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Brother & Sister Enter the Forest
Opening like a fairy tale and ending like a nightmare, this cannonball of a queer coming-of-age novel follows a young man's relationship with a violent older boyfriend—and how he and his sister survive a terrible crime
After years of severed communication, Justin appears on his sister’s doorstep needing a place to stay. The home he's made for himself has collapsed, as has everything else in his life. When they were children, Willa played the role of her brother’s protector, but now, afraid of the chaos he might bring, she’s reluctant to let him in.
Willa lives a carefully ordered life working as a nurse and making ornate dioramas in her spare time. As Justin tries to connect with the people she’s closest to—her landlord, her boyfriend, their mother—she begins to feel exposed. Willa and Justin’s relationship has always been strained yet loving, frustrating and close. But it hits a new breaking point when Justin spirals out of control, unable to manage his sobriety and the sustained effects of a brain injury.
Years earlier, in high school, desperate to escape his home life and his disapproving, troubled mother, Justin falls into the hands of his first lover, a slightly older boy living on his own who offers Justin some semblance of intimacy and refuge. When Justin’s boyfriend commits a terrifying act of violence, the two flee on a doomed road trip, a journey that will damage Justin and change his and his family’s lives forever.
Weaving together these two timelines, Brother & Sister Enter the Forest unravels the thread of a young man’s trauma and the love waiting for him on the other side.
After years of severed communication, Justin appears on his sister’s doorstep needing a place to stay. The home he's made for himself has collapsed, as has everything else in his life. When they were children, Willa played the role of her brother’s protector, but now, afraid of the chaos he might bring, she’s reluctant to let him in.
Willa lives a carefully ordered life working as a nurse and making ornate dioramas in her spare time. As Justin tries to connect with the people she’s closest to—her landlord, her boyfriend, their mother—she begins to feel exposed. Willa and Justin’s relationship has always been strained yet loving, frustrating and close. But it hits a new breaking point when Justin spirals out of control, unable to manage his sobriety and the sustained effects of a brain injury.
Years earlier, in high school, desperate to escape his home life and his disapproving, troubled mother, Justin falls into the hands of his first lover, a slightly older boy living on his own who offers Justin some semblance of intimacy and refuge. When Justin’s boyfriend commits a terrifying act of violence, the two flee on a doomed road trip, a journey that will damage Justin and change his and his family’s lives forever.
Weaving together these two timelines, Brother & Sister Enter the Forest unravels the thread of a young man’s trauma and the love waiting for him on the other side.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 14, 2023
81 people are currently reading
10197 people want to read
About the author
Richard Mirabella
1 book97 followersRichard Mirabella is the author of the forthcoming novel, Brother & Sister Enter the Forest, which will be released on MARCH 14, 2023.
His writing has appeared in American Short Fiction, Story Magazine, Split Lip Magazine, wigleaf, and elsewhere.
He lives in Upstate New York, where he is also a civil servant.
His writing has appeared in American Short Fiction, Story Magazine, Split Lip Magazine, wigleaf, and elsewhere.
He lives in Upstate New York, where he is also a civil servant.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 330 reviews
June 3, 2023
Pride Month 2023 Read #2: 2.5 stars.
I knew this book would not necessarily be a "happy" read, given that Justin, one of the two main characters struggles with severe mental health issues as the book toggles back and forth between when he is 17 and another timeline that starts when he is in his mid-thirties and then progresses forward in the book into his forties. His relationship with his sister Willa, the other main character and his godawful mother, are also depressing, but worst of all is the car wreck of a relationship he had in high school with Nick, a couple of years older than Justin. Without giving anything away, Nick involves Justin in a horrible tragedy, one with reverberations for Justin and his mental and physical health for decades to come. Basically, it unmoors him and sets him up for many years of difficulties relating to people, holding jobs, etc.
There is a lot of great writing in this debut, and at one point I thought this book would end up rating 4 stars, but I'm giving it only two, "It was okay." I could see this book being praised for its literary qualities, but it didn't take me anywhere better for having read it. Not always what I need from a book, but again, not to give away any spoilers, this book served up a lot of bleakness and pretty much no way out of it for the characters, nor for me, the reader.
