

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Jul 06, 2011 Sophie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: for-review, arc

I hadn’t read a single review of Brother/Sister before picking it up. I went solely on the very intriguing premise...

Both Asheley and Will change dramatically change throughout the course of the novel. Will began as a volatile and angry boy who seemed to be bordering autistic, but essentially, kind-hearted even though we’re told in the summary that he had murdered someone, he developed a sense of mania and danger. Asheley is a normal girl from an extraordinary family. She wants exactly what ever...more I hadn’t read a single review of Brother/Sister before picking it up. I went solely on the very intriguing premise...

Both Asheley and Will change dramatically change throughout the course of the novel. Will began as a volatile and angry boy who seemed to be bordering autistic, but essentially, kind-hearted even though we’re told in the summary that he had murdered someone, he developed a sense of mania and danger. Asheley is a normal girl from an extraordinary family. She wants exactly what every other girl wants from high school: friends, a social life and a good relationship with her boyfriend. Instead gets a brother who the whole school thinks is a freak, an alcoholic mum and a dad who walked out on them when she was very little. But I was fascinated by how differently they saw themselves to how the other saw them. Sometimes the differences were staggering.

The second person, direct address that Brother/Sister is written in so unusual that it immediately grabbed my attention. In both perspectives of the dual narrative, our protagonists, Asheley and Will, are telling their story directly to us which I love. But as the story started to gain momentum I began to see how differently Asheley and Will saw and recorded their story. By the end of the novel I knew I had two unreliable narrators on my hands and with the final line, which I read about four times over trying to get it straight in my mind, I wasn’t completely sure of what did and didn’t happen.

I don't quite know what I was expecting from Brother/Sister¸ but what I definitely wasn’t expecting was the uncertainty. With the two unreliable narrators, the misrepresentations of each other and such unpredictable characters, I often had no idea at all where Sean Olin was taking me. This surprised me as the story was so clearly set up in the summary and the initial few chapters, but Brother/Sister continually threw me off which shocking events and revelations.

Brother/Sister is just as compelling and fascinating as it proclaims in the synopsis and I’m very excited for more people to discover it. (less)

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May 13, 2011 Carly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favourites, reviewed

Okay - you have GOT to read this book. If you only take one recommendation from me this month then make it Brother Sister. This book will blow you away. Wow. I'm still in shock.

Will and Asheley (the only thing that I have to criticise is the spelling of Asheley - ugh) are brother and sister who have a close relationship. Maybe a little too close. Maybe not. Things do verge on creepy now and then but in such a brilliantly subtle way. They've had a troubled life and only have each other to rely on...more Okay - you have GOT to read this book. If you only take one recommendation from me this month then make it Brother Sister. This book will blow you away. Wow. I'm still in shock.

Will and Asheley (the only thing that I have to criticise is the spelling of Asheley - ugh) are brother and sister who have a close relationship. Maybe a little too close. Maybe not. Things do verge on creepy now and then but in such a brilliantly subtle way. They've had a troubled life and only have each other to rely on. Will is an oddball who doesn't do well in social situations and Asheley is desperate to fit in and have the summer of her life. Well, things don't quite go to plan when a house party ends in disaster - to put it mildly.

The writing in Brother Sister is fantastic. The voices of Asheley and Will are so well developed and I didn't confuse them for a second. It's brilliant to hear the brother and sister alternately narrate the events in the novel - especially towards the end of the story when the pace gets a bit INSANE, in the best way possible. I was literally out of breath when I finished Brother Sister and proceeded to shout about it to everybody within hearing distance for a long, long time.

The ending... Wow. Okay, obviously I'm not going to reveal a single thing but it is my FAVOURITE ending of any book I've read so far this year. It's just incredible. I had absolutely no idea how the story could end but it was perfect. Sean Olin, I salute you. You are a genius. Even if you don't think Brother Sister is your sort of thing you must read it, if only for the ending. Awesome.

I don't make a habit of criticising anybody's reviews (in fact, it's not something I EVER do) but there is a review out there that slates Brother Sister and has a bit of a rant about writers who 'send their novels off to print without finishing the story'. No, no, no. If I sound patronising then I'm sorry but this reviewer obviously missed the point of the ending - it is subtle but I think it's quite clear what the ending is and Olin certainly didn't send his book off to print without finishing the story. It just frustrated me as I saw a lot of comments on it from readers who had decided not to read the book based on her review - a massive shame as they're missing out on an absolute gem.

I have read a few reviews where people compared Brother Sister to Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma. NO. Brother Sister is NOTHING LIKE Forbidden and I have absolutely no idea how people can compare them. Okay there is a slightly creepy relationship hinted at between the two lead characters but it's not at all the same as Fobidden in any way. So please, please don't let the ridiculous cries of 'INCEST IS BAD' put you off Brother Sister - if you enjoyed How I Live Now without freaking out about Daisy and Edmund then you're good to go.

