Our favourite books about brothers
Beneath the unforgiving sun of the Australian Outback, tragedy strikes the Bright family. The body of middle brother Cam is found on an ancient stockman's grave. The vast emptiness offers no answers. Was he murdered, or did he succumb to the harsh desert by his own hand? The discovery throws Cam's wife Ilse, their children, the isolated station hands, and his brothers, Nathan and Bub, into a maelstrom of grief and secrets. As the truth slowly unravels in this outback whodunit, Jane Harper weaves a captivating tale that ranks among her finest.
My Brother's Name is Jessica by John Boyne
Sam Waver's life revolves around his older brother, Jason, who is everything Sam admires: popular, athletic, and kind. But one evening, Jason reveals a secret that changes everything - he's transgender and will be transitioning to become Jessica. Sam struggles to understand and accept this news at first and his world feels turned upside down. Meanwhile, their mother's campaign for the Prime Minister's office hangs in the balance.
The Bone Tree by Airana Ngarewa
Two brothers, Kauri and Black are orphaned and alone in the 'wops' of Taranaki, under the shadow of their maunga. Kauri, the elder is haunted by the failures of his parents to protect his younger brother, and sets off into 'the city' to find their people. The Bone Tree is a novel of love and loss and of coming of age in the harshest circumstances, but it's also spiritual, magical and steeped in Māori mythology, legend and whakapapa.
Grief is a Thing With Feathers by Max Porter
A grieving widower and Ted Hughes scholar struggling to come to terms with his wife's sudden death. His sons, two unnamed young boys who are also grappling with the immense loss of their mother. A large, talking crow, part comforter, part provocateur, Crow forces the family to confront their grief in unexpected ways. The story explores the messy, unpredictable nature of grief, and how it can manifest in different ways for each person.
The Power of the Dog by Thomas Savage
Brothers Phil and George are ranchers on their family's Montana property, one brilliant yet cruel and intimidating, the other gentle and loving. When George marries Rose, a widow who brings with her a teenage son, Phil begins a campaign of bitter hostility and torment towards the pair. A brutal and powerful meditation on sexuality, family and masculinity set in the American west.
The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt
Across the Oregon desert, hired guns Eli and Charlie Sisters chase their target, Hermann Kermit Warm. Eli, weary of bloodshed, wrestles with his life as an assassin and their journey to California becomes a darkly comic quest. DeWitt reimagines the classic American Western, blending humor and violence in this tale of two brothers, bound by blood and a life on the edge, navigating a wild frontier.
The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout
Returning to Elizabeth Strout's evocative Shirley Falls, Maine, this novel delves into the lives of the Burgess brothers. Jim, a Manhattan corporate lawyer, embodies success, while Bob, a local legal aid attorney, radiates warmth but harbors a lifetime of playing second fiddle. Their dynamic shifts when a crisis involving their sister Susan's son, Zach, pulls them back to their Maine roots. Strout's signature prose brings these characters to life, weaving a tapestry of ambition, resentment, and the enduring bonds of family, all under the watchful eye of a small-town community.
Our Little Cruelties by Liz Nugent
Will, Brian, and Luke, have competed for their mother's unequal love throughout their childhood and into adulthood. They each betray each other, over and over, until one of them is dead, but which brother killed him? The novel is a slow burn, building tension as it delves into the characters' damaged psyches and the secrets they harbor, with Nugent's sharp writing bringing the Drumm family to life, making them both fascinating and disturbing.
Udayan and Subhash are close as children, but are separated by distance, time and ideals as adults. After a tragedy, Subhash must return to the Calcutta of his childhood where the actions of his brother have deep repercussions. Spanning generations and continents, the novel weaves a tapestry of grief, love, and the enduring power of family bonds. Lahiri's masterful storytelling explores how our choices shape not just our own lives, but those of those we love.
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
In 19th century Russia, Fyodor Karamazov's feud with his three sons escalates. Dmitri, the impulsive eldest, clashes over money and a seductive woman. Ivan, the intellectual middle son, grapples with faith and morality. And Alyosha, the youngest, seeks spiritual guidance amidst the chaos. A brutal murder shatters their lives, forcing each brother to confront their fractured family and search for meaning in a world of doubt.
The Fishermen by Chigozie Obioma
Four young Nigerian brothers, still children, and empowered by their father's absence, sneak away to a forbidden river to fish. There, a madman's chilling prophecy shatters their bond predicting murder and death, and unleashes a tragic cycle of violence. The Fishermen is a powerful and poetic story, steeped in African tradition, that explores fate, family, and the weight of prophecy.