I knew this book would not necessarily be a "happy" read, given that Justin, one of the two main characters struggles with severe mental health issues as the book toggles back and forth between when he is 17 and another timeline that starts when he is in his mid-thirties and then progresses forward in the book into his forties. His relationship with his sister Willa, the other main character and his godawful mother, are also depressing, but worst of all is the car wreck of a relationship he had in high school with Nick, a couple of years older than Justin. Without giving anything away, Nick involves Justin in a horrible tragedy, one with reverberations for Justin and his mental and physical health for decades to come. Basically, it unmoors him and sets him up for many years of difficulties relating to people, holding jobs, etc.
There is a lot of great writing in this debut, and at one point I thought this book would end up rating 4 stars, but I'm giving it only two, "It was okay." I could see this book being praised for its literary qualities, but it didn't take me anywhere better for having read it. Not always what I need from a book, but again, not to give away any spoilers, this book served up a lot of bleakness and pretty much no way out of it for the characters, nor for me, the reader.
February 16, 2023
Thank you to Catapult Press and #NetGalley, for providing an early copy for review.
If you, dear reader, have never had a difficult parent, child, sibling, or other close relationship, then this book will explain what that's like. For some people, navigating this world has been a near impossible adjustment from the beginning. They don't mean to exasperate everyone around them. They often even hate themselves for how much pain they cause others. Living for them is a lot like being trapped. Who can escape themselves?
The title is reminiscent of Hansel and Gretel, and represents the driving motif for the narrative. The implication is that in life, you can't be too sure what will happen, only that danger is bound to be a part of it and there are no guarantees of being loved.
Justin and Willa are siblings with an odd kind of tether, both a bit resentful of the other and wanting the other to have more compassion. Justin has the most work to do to regain trust, but his sister and mother have lost patience with him, and his neediness grates on them.
Willa would give you the impression that she'd like to move forward in her life, past her brother's troubles. Yet, she seems conflicted. She captures memories in frozen moments in dioramas, which she builds by hand, yet they aren't necessarily her own memories. What does she hope to process by building tangible miniature facsimiles of events in her brother's life?
Justin has a difficult time connecting to people. He feels overwhelmed around them, like there's too much noise to think, even when the other person is quiet. Only when he's alone does he have the clarity and breathing room to properly process something that's already happened. His silence is often misinterpreted.
Willa is conflicted about Justin, because he's traumatized, damaged, and alone, and in certain ways we all are (and we cover it up with our level of functioning) but the fewer degrees there are between her and a damaged person, the more magnified their pain. Exacerbating the situation, both siblings have ingrained in them though experience, that talking about things somehow makes them worse. Neither is particularly good at reading emotional cues. *Mad* doesn't always mean "mad at you." It seems clear that no one in the family ever talks about the father. They just let those unspoken words pile up into anger about other things.
Willa seems unable to bear confrontation. It's unclear early in the story, if she's always been the family diplomat, but she definitely swallows her resentments.
Justin is battling PTSD, as well as memory and concentration issues from a TBI. He finds it impossible to sync with the world, or even his own emotions. He finds he has to either pull backward or shock himself forward. Nothing is smooth. Everything worries him. Everyone zeroes in on his addiction, but that's a symptom of, or reaction to, the real source of his problems.
The author has a keen sense of dysfunction and unequal power in relationships. It is stunning once it's shown how easily the edges of people can sharpen until they cut anyone within arm's reach.The most vulnerable will try so hard to keep the other person from sharpening, but what they don't realize is how cruelly they are being manipulated. It's heartbreaking to witness the cuts, the hurt, and the abandonment in a literal or metaphorical forest.
Much of what happens in this story is tough, tragic, and perhaps avoidable. But, perhaps not. We all enter the forest. Some leave. Some have control over what happens to them. Some are abandoned in the forest forever.
If you, dear reader, have never had a difficult parent, child, sibling, or other close relationship, then this book will explain what that's like. For some people, navigating this world has been a near impossible adjustment from the beginning. They don't mean to exasperate everyone around them. They often even hate themselves for how much pain they cause others. Living for them is a lot like being trapped. Who can escape themselves?
The title is reminiscent of Hansel and Gretel, and represents the driving motif for the narrative. The implication is that in life, you can't be too sure what will happen, only that danger is bound to be a part of it and there are no guarantees of being loved.
