I’m a little rat at a fair and this book was a juicy, discarded candy apple.

Rounded up from 4.5 stars.

Thank you Netgalley and Emily R. Austin for the ARC!

Growing up is hard. When you're a child, your imagination is limitless. You can build entire cities and stories from the toys and items in your basement. And then you grow up, and you realize the world isn't that magical, and in fact life can be very, very hard.

We Could Be Rats explores these themes through two sisters who could not be more different. Sigrid dropped out of high school and is stuck working at the Dollar Pal in her small town. Margit is continuously frustrated by her sister's inability to strive for more, and she is working towards her college degree. This book isn't long, but it really packs an emotional punch. Through Austin's writing, we can really see Sigrid and Margit as whole people with a complex and difficult family dynamic. When reading this book I do wish that Sigrid and Margit had more of a unique voice to each of their characters, I think that would have made this book hit even harder for me! If you like deep explorations of personal relationships, I think you'll like this book.

BIG content warning for suicide - I am surprised this is not mentioned in the book summary on Goodreads (there is a note in the beginning of the book), but suicide is a large theme throughout this novel.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for a review!

I know two things to be true about any book that Emily Austin writes: first, I’m going to read it; and second, it’s going to make me cry. The writing style is a bit different than her previous works, but We Could Be Rats affirmed these truths. The book is, for the most part, a series of writings. You won’t find a lot of character interactions outside a few retellings, but you will find a lot of exploration of mental health and internal struggles, and it is a gut punch. Fair warning: We Could Be Rats deals heavily with suicide and suicidal ideation, as well as strained familial relationships and addiction.

The story is broken into three parts. The first (and the bulk of the book) is a series of attempts at Sigrid’s suicide note. Sigrid is a small-town lesbian working at a dollar store who never graduated from high school. The letters vary in length and tone, and detail her relationships with her parents, sister Margit, her childhood best friend Greta, and ramblings on just about everything in between. They’re irreverent and funny, but also melancholy, and show a version of Sigrid that tries to appease while also providing exposition about her life and decisions.

Part two is Margit’s writing, recounting experiences and exploring family and relationships, and learning to open up to others. This section felt much heavier than the first (I was crying on the first page and did so repeatedly throughout if that’s any indication), but it was so moving.

In part three we get a look into Sigrid’s journal, which is more reflection on family, feelings, and reconnection from her perspective. There are some jaw-dropping revelations in this section, and although there’s a lot of sadness it also left me feeling hopeful.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley, but my review is unbiased and left voluntarily.

this book was on a whole other level. this story just brought me to tear but also had me laughing. this is my first emily austin novel and wow what a way with words she has. she made me feel seen and relate to these characters and feel so strongly attached to them. she dives deep into emotional and raw moments, thoughts, and emotions that one goes through and does not hold back which makes her stories so much better.
this was a story about being queer in an unforgiving world, a true and raw look at depression and suicidal thoughts.
i will definitely be reading more stories from this author!

This was another lovely read from Emily Austin who really is able to piece together a story that is both incredibly sad but also hopeful and very funny as well. This is an epistolary novel, and focuses on two sisters growing up vastly different in a small town. That's all I'll say to avoid spoilers but this was great!! Sisters are the best!!!

Emily Austin’s Interesting Facts About Space was one of my favorites, so I was excited to jump into my ARC of We Could Be Rats! I think this book is a 'right book, wrong time' situation for me. There are so many people who will love this literary story, especially because the writing is excellent, but with a MAJOR TRIGGER WARNING for suicide, it's not going to be a book for everyone.

I’m honestly not sure how to rate this story. It’s broken into 3 parts: Sigrid’s suicide letter attempts, her sister Margit’s view of the events, & then Sigrid’s POV. Without getting incredibly deep into the sections, each highlights various aspects of both Sigrid's and Margit's life. Austin does a great job of highlighting familial and societal expectation so many of us have felt growing up and maybe still feel as adults. Also it's a great in-depth view into two sisters' less than stellar relationship and I love the way Austin covered both our own intrinsic expectations and view of ourselves while highlighting that the way others see us can be vastly different.

We Could Be Rats is definitely a moving story. It's a largely character driven story about the impacts of suicide & family dynamics. It’s sad, a bit slow, and very much an exemplary example of Austin’s ability to capture our inner monologues & the human experience.

