We Are Together Because

by Kerry Andrew

Luke, Connor, Thea and Violet spend their first holiday together alone in their father's house in France. The boys don't really know him - he left their mother when she was still pregnant with Connor, getting together with the girls' mother soon afterwards - and they don't really know their half-sisters, either. Luke, the eldest and most easy going of the four, is keen to bring a new shape to their overlapping, unconventional family; Connor and Thea, born just six months apart but a world of difference between them, are attracted to each other, something they try not to acknowledge but which keeps pushing its way to the surface; Violet, the youngest, is trying to figure some things out about herself, and trying desperately to forget others.
Sex, in its multiple pleasurable divergences and forms, disturbances and abuses, is on the minds of all of the siblings during the hot, lethargic summer days next to the pool. Meanwhile the land is responding and reacting to something inexplicable and eerie. There is a sound, a strong buzzing tonal undercurrent that only Connor can hear, and when Violet one night sees a plane light abruptly drop and disappear in the night sky, it signals the unsettling beginning of something that threatens so much more than their turbulent holiday...

Genres: Dystopia, Fiction, Science Fiction, Literary Fiction, Contemporary

320 pages, Hardcover

First published March 7, 2024

Reviews

[Melanie Caldicott · Rating 3 out of 5]

This coming of age dystopian novel has well written prose which made it really satisfying and compelling. 

There is a lot of exploration of love and identity which were interesting and authentic. However, I felt that there needed to be more conflict for the sibling relationships to feel more convincing - coming from a complicated background, hardly knowing each other to begin with, the ease with which they drew together even before the apocalyptic events just didn't feel real. Plus I couldn't quite accept the incestuous relationship that happened in this book as easily as the characters did which was growing from before the end of the world and it never seemed to be acknowledged that as half brother and sister this was taboo.

The dystopian plotline was tense and mysterious, but its lack of resolution was frustrating. I have read quite a few dystopian novels now which don't reveal the details of what has happened to the world and I'm ok with that, but this just felt a little too elusive and strange and ultimately left me feeling a bit unsatisfied.

Overall, this was an interesting read with a lot of tender exploration of sexuality, identity and family relationships, mixed with end of the world, we're the only people left vibes.

This honest review is given with thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

[Maia · Rating 3 out of 5]

i actually liked this book for the most part but i can’t look past the INCEST
where was the need

[mckennar19 · Rating 5 out of 5]

so incredibly good. wow.

i’m not even sure where to begin bc this book was so extremely good. the plot, characters and prose were totally perfect. i felt so attached to all the characters and it was finally a book that i could become immersed in.

if you’ve read/seen “Leave the World Behind”, this book is really similar, but infinitely better. it was so emotional and thrilling at the same time, and i never knew what was gonna happen next but i was always urged to keep reading.

it’s been a long time since a book has made me cry, but this one certainly did it. (SPOILER) luke’s death was so emotional for me. i’m a huge sucker for a story about tight sibling relationships, and the other siblings’ reaction to his passing absolutely wrecked me. it was always the 4 of them and now they’re just 3?!?! heartbreaking! also, i was imaging luke as josh o’connor the whole time which made me love the character even more :)

i also enjoyed that the “mystery” of what was out there was at least sort of explained. with apocalypse-type books, i don’t need a whole explanation, but sometimes i think it’s lazy when an author/filmmaker doesn’t have anything in mind for what’s caused the whole event. while it not exactly spelled out in WATB, you’re given some building blocks that will satiate your curiosity.

this book also explores so many parts of the human condition in an extremely interesting way. it was cool to see these themes woven into a sci-fi story, so much so that they became equal parts.

5/5!

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a difficult book to review mainly because it is a book in two parts, both very different from each other.

The book centres on two sets of half siblings who share a father - Luke and Connor, and Thea and Violet. All four come together at a French retreat in a 'getting to know you better' type holiday awaiting their dads arrival in a week's time.

Despite their familial relationship, thoughts of sex are abound both within and outwith the family. The hormonal fireworks are abound as relationships and boundaries are tested.