Justin and Willa are siblings with an odd kind of tether, both a bit resentful of the other and wanting the other to have more compassion. Justin has the most work to do to regain trust, but his sister and mother have lost patience with him, and his neediness grates on them.
Willa would give you the impression that she'd like to move forward in her life, past her brother's troubles. Yet, she seems conflicted. She captures memories in frozen moments in dioramas, which she builds by hand, yet they aren't necessarily her own memories. What does she hope to process by building tangible miniature facsimiles of events in her brother's life?
Justin has a difficult time connecting to people. He feels overwhelmed around them, like there's too much noise to think, even when the other person is quiet. Only when he's alone does he have the clarity and breathing room to properly process something that's already happened. His silence is often misinterpreted.
Willa is conflicted about Justin, because he's traumatized, damaged, and alone, and in certain ways we all are (and we cover it up with our level of functioning) but the fewer degrees there are between her and a damaged person, the more magnified their pain. Exacerbating the situation, both siblings have ingrained in them though experience, that talking about things somehow makes them worse. Neither is particularly good at reading emotional cues. *Mad* doesn't always mean "mad at you." It seems clear that no one in the family ever talks about the father. They just let those unspoken words pile up into anger about other things.
Willa seems unable to bear confrontation. It's unclear early in the story, if she's always been the family diplomat, but she definitely swallows her resentments.
Justin is battling PTSD, as well as memory and concentration issues from a TBI. He finds it impossible to sync with the world, or even his own emotions. He finds he has to either pull backward or shock himself forward. Nothing is smooth. Everything worries him. Everyone zeroes in on his addiction, but that's a symptom of, or reaction to, the real source of his problems.
The author has a keen sense of dysfunction and unequal power in relationships. It is stunning once it's shown how easily the edges of people can sharpen until they cut anyone within arm's reach.The most vulnerable will try so hard to keep the other person from sharpening, but what they don't realize is how cruelly they are being manipulated. It's heartbreaking to witness the cuts, the hurt, and the abandonment in a literal or metaphorical forest.
Much of what happens in this story is tough, tragic, and perhaps avoidable. But, perhaps not. We all enter the forest. Some leave. Some have control over what happens to them. Some are abandoned in the forest forever.
March 8, 2023
Richard Mirabella's debut novel, BROTHER & SISTER ENTER THE FOREST is a poetic literary fiction novel that juggles the dynamics between two siblings, Justin and Willa, and the toxic relationships they encounter, both between themselves and others. Willa and Justin have a difficult and troubling relationship, with Willa trying to maintain her own mental peace from the troubles of her brother's past, yet she is conflicted on whether or not to continue to help her brother with the struggles he encounters. The trauma she witnessed was painful, but her brother's PTSD from his trauma has left him damaged and she battles between what is the right thing to do. BROTHER & SISTER ENTER THE FOREST is a touch and tragic depiction of a family that struggles between helping family try to succeed and wanting to escape from the chaos for themselves. I don't think I've read anything quite like this book before and I'm excited to see what this author has in store for readers next.
March 20, 2023
What a heartbreaker. I’m a sucker for stories revolving around family, and this gave me all the goods.
This book is a queer coming of age story that explores the fraught sibling relationship between our two central characters: Justin and Willa. Both can be deceptively seen as types, but they’re quite complex.
Justin is a frustrating character (and I love that; it gives the reader work); he’s a tough nut to crack, but you can understand and have empathy for him, especially when you learn more about his history as the story moves forward; timelines that flip-flop between the past, present, and future. Usually with stories and subject matter like this (victims of physical, emotional, and mental abuse), the character can come off as saintly or martyr-like, but I appreciate Mirabella’s avoidance of that. Justin is fully human and the polar opposite of perfect: just as easily as you want to hug him, you also want to shake him. He’s a character that finds it extremely difficult to place trust in people, and that sends him on a course of self-sabotage.
Willa, on the other hand, is passive. She tries to be the peacekeeper, gatekeeper, and seems to be incapable of picking a side. And this causes fractures in her daily relationships even if she has the best of intentions.
What I really loved and admired about this book is how seamless the passage of time is. Sometimes weeks, months or even years pass without the reader realizing it. Sometimes you need to fill in the blanks. It feels effortless and not at all gimmicky. It shows us that time waits for no one. Time is fleeting. Sometimes our lives change so drastically over the course of time. And sometimes it remains exactly the same; making time feel like it’s at a standstill.