So, while I didn’t love it as much as Interesting Facts About Space, I don't think I disliked it either. However, being four months post-partum, I think it was just too much/sad for me at this time. Too many pieces of the story made me feel vulnerable, especially looking back at my teenage self, and I'm just not in a place to absorb stories like this right now. Then again, maybe because of that this should be a five-star read? Depends on how you define a 'good' book. Regardless, I now know that if I was a rat, I'd want to be at a fair, 'sampling every possible ounce of happiness'.

We Could Be Rats comes out January 28, 2025. Thank you to Flatiron Books and Macmillan Audio for my advanced copy in exchange for my review. If you liked this review, please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting
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Emily Austin continues to be a writer full of surprises you cannot see coming. WE COULD BE RATS continues that trend, centering on the relationship of two radically different sisters who through their collective trauma have a bond like no other. While some may start to read this book and think it makes fun at suicide and depression, Austin turns what we think of a frivolous commentary on these dark topics, into something that mirrors a lot of peoples lived experience of the world and the dark thoughts we keep to ourselves.

I immediately fell for Sigrid and Margrit, not because they were lovable (and they are, in their own weird way) but because they felt so real and ugly and stunning all at the same time.

And honestly, I would like to be a rat at a carnival.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC for this wonderful new book.

I LOVED this. Austin has a way of charming your pants off even in the uncomfy parts of life. The way she handled suicide ideation and how trauma affects children was wonderful and poignant. I loved Sigrid and Margit differently but in equal amounts. Austin captured eldest daughter and second child *perfectly.* I loved the unique way she told this story thought it was handled with such care. My only gripe is that some of the outside characters felt too on the nose but it also kind of worked with the story as a whole? Overall, highly, highly recommend. Austin remains an autobuy author for me!9

I love emily austin's work and this was no exception - we could be rats was simultaneously heavy and tender and still filled with austin's signature wit and dark humor. this was beautifully-written and I loved the style so much, there was so much thought and care that was put into this story and these characters. and to no surprise, there is no one who loves a story about sisters more than me - I loved sigrid and margit and how different they are from each other, and how that didn't stop them from showing how much they care in their own ways. my heart ached for them both as we got to read from each of their stories. this was such a lovely and tender-hearted yet fun read that genuinely only emily austin could pull off.

thank you so much to the publishers for an arc!

Thank you so much to Atria for providing this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review! I was absolutely stoked to receive this ARC because Emily Austin is my queen<3 If you have read other Emily Austin books, you will definitely recognize the writing style and themes dealt with in the book which was great for me because both are right up my alley! One thing I love about Austin's writing is her ability to remain sensitive about the often heavy mental health topics of her books but somehow still leave the reader chuckling through the story when appropriate. I will say I am glad I stuck through the first part of the novel because I thought it was getting a little disjointed and repetitive. Of course, that made sense for the story but I still caught myself wondering if I should trust the process there. Glad I did! Charming, complex characters that I came to love really rounded out the story. Love!

This was a really lovely and emotional read. I thought Austin’s characters were very complex and lovable. I found myself giggling at some of their internal monologues despite the heartbreaking themes of this book. I highlighted several passages because Austin’s writing is just so quotable (and at times, relatable- especially about the queer small town experience). I would definitely recommend this to friends who enjoy character driven stories and slice-of-life moments in books. I can’t wait to read more of Austin’s books!

Sentimental and funny. A nostalgic look at life and sisterhood.

Emily Austin is weird and I like it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria/Simon & Schuster for the advanced copy!

This book sealed the deal of Emily Austin being one of my favorite authors.

We Could Be Rats paints an intimate portrait of two sisters and allows the reader to immerse themselves in their lives, growing to care deeply about their thoughts, experiences and connections (both with each other and with other characters). While the overarching theme of suicide throughout the book is heavy, I loved what we learned about Sigrid and Margit through their unique voices. Austin's writing continues to be captivating, beautiful and full of moments that make you step back and think through everything you have just read.

Also, the twist? Jaw on the floor, I really enjoyed it.

Having lost two best friends to suicide, I always hesitate greatly to read books that contain it as a theme or main focus, like this one. After reading Interesting Facts About Space, I loved Austin's writing so much that I felt like it was worth the risk to pick up this novel and I am so glad that I did.

I absolutely loved this book. I enjoyed the creativity and uniqueness of the "attempt" entries and the subsequent writing entries. Austin made me question what was fact and fiction throughout the entire novel and it kept me on my toes. I appreciated the realness of the family dynamic, and how a family can be so deeply hurting yet still find love for one another. I liked how the characters were constantly thinking about others and how their behaviour supposedly affected them. There were many layers to this book that I will be thinking about for a long time. Sigrid and Margit have a deep place in my heart.

