The Sisters Brothers, by Patrick DeWitt, is set during the Gold-rush of the 1850s and could be classified as a literate western; a genre that doesn’t usually enthuse me, but I may have to revisit my preconceptions.

Eli and Charlie Sisters are infamous guns-for-hire. Charlie is formidable and serious about their occupation; unfortunately, Eli doesn’t have an aptitude for the work, but he follows his brother through a series of violent episodes.

A vein of gritty realism runs through the story, which is Eli Sisters’ version of his final assignment as a hired killer. As they travel, the brothers meet a host of interesting characters, such as: the prospector who uses dirt to make coffee; Tub, the one-eyed horse; and Herman Kermit Warm, who has invented an extremely profitable chemical (and it is Warm who is the Sisters Brothers’ target).

The novel is easy to read, yet contains remarkable depth.

Recommended.

 

 

 

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