I loved this book. It has a subtle feel to it, an almost bare bones element that is successful in revealing the naked elements of our main characters. A heartbreaking tale that focuses on two major acts of sudden violence and how these moments of brutality shape our characters and send them down paths that distance them from one another. It also feels very honest in its depiction of queer sex and relationships.
I adored how the book ended. It ends on a melancholic note that feels both complete and incomplete; a finality yet with a dash of hopefulness (you’ll get what I mean when you read it). It made me cry, and I’m truly sad that I had to say goodbye to Willa and Justin. I’ll miss them!!
This book is a queer coming of age story that explores the fraught sibling relationship between our two central characters: Justin and Willa. Both can be deceptively seen as types, but they’re quite complex.
Justin is a frustrating character (and I love that; it gives the reader work); he’s a tough nut to crack, but you can understand and have empathy for him, especially when you learn more about his history as the story moves forward; timelines that flip-flop between the past, present, and future. Usually with stories and subject matter like this (victims of physical, emotional, and mental abuse), the character can come off as saintly or martyr-like, but I appreciate Mirabella’s avoidance of that. Justin is fully human and the polar opposite of perfect: just as easily as you want to hug him, you also want to shake him. He’s a character that finds it extremely difficult to place trust in people, and that sends him on a course of self-sabotage.
Willa, on the other hand, is passive. She tries to be the peacekeeper, gatekeeper, and seems to be incapable of picking a side. And this causes fractures in her daily relationships even if she has the best of intentions.
What I really loved and admired about this book is how seamless the passage of time is. Sometimes weeks, months or even years pass without the reader realizing it. Sometimes you need to fill in the blanks. It feels effortless and not at all gimmicky. It shows us that time waits for no one. Time is fleeting. Sometimes our lives change so drastically over the course of time. And sometimes it remains exactly the same; making time feel like it’s at a standstill.
I loved this book. It has a subtle feel to it, an almost bare bones element that is successful in revealing the naked elements of our main characters. A heartbreaking tale that focuses on two major acts of sudden violence and how these moments of brutality shape our characters and send them down paths that distance them from one another. It also feels very honest in its depiction of queer sex and relationships.
I adored how the book ended. It ends on a melancholic note that feels both complete and incomplete; a finality yet with a dash of hopefulness (you’ll get what I mean when you read it). It made me cry, and I’m truly sad that I had to say goodbye to Willa and Justin. I’ll miss them!!
March 31, 2023
I am still processing this book. In some ways, it hit too close to home and made me feel guilty at times. This is the story of difficult familial love, of what it means to love and take care of someone who is struggling with their mental health. One of the most authentic exploration of trauma and mental health I have read, together with All My Puny Sorrows by Miriam Toews and The Copenhagen Trilogy by Tove Ditlevsen. What more gimmicky novels about this theme (like a certain novel that everyone loves) don't get is that trauma isn't felt loudly, it isn't explosive or dramatic or as visible. It's most often subtle and felt in the quietest moments. And queer trauma especially has additional complexities which are often explored in a reductive, 'Hollywoodized' fashion, almost as if we are not real enough or human enough. I am so grateful this book exists.
I love how the book ends. It reminds me of Dependency by Tove Ditlevsen in its honesty. There is some hope, yes, but there is no big epiphany or a big redemption arc, instead there is fear, a lot of hopelessness. I love quiet novels like this, more is said in the absence of words than in their presence. It's hard to believe this is a debut!
I love how the book ends. It reminds me of Dependency by Tove Ditlevsen in its honesty. There is some hope, yes, but there is no big epiphany or a big redemption arc, instead there is fear, a lot of hopelessness. I love quiet novels like this, more is said in the absence of words than in their presence. It's hard to believe this is a debut!
May 1, 2021
A unique, evocative novel that doesn't shy away from awkwardness and pain. Mirabella's debut delves into the stubborn, haunted connections between his characters and those they've known and loved. A doomed road trip, the after effects of an injury. Mirabella's sentences reveal darkness and truth in the remembered past and the fractured present. A wry, original, new voice in fiction!