Yes, Brother Sister will shock you but it will grip you from page one and will stay with you long after you've read the staggering final passage. Top notch stuff.(less)

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Jun 06, 2011 Tami rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: goodreads-giveaways, 2011

Haven't received yet, just received notice I had won. 5/20/11
Received yesterday, hope to start soon. 6/1/11
Just started. 6/3/11

Asheley and Will are brother and sister. Will is 18 while Asheley is 16. They live in Morrow Valley and have to deal with life with their mother being the town drunk and a father that left. They are telling the police a story about how some events came to pass.

I really enjoyed the characters and storyline but really didn't like how it was written. The kids were telling...more

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May 07, 2011 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, books-i-own, read-in-2011

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 22, 2012 Ariel rated it 2 of 5 stars

The book was rather odd to me. I really pitied Will, when his drunkened mother ruined his rare moment of achievement and happiness in his trophy.

I like how Will wanted to protect his little sister from her father. It's better to live a beautiful lie, if you never have to find out the truth. It is to me, at least.

The sort of incest part was gross? I mean, hello, brother and sister? ._.

Nothing else to comment, but I liked the ending. I really liked the last sentence and about the fact that Ashley...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Francesca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Hmmm. I couldn't really say whether I loved this book or not.
The book was well written and the characters were developed well.
But that ending... really? Way to leave it in a cliffhanger that will be bothering me for the rest of my life.
Plus, it was annoying how vague and secretive certain parts were, like the ending obviously. And the bit in the hotel room, they both have different stories. Urggh I hate stories that leave with with loads of questions at the end. I hope to God that there will be...more

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Dec 05, 2011 Skye rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review is also posted on my blog, In The Good Books.

This time their deadbeat alcoholic mother is shipped off to rehab, Will and Asheley feel like they're better off. After her departure, Will wins a golf tournament and Asheley finally starts to fit in. Everything's looking up, so why do they end up interrogated in a murder investigation?

Brother/Sister is told through the dual perspectives of Will and Asheley, their narrations a statement to a policeman asking questions about the mysterious...more This review is also posted on my blog, In The Good Books.

This time their deadbeat alcoholic mother is shipped off to rehab, Will and Asheley feel like they're better off. After her departure, Will wins a golf tournament and Asheley finally starts to fit in. Everything's looking up, so why do they end up interrogated in a murder investigation?

Brother/Sister is told through the dual perspectives of Will and Asheley, their narrations a statement to a policeman asking questions about the mysterious and unexplained dead bodies, a recount of the events leading them to the interrogation room. It was a refreshing style, told from the characters' mouths rather than from inside their head. That they had the capacity to lie to us was intriguing.

Brother/Sister began with a kind of blatant hook; the premise of a dead body and the promise of an explanation. But beyond that the story seemed to drag, with the narration slipping from its personal address to first-person detailing of every tedious moment their lives. The odd references to the interrogator were startling, but served as reminders that the story was indeed going somewhere and heightened anticipation.

The end pulled together all of the seemingly pointless plot threads made me rethink dismissing them all. I almost forgive the drawn out and dull beginning for the surprise realisation that it all amounted to something. What you expected from the very beginning -- the inevitability of future tense -- was contradicted with an decidedly unexpected twist, in the literal last sentence, blink-and-you'll-miss-it quick and read-it-over-several-times unbelievable.

The main appeal of this story was the characters, for their skilfully evoked and distinct voices. For their slow development (or rather, deterioration) and for the slow revelation that they may not be as reliable as their relatable beginning may have you believe. The small and cleverly constructed discrepancies between the siblings' recounts were the the first hint, and they gradually got bigger and less deniable.

I recommend Brother/Sister to fans of Choker (Elizabeth Woods), Entangled (Cat Clark), Tighter (Adele Griffin), and Every You, Every Me (David Levithan). It was an intense and gritty story, well-told. It was boring in places, but you'll be rewarded at the conclusion for sticking with it.(less)

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Jan 31, 2012 Angelique Jurd rated it 4 of 5 stars

The story of Will and Asheley, a brother and sister who have been left to their own devices most of their lives. Abandoned by their father and brought up by an emotionally, and sometimes physically, absent, alcoholic mother, the pair have made it through high school mainly by sheer determination.

Will, although having left behind acne and bad clothes, is still socially awkward and given to outbursts of violence, while Asheley, quiet and solitary, is looking for more acceptance.

Told in alternating...more

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Aug 27, 2011 Mia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviews, contemporary, 2011, for-review, young-adult

Brother/Sister is a different sort of book. As dark as the cover is the story with a unsettling plot and a killer twist. Though, this book had an ending that will make you re-think and question about everything you've just read.

In California, we meet Will and Asheley two teenagers that have already had their share of action in the summer. Brother/Sister is alternated between Will and Asheley's perspectives with deep confessions. Will and Asheley didn't have the best upbringing. Their alcoholic m...more

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