Book summary: The Sisters Brothers

"The Sisters Brothers" is a fiction novel by Patrick deWitt. I happen to come across this novel from one of the articles in the "Time" magazine in an interesting report which mentioned that some novels help in addressing certain psychological issues (also known as bibliotherapy). The report mentioned that the book "The Sisters Brothers" helped people going through dilemma involving their careers. Even though the book might not help in addressing your career related issues but the book is an interesting and engrossing read.

The book is set in sometime during the eighteenth century America and revolves around two contract killers Charlie and Eli. Both Charlie and Eli have been assigned to kill Hermann Kermit Warm by heir boos the Commodore. Both Charlie and Eli descend from Oregon City to San Francisco to honor the contract of killing Hermann. As Charlie ad Eli make their way to San Francisco on their horses back, they meet different and interesting people and the author portrays each of Charlie's and Eli's characters through their interactions with these people. Charlie comes across as a ruthless killer of men who usually wastes himself over alcohol and women, while his brother Eli comes across as a kindhearted person who is forced to join the profession of killing because of Charlie.

The eighteenth century in San Francisco was the era of the famous gold rush in California. People would attempt to make a fortune by collecting gold dust from rivers. Hermann, a science nerd, had discovered a formula which would fasten the painstaking process of finding gold in the river bed by illuminating the gold dust and stones in pitch of dark. While he is busy attempting to gather gold using his chemical formula with his friend, Charlie and Eli find them and join them in order to share the profits from the gold mining. However, an unfortunate chemical accident in the river results in the demise of Hermann. While on the death bed, Hermann Kermit Warm utters the following words:-

'... Most people will continue on, dissatisfied but never attempting to understand why, or how they might change things for the better, and they die with nothing in their hearts but dirt and old, thin -weak blood, diluted - and their memories aren't worth a goddamned thing, you will what I mean...'

The tragic death of Hermann and Eli's will not to accompany Charlie on his killing assignments in future makes Eli think about his childhood home and the happiness he experienced living his mother. Both Eli and Charlie return to their mother after their gruesome assignment in San Francisco. Ironically, it is Eli who goes on to kills the Commodore in his bath tub in the later part of the book.

The book is written in a unique way which depicts the language usage of eighteenth century United States of America. The author is able to bring the emotions experienced by the characters Charlie and Eli wonderfully by his simple method of writing. The love towards horses shown by Eli and other horse riders in the book is also interesting to read given that in our modern times experiencing pet love is something known to few.  This fiction novel is not one of the usual fiction novel which will eventually turn into a motion picture one day but worth the read for the pure emotion it generates.