Well, that's the first half of the book.....

In the second half (this isn't a spoiler but I won't say too much) the book turns into a post-apocalyptic, dystopian nightmare for them as they seek survival at any cost. (I told you the two parts were different!)

I think both halves of the story were good and extremely well written by a hugely talented author however I am just not sure they worked well together. I think I would have enjoyed reading more about the first half (albeit the second half was probably the more 'entertaining')

Thanks to Netgalley and Atlantic books for an ARC on exchange for an honest review

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this well crafted novel. It follows two sets of half siblings who don’t know each other well but all share the same father and are spending their first holiday together as a family in the south of France, at their father’s summer house. The father himself has not arrived yet, the kids are fending for themselves, adolescent hormones and insecurities abound, and the tensions between the two halves of this fractured family are quite interesting as a setup. The creeping otherworldly feeling permeates it right from the start - there is something insidious happening, obliterating the world as we know it. This brings Luke and Connor closer to their half sisters, Thea and Violet, as they all reorient themselves from holiday to survival. As they become a closer knit unit, however, they can also sense the unknowable ‘thing’ growing closer. Each of them senses it in a different way, somehow bound to their own sense of being - for Connor, who is half deaf and loves music, it is sensed through a ringing droning sound that won’t go away, for example. They cope in different ways, some thriving, some breaking down. This novels go to the centres of their identities and their desires whilst also being a compelling thought piece on the environmental consequences of human life on the planet. Nothing is resolved but enough is hinted at. I really liked the arcs of the characters of the course of the story as well.

[Jake Benson · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 (maybe a full 5, but certainly rounded up if not!)

This books grew in the loving for me. From a gorgeous coming of age story of sex and identity drowning in hormones (with some beautifully written passages about step families!) to the slow, ominous drip feed of an apocalypse coming to the fore...and what teenagers could possibly do to survive and cope with that.

The less said about the book really, the better. People seem to hate the ending, but personally I think it's incredibly poetic, the ambiguity of sections is pretty par for the course and beautifully crafted. I was there, in this world that Andrews themselves crafted, in a hazy, fuzzy, grainy summer with the colours flaring at the edges.

I was hooked!

[Caz Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐️

[Phil Greenwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

A funny one to review. I enjoyed it, but at the same time feel a little underwhelmed by the ending. I can understand how it only gets a 3.5 ish on here but I’d still recommend it to people to read. Weird one. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Siobhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

We Are Together Because is a twisting piece of literary fiction that starts with half siblings on holiday together and turns into an apocalyptic story of an eerie world ending. Luke and Connor's father left their mother before Connor was born, and now they're on holiday with their half sisters Thea and Violet, with their father planning to join them later. As the fragmented family deals with their own preoccupations, strange things start happening: a strange sound only Connor can hear, Violet seeing some kind of plane crash. And then, everything changes as the world seems to break before their eyes.

This novel is hard not to describe as one of two halves, because the story so suddenly changes partway through (and not having reread the blurb before reading, I wasn't expecting it, either). It moves between the perspectives of the four protagonists, exploring their mindsets and their dynamics as they spend a hot summer in France, and the characters' stories are quite varied, with Violet dealing with a traumatic event in her past, Luke avoiding a relationship that turned abusive, and Connor and Thea having a strange incest-y subplot. Just when you think that whatever happens will come out of these plotlines, the book takes an apocalyptic turn, and it becomes about survival and humanity in an eerily desolate setting. The second half unfolds quite expectedly, not answering any questions and focusing on the characters still in a way that makes for an unsettling sense of how it might feel to have these events happen to you.

I found We Are Together Because gripping and I liked how it went from coming of age to end of the world whilst staying very lyrical (though occasionally there were moments of description so jarring that they pulled me out of the narrative). As with Andrew's previous books, there's a lot of exploration of language and sounds and gender and sex, but this time with an unnerving end of the world element. A lot of people will probably prefer one half or the other, but I liked how the parts of the story talked to each other, and how the characters' preoccupations didn't disappear because things had radically changed.