September 18, 2022
A breathtaking debut in every way. A novel that asks really thorny questions like what do we owe one another, what are our obligations, what constitutes love between two people, and is never didactic in its examination of these questions. Beautifully drawn characters in impossibly fraught circumstances they never intended to endure. Can’t wait for whatever Richard Mirabella writes next.
September 29, 2023
Format: audiobook ~ Narrator: Eve Passeltiner
Content: 4 stars ~ Narration: 4 stars
Complete audiobook review
Willa and Justin are siblings, but they are not close. Events from their youth still affect their relationship.
One day Justin appears at Willa’s doorstep and expects she will take him in, and Willa doesn’t like that. The plot jumps from present to past and reveals what happened to Justin and why their relationship is this way. I sometimes didn’t like Willa and her behavior toward Justin. But as the story progresses, we learn why she behaves the way she does.
I liked the analogy with Hansel & Gretel (Brothers Grimm fairytale), as they, in the story, are like brother and sister that once entered the forest, and dark things awaited them there. But this is not a fairytale. It’s a very realistic and dark story that deals with trauma.
I liked the novel, but I expected a bit more to make this story really great.
The narration was good, but maybe I would expect a male narrator. Because I take this as a story of Justin (and not Willa).
Thanks to Dreamscape Media for the ALC and this opportunity! This is a voluntary review and all opinions are my own.
Content: 4 stars ~ Narration: 4 stars
Complete audiobook review
Willa and Justin are siblings, but they are not close. Events from their youth still affect their relationship.
One day Justin appears at Willa’s doorstep and expects she will take him in, and Willa doesn’t like that. The plot jumps from present to past and reveals what happened to Justin and why their relationship is this way. I sometimes didn’t like Willa and her behavior toward Justin. But as the story progresses, we learn why she behaves the way she does.
I liked the analogy with Hansel & Gretel (Brothers Grimm fairytale), as they, in the story, are like brother and sister that once entered the forest, and dark things awaited them there. But this is not a fairytale. It’s a very realistic and dark story that deals with trauma.
I liked the novel, but I expected a bit more to make this story really great.
The narration was good, but maybe I would expect a male narrator. Because I take this as a story of Justin (and not Willa).
Thanks to Dreamscape Media for the ALC and this opportunity! This is a voluntary review and all opinions are my own.
April 16, 2023
Exquisite! A very impressive debut. The writing is eloquent and the characters are thoughtfully nurtured into life. I liked how the play on the fairytale was realized and the story so realistic. The only issue was I found the shifts in time periods seemed abrupt and awkward in places, but smoothed out as you move along.
I read it as an ebook but have since ordered a hard copy, because I know it’s a book I want to read again and savour.
I read it as an ebook but have since ordered a hard copy, because I know it’s a book I want to read again and savour.
April 27, 2023
I loved this book - I couldn't put it down. This is a story about two siblings and their relationships with the people around them. Mirabella's storytelling is unique and absolutely compelling. And he creates complex, unpredictable characters through almost understated details.
I don't write reviews on here often, but this book is going to stick with me for a long time. Truly exceptional.
I don't write reviews on here often, but this book is going to stick with me for a long time. Truly exceptional.
March 6, 2023
a really stunning and well written debut novel from Mirabella. I only wish we got to spend a little more time with Justin and Willa, I thought the story ended a bit abruptly and i wanted to see more of the ‘aftermath’, but overall a really gripping book.
September 3, 2022
This book feels like a home renovation. You’ve got years and years of paint painted on top of paint on top of more paint and we spend this tragically beautiful tale peeling away pieces until it ultimately makes sense. Love is the throbbing throughline of this outstanding DEBUT novel from one of the great new voices of modern fiction. I didn’t deserve this novel and neither do you. But, we got it and we get to appreciate the hell out of the painstaking journey it inflicts on us all. You’d be hard pressed to find another book with this specific vibe and atmosphere. I loved every page of this book and feel so honored to have gotten to lay eyes on it so many months early. Mirabella did something wonderful here and I cannot wait for you all to read it.
March 24, 2023
I've been a fan of Mirabella's writing for some time (his short fiction is excellent), and his debut did not disappoint. Brother & Sister Enter the Forest takes fairy tale tropes and symbols and subtly extrapolates them through a story of a broken relationship. It demands attention, and the reward is worth it.
