We Are Together Because: A novel of siblings, sex and the end of the world

by Kerry Andrew

320 pages, Paperback

Published April 3, 2025

Reviews

[Heather Browning · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really well-done quiet horror, a slow-build tension that starts without anything really specific to hang it on, just an unsettling feeling in the background while in the forefround we just see a group of children on a summer getaway in the south of France, while all dealing with their own personal and family issues. As the situation escalates, the suspense still always just simmers below the surface so that you're always waiting uncomfortably for something scary to happen, while most of the story is really just the mundane business of life, wonderfully juxtaposed. Tomorrow When the War Began meets Flowers in the Attic.

[Emma Greenough · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kept me waiting all the way through, enjoyed all the relationships but just didnt enjoy how it ended

[aasiya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Four (very different) half-siblings are forced to holiday together before being faced with the simmering heat and apocalyptic unknowns. If you are someone who requires answers, I would not recommend this as it centres on the complicated sibling dynamics and how they come together to survive, as opposed to what they are meant to be surviving from. In that sense, it reminded me of ‘I Who Have Never Known Men’. The prose was melodious as it explores themes of isolation, identity, sexuality and familial bonds. Whilst isolated at the end of the world, the exploration into these themes ironically constructs a more accepting tone, which seems to align with the ambiguities we may all face in real life. This forces us to question whether our identities are truly construed for ourselves, or for everyone else around us.

[Jane TaylorBarron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such a different read. I enjoyed the evolving relationships and character development between the four half siblings, was really kept on edge to see what happened but the ending was rushed and for me left me with lots of questions.