[Martin Braunton · Rating 2 out of 5]

A confusing muddling book that never really goes anywhere. More observational than anything else.

[Tripfiction · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dystopian, coming-of-age novel set in South East FRANCE



Four siblings have landed in their father’s house in the South East of France for a get together. Their father will be joining them shortly. Connor and Luke are the children of one mother, Thea and Violet the children of another woman. The overlap in ages would suggest that their father was running his two relationships simultaneously for at least a short period. The boys are slightly older, the girls still in their late teenage years. And here they are, in his house in beautiful France, for a bonding session. Their everyday lives are described in Part 1 of the novel, where already there is a sense of foreboding. Everything feels more intense, the animal kingdom is edgy and Connor is very aware of a hum, a drone that burrows deep into his brain. Something just isn’t right.

In Part 2 the youngsters are faced with the end of the world and they have to deal with the fall out, as everything descends into chaos – almost overnight.

The author is really very talented and it was the quality of writing that kept me reading. For me, though, there are a couple of issues that felt like a cop out. They (the author’s preferred pronoun) avoids the emotional fragility and complexity that would inevitably accompany a forced get-together between siblings, who are pretty unfamiliar with each other. Part of the focus of connection is on the sexual side and a coupling is forged between two of the four – which is of course tricky given they are blood relatives. There are some lobbed-in graphic sexual descriptions – pertaining in part to pornography – which would be inappropriate (I hope) for the Young Adult audience, the genre where this coming-of-age novel would actually find its natural home.

In Part 2 there is no indication of the nature of burgeoning world events, which somehow leaves that storyline floating against a non-specified backdrop, in the superficial realm – the background is missing. It feels like the author is avoiding delving into the more difficult bits of the story that would have made for a more rounded, connective novel. It needed more depth.

The author pens very confident and fluid prose, and the hardback copy is beautifully put together. Overall,I am not convinced that the two stories really dovetailed to make this feel like a truly cohesive read. The strap line is accurate: “...siblings, sex and the end of the world” but if you want a bit more, you may well be disappointed.

[Daniel Sheen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my second Kerry Andrew's book, and I loved this one just as much as her last book, "Skin." This struck me as being a sort of literary YA, although that might have just been because of the ages of the characters - four teenage brothers and sisters who share a father but who all have different mothers, stuck in a house in the south of France while the world unravels around them. The first half of the novel is described as a sensual summer drama, and it sets up the characters beautifully. For this is a character driven novel, and each character is unique, gorgeously written, and has their own very distinct way of seeing the world, and I loved the thoughtful, raw and sometimes graphic explorations of love, sex, gender and identity (the same themes that were explored in Skin, just this time, from a teenage perspective). I especially loved Connor's musical storyline - being a musician myself, as well as a writer (just like Kerry, the author) the way he saw the world really resonated with me.
And then, about halfway through, something mysterious happens. To the whole planet. People start disappearing, the phone lines go dead, then the Internet, the electricity and the gas, and finally, the water. And from then on, the story becomes one of survival. And I disagree with most reviewers here, in that I thought the somewhat abrupt changeover from coming of age to dystopian-end-of-the-world-mystery, was fluid and well thought out. I loved how the storyline would swell and retreat, swell and retreat, and honestly, I thought the final quarter was one of the most beautifully written, tender and wholesome explorations of grief and hope that I’ve ever read. Dont go in expecting any answers and just let the wonderful characters and exquisite lyrical prose take you away. Intriguing, heart-warming, and genuinely fun to read, this author now has a fan for life. Recommended for fans of summer beach reads, wholesome utopia's and incest lol

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such an off kilter read that I truly am unsure what to rate it.

Luke and Conner are brothers who could not be more different. Luke is gregarious while Conner is reserved. They are spending time at their father's French villa with their half sisters, Violet and Thea, who, also, could not be more different. Thea is embracing her burgeoning sexuality while Violet is violently rejecting any notion. The two sets are uncomfortable with each other, Thea and Conner barely separated by six months, physical representation of their father's infidelity. This week together before their father arrives is supposed to bring them closer to a type of understanding but it is another event that will strengthen those ties and ultimately, their father will never arrive.