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March 12, 2023going to sit on my rating for a bit but this was beautiful. thank you to the publisher for sending me a gifted copy
May 16, 2023
Wow! I was excited for this book, but I had no idea that I would love it as much as I did!
This is a beautiful story about the deepest darkest parts of family relationships for many queer people. There is apparent love, disappointment, anger, trust, heartbreak, etc. within these pages for these characters... I just, I don't even know how to form words that would adequately portray to you all how much I enjoyed this.
The story is so raw and real, Mirabella's writing is top-notch, and I cried multiple times while reading.
It was so fascinating to read Willa's perspective about what was happening with Justin. Why she may not have stood up for Justin at times when he felt she should have. The things she was going through as well with the re-entrance of Justin into her life.
Meanwhile, my heart broke for Justin in every chapter I read of his; some of his struggles are my own, and it was eye-opening to see it on the page with such beautiful ways of describing them.
Overall, this book was just REAL! It is reflective of so many people that I know... and so reflective of some of the things I've experienced. I just found this book SO impactful; it's weird to say that I loved it because of the heartbreaking story at its center, but I truly did. I can't wait to read more from Mirabella soon!
This is a beautiful story about the deepest darkest parts of family relationships for many queer people. There is apparent love, disappointment, anger, trust, heartbreak, etc. within these pages for these characters... I just, I don't even know how to form words that would adequately portray to you all how much I enjoyed this.
The story is so raw and real, Mirabella's writing is top-notch, and I cried multiple times while reading.
It was so fascinating to read Willa's perspective about what was happening with Justin. Why she may not have stood up for Justin at times when he felt she should have. The things she was going through as well with the re-entrance of Justin into her life.
Meanwhile, my heart broke for Justin in every chapter I read of his; some of his struggles are my own, and it was eye-opening to see it on the page with such beautiful ways of describing them.
Overall, this book was just REAL! It is reflective of so many people that I know... and so reflective of some of the things I've experienced. I just found this book SO impactful; it's weird to say that I loved it because of the heartbreaking story at its center, but I truly did. I can't wait to read more from Mirabella soon!
June 7, 2023
i have some real conflicting feelings about this one. i did find it compulsively readable and i always wanted to keep reading. but i think the execution left a little to be desired. willa didn’t feel like a complete character to me, the timelines were confusing, and it was all just a little too open-ended for me.
overall this is an impressive debut and i look forward to what the author does next, but this book just left me wanting a little bit more.
overall this is an impressive debut and i look forward to what the author does next, but this book just left me wanting a little bit more.
May 9, 2023
In the same vein as A Little Life's Jude, my heart aches for Brother & Sister Enter the Forest's Justin who also experiences a serious physical and emotional trauma as a teen and isn't able to receive the support necessary to keep him afloat as an adult. His mother is cold and unaccepting while his sister is often too meek or exhausted by her own life to be able to give him the constant support he needs. While not as intense as ALL, Brother also demonstrates how trauma can affect a person and the people they love throughout their lives. Heartbreaking.
March 14, 2023
“But it was good to be around someone who knew little about him. He could love that person easily.”
Brother & Sister Enter the Forest by Richard Mirabella is a compelling, sensitive and tender story about the unbreakable and sometimes unexplainable connection we have with those we love.
Willa is living what feels like a normal and peaceful existence when her brother Justin comes back into her life. Growing up, she always looked out for him but time and trauma have built a wall between them that makes Willa hesitant to get involved. Justin’s life has literally fallen apart, and with no one else to go to, he starts to work his way back into Willa’s life, including finding connections with those close to her. As we learn more about the experiences that shaped their relationship, we learn of Justin’s relationship with his abusive ex-boyfriend and an event that will grow to define (and explain) the relationship and their lives.
It is a tale about connection, the lengths we go for those we are connected with. We may not always be able to articulate or logically explain why we do the things we do, why we still love; Mirabella helps us understand the beauty in this, that it is second nature to love in spite of the reasons not to.
The way which Mirabella unravels that complicated thread that is family is beautiful, dark, and above all, real. He exposes his characters in all their truth. Willa and Justin’s relationship colours all of their interactions and as we read more and more, we realize that a person is not just one thing, that a relationship is not just black or white, there is a sometimes uncomfortable gray area in between that is normal. Brother & Sister Enter the Forest lives in the discomfort, but sees our connections as the light guiding us home.
