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.