The first half of this novel is the awkwardness of these siblings relationships and their own personal issues. Each is struggling with something deeply personal that they feel shame over. These things gradually come to light as the novel moves through to its next phase. That of the apocalypse. The event as such is kept vague and otherworldly, focusing on the unknowableness of the situation and how the interactions alter between the siblings and their internal voices.

Like I said, this was an off kilter read. Both dreamy and yet unsettling. Occasionally the narrative just felt like a vehicle for the author to write about a particular taboo but weirdly that falls away a bit more once the apocalypse of it all really sets in. I was invested in these siblings and was a little sad when my time with them ended. Some might find the lack of answers or explanation (or even a true narrative direction) frustrating but I didn't mind it and ultimately I think I might revisit this again in the future.

But it was odd.

[Sophie Dickinson · Rating 2 out of 5]

thank you to the publishers for an advanced copy of this!

not for me fellas unfortunately. but then again i’m not a lover of dystopia. if the first half of this story had continued as it was (exploring the relationship of very detached half siblings, impending fathers arrival etc) and it was a more family dynamic literary fiction, I’d have loved it. really great character building and i was enjoying the writing a lot.

however it came to a crashing halt when the book literally flipped on its head halfway through and suddenly there was an unexplained apocalypse (???). at first they mentioned lockdown and i thought god not a covid book, but no, this was (unluckily for us all) an apocalypse post covid. it was so weird because it was never explained in enough detail to be actually scary or apocalyptic? keeping the reasons for/repercussions of apocalypse quiet can be done so well (i who have never known men is a fantastic example) and can feel unsatisfying but for a reason. this just felt unsatisfying and pointless. the apocalypse section almost started to read like YA to me, which I don’t love. granted the scene with the injury (avoiding spoilers) was good, probably the one redeeming part of the second half. unfortunately Violet’s character drove me up the wall and I could not stand her for the majority of the book.

probably more 2.5 stars as i really enjoyed the first half but after that the whole thing was just so random.

[Rob]

I should declare a tangential interest first as Kerry Andrew contributed a cluster of excellent articles to my now discontinued soccer website, The Two Unfortunates a decade or so ago, mostly on the subject of Wycombe Wanderers – one in particular on the club’s rivalry with Slough Town really stands out in the memory. It’s thus been thrilling to see Kerry go on to wider fame, in common with a few others who wrote for the site. Already a talented musician, this novel is firm evidence of her writing talents.

The premise is one I have often thought of - i.e. what would happen if an apocalyptic event occurred in urban centres if one happened to be on vacation/away from one’s friends and family in a deep rural area. I won’t give much more away but the action builds up satisfyingly and the characterization of the for siblings/half siblings at the heart of the novel is beautifully drawn.

[Claudia Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whilst this book wasn’t as engaging as I had hoped for it to be, I did enjoy reading parts of it.

Part one was definitely the more entertaining half of the book and I was intrigued to see where to book was heading as the siblings started to notice the weird happenings around them. Part two lost me as I felt it just dragged on and didn’t really go anywhere. I can appreciate that most dystopian storyline’s don’t always have a direct answer as to what is really going on, I was completely lost and found the plot hard to follow.

The last few pages of the book where the bond is shared between Thea and Connor I enjoyed, and would have liked the story to maybe end there. Violet coming back into the book confused me to be honest!

This book wasn’t my favourite read but I can appreciate the art and style of the novel and think you will love it if you want to explore a sexually confused kind of book with a dystopian world.

[Rachel Gleeson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Picking up this novel in the bookstore was the first time in a while I had felt truly shocked and intrigued by a blurb. It hinted at some pretty taboo content and seemed to promise an exploration of the complexities of family ties, sexuality, and love, all within the backdrop of the world ending.