Something I love about Emily Austin’s books is how they always start off a little silly, but quickly knock you off your feet. We are introduced to our narrators in a more humorous tone, similar to how the people in their life perceive them. But as we go further in we begin to realize they are much more troubled than they seem.

We Could Be Rats follows this typical Emily Austin formula, but with a twist as the story focuses on two characters: Sigrid and Margit. Estranged sisters whose narrative voices are muddled together in a very heavy and fascinating way. There isn’t much I can say without spoilers, but the way this book is split into its three sections is like climbing a fence without realizing the other side drops into open air. You are constantly having to reframe your perceptions and recalculate the path you’re following.

This book is all about growing up in a volatile family, losing the people you love to your dying town, and being conditioned to put respectability above your own wellbeing. It’s about childish imagination, a desperate grasp for control, and a contemplation of morality.

I do wish this was just a little bit longer, but it’s truly a heart-aching story. Definitely heavier than Austin’s previous two stories.

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for this e-ARC of We Could Be Rats. Think Little Women but with a splash of depressing women's fiction, and a LOT of childhood trauma and mental health discussions and portrayals. This book is not for the weak, but I truly think I came out the other side changed, reevaluating sisters both in the context of popular media and in the world around me.

I have no idea how she comes up with any of these books but every single one is able to put to words things that I feel but don’t know how to describe or vocalize.

A book that is arguably written in a depressing format contains the right amount of weirdness (in a good and relatable way) to not be morbid to read and also make me laugh out loud about things.

While the end of the book was not wrapped up in a happy little bow, that last line gave me so much hope that everything was going to be okay. I appreciate the realness of this ending in knowing that coming together again and being happy again was likely to be a bumpy ride but that it would be possible.

Emily Austin has a suspiciously good talent for putting feelings that I haven’t been able to articulate, even in my brain, onto a book page. It never ceases to amaze me. I loved the way this story was told. The first half was all over the place, but in the perfect way. Once that is explained, it somehow made it even better. I somehow related to both sisters on a spiritual level, even though they were drastically different. This book will resonate with so many different groups of people. The lost, the people pleaser, the overachievers, the sisters, those who “never seem to live up to their potential”. For such a small book, it holds such a big story. I wish we got more Greta. I was really intrigued by her character and we got a decent amount but I was still left wanting more.

I went into We Could Be Rats completely blind, and let me tell you—Emily Austin knows how to catch me off guard. The premise, centering on a sister duo grappling with the aftermath of a suicide attempt, is as heart-wrenching as it is unexpectedly heartwarming. Somehow, only Austin could take such a dark and painful topic and infuse it with tenderness, humor, and a glimmer of hope that leaves you clinging to every page.

Don’t get me wrong—this book will make you feel everything. It had me crying, feeling deeply frustrated, and even angry at times, but despite it all, I found myself cozying up to both Sigrid and Margit. Their complicated, messy, and utterly real relationship stole my heart.

What stood out most to me was the way the book is structured. Austin divides the narrative into three distinct sections: Sigrid’s final letters, Margit’s perspective as she processes the aftermath, and finally, Sigrid’s point of view. This format works brilliantly in my opinion because it offered an intimate and multifaceted look at both sisters and deepened the emotional resonance of the story.

At this point, I’m convinced Emily Austin can do no wrong. She has an uncanny ability to craft characters who feel as flawed and human as they are lovable, and We Could Be Rats is no exception. If you’re ready for a novel that will break your heart, warm it, and leave you thinking about it long after you close the book, don’t sleep on this one.

This is probably the darkest of her books. There's split point of view between two sisters. The first part is written in a series of suicide letter attempts, and while the author is trying to wrestle with the reasonings there is a familiar light-handed sense that masks a much darker and more serious content, obviously.

Austin in my opinion can teeter very well on a narrow brink between dark comedy and going too far. It's never senseless. And there are parts where it seems revealing how much People lie to themselves. The fact that these are epistolary, written as if in a diary or journal alluded to the fact that people are always trying to either forcefully be too direct or mask true sentiments and intentions. It's not really until there's a more stream of consciousness that we submerge are egos and allow our subconscious to voice more true and inner thoughts.

There's something about Austin's writing that I always enjoy. If you liked her first too I think you will like this one as well even though the content is darker.