I really wanted to love this book, but unfortunately, it fell short for me. When touching on taboo content, I'd prefer a bit more analysis, conflict or reflection than what this book provided. I also was not invested in the apocalypse happening because so little information was given. I understand the vagueness was intentional, but I don't think it stuck the landing :(

Beautiful cover though!

[Molly · Rating 1 out of 5]

What was the point of this? It never went anywhere. While I get that some books don't have a strong plot, it wasn't counterbalanced by clearly defined characters, interesting dialogue, context, subtext, nothing. There were some 'themes' (family relationships, sexuality, gender identify) but all of them were super underdeveloped..Also, the generalised confusion was clearly deliberate what with the world disappearing overnight, but many things were just outright poorly described (what is the "gravel structure"?). I have no idea how this is averaging 3.5 stars. I'd normally find a positive but I'm struggling.

[alisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

i really enjoyed this one. this is a novel best described in two halves. the first being a coming of age exploration, the second an apocalyptic survival story. i enjoyed the first half much more as this is where we got to know the characters, each feeling distinct and interesting. i especially appreciated connor and violet’s voices - they were raw and authentic, and i felt seen. kerry’s writing is also vivid, lyrical, and compelling. the second half of the novel felt more disjointed. i’m usually fine with obscure and ambiguous plot lines, but this story could’ve benefited from some greater exploration and explanation of the apocalyptic threat to bring it together more neatly.

[Sarah Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book, with moments I really enjoyed, where the subject matter seemed to be becoming deeper. I almost want the author to go back to it and make it more complex!
There are two distinct halves to the book but I felt I never really got to the bottom of the siblings' relationships before we moved on to the end-of-the-world bit.
I'm fine with not explaining what was actually going on, but I felt more could have been made of the relationships.
Very reminiscent of Leave the World Behind.

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟


Very much a book of two halves.
The first getting to know the siblings, their characters, their relationships, their problems... this , for me was the better half.
Each character stood out so well from each other, and their stories were strong.
The second half was not was I was expecting, and although enjoyable too, it felt too similar to other books I've read.
Overall though, I enjoyed this book, and will be recommending to others.

[Izzy Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

didn’t love how incestuous this was but some parts were very well-written and immersive. and maybe there’s like a deeper and pretentious explanation for why the author chose to include incest? It didn’t feel like the author was acting on some weird fetish when considering the way it was portrayed in context of the story so I could be missing something? I did take a lot of breaks while reading this because it was quite weird.

[Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Masterful storytelling. The plot would build to a crescendo and then retreat quietly back throughout the novel. Character writing was solid. I was there in the book's world when reading. The writing was vivid, descriptive, and sensory. I don't want to give spoilers, so vaguely - I'm giving 5 stars because of the sky element of the novel. Will be recommending this at our bookshop!

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

i enjoyed the first half more than the second. the ending needed more impact, i think, and a lot of the ideas presented in this could have been developed further. that said, it was intiguing, unique and the writing was absolutely gorgeous. i will be checking out the author's other works for sure.

[Sophie Owers · Rating 4 out of 5]

unsettling, human, heat struck

one for fans of Leave the World Behind (or people who tried it and loved the premise but hated the writing style)

[Graeme Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by this fantastic author. The 4 main characters come alive beautifully. She writes so well about family relationships and provides wonderful descriptions of nature. A real page turner also.

[Maeve Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

really enjoyed this! Interesting jumps between the four siblings’ perspectives, a great holiday page turner that lasted me exactly the Melbourne to Perth flight duration and kept me intrigued the whole time

[Silvia Traverso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Libro molto particolare suddiviso in due parti ben distinte : la prima descrive bene i personaggi e la seconda parte (inaspettatamente) introduce una realtà apocalittica . A mio avviso la sinossi non rende giustizia a questo libro innovativo e ben scritto .

[Lisa Porter-Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful, outstanding novel. Thank you Kerry for putting this out into the world. I devoured it.

[Jill Schroeder · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable read. Human life disappearing and how this pans out for a reconstructed set of siblings.