Sometimes navigating relationships can be difficult and Mirabella isn't afraid to dive right in and show all the parts of human connection. There's a honest exploration of mental health and how we navigate relationships with those who are struggling.
I can see this book not being for everyone as it is quite dark, with themes that may be triggering. For those looking for an action packed thriller, this is more of a slow burn domestic drama for today.
Brother & Sister Enter the Forest by Richard Mirabella is a compelling, sensitive and tender story about the unbreakable and sometimes unexplainable connection we have with those we love.
Willa is living what feels like a normal and peaceful existence when her brother Justin comes back into her life. Growing up, she always looked out for him but time and trauma have built a wall between them that makes Willa hesitant to get involved. Justin’s life has literally fallen apart, and with no one else to go to, he starts to work his way back into Willa’s life, including finding connections with those close to her. As we learn more about the experiences that shaped their relationship, we learn of Justin’s relationship with his abusive ex-boyfriend and an event that will grow to define (and explain) the relationship and their lives.
It is a tale about connection, the lengths we go for those we are connected with. We may not always be able to articulate or logically explain why we do the things we do, why we still love; Mirabella helps us understand the beauty in this, that it is second nature to love in spite of the reasons not to.
The way which Mirabella unravels that complicated thread that is family is beautiful, dark, and above all, real. He exposes his characters in all their truth. Willa and Justin’s relationship colours all of their interactions and as we read more and more, we realize that a person is not just one thing, that a relationship is not just black or white, there is a sometimes uncomfortable gray area in between that is normal. Brother & Sister Enter the Forest lives in the discomfort, but sees our connections as the light guiding us home.
Sometimes navigating relationships can be difficult and Mirabella isn't afraid to dive right in and show all the parts of human connection. There's a honest exploration of mental health and how we navigate relationships with those who are struggling.
I can see this book not being for everyone as it is quite dark, with themes that may be triggering. For those looking for an action packed thriller, this is more of a slow burn domestic drama for today.
July 24, 2023
I want to say all the curse words not because I didn't enjoy it but because it gave me all the fucking feels. This book is a wild ride of emotions from beginning to end. Richard's tale of Willa and Justin, two siblings, is something like I've never read before. You are not meant to feel happiness throughout the book; you are meant to feel sorrow, joy, heartbreak, sympathy, anger, fear, etc. Reading Justin and Willa's story is difficult to read because of everything they go through; things no child should have to endure, especially from people who are supposed to care for and love you. There were times that I was uncomfortable, but that is all part of the necessary journey. This is not a story of happily ever after, and I'm glad it wasn't because it made me feel and think so much. Richard is a great new voice in the queer literary world, and I can't wait to read more of his work in the future. I highly recommend but be prepared to read some uncomfortable topics and storylines; however, I truly hope you do pick this book up because it is a story that needs to be read.
February 14, 2023
When you want to crawl out of your own skin because you can't take the feel of yourself. The dirtiness. The bitterness. The poison.
So you craft new forms to crawl into, a new hide, less despicable, more presentable. They don't ever feel true because your true self always seems to bleed through, dirtying the facade but you try
And then when you can't take the farce anymore you tear out from it, tear it all to shreds and crumble, shaking.
This book is emotionally very hard to read. There is physical assault, psychological abuse, attempted suicide.
This was such a strong, hard to read book. I think it was very well done but don't think it'll be for everyone.
So you craft new forms to crawl into, a new hide, less despicable, more presentable. They don't ever feel true because your true self always seems to bleed through, dirtying the facade but you try
And then when you can't take the farce anymore you tear out from it, tear it all to shreds and crumble, shaking.
This book is emotionally very hard to read. There is physical assault, psychological abuse, attempted suicide.
This was such a strong, hard to read book. I think it was very well done but don't think it'll be for everyone.
December 16, 2023
Strained writing, unimpressive story. I'm over the whole "damaged siblings" plot. And, dude, don't be afraid of adjectives or complex sentences, okay?
April 21, 2023
Actual Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Richard Mirabella delivers an impressive debut with this literary novel about trauma, queer coming-of-age, and the unique, volatile bond between a brother and a sister.
Our story opens with Willa, a put-together if somewhat withdrawn nurse, finding her estranged brother on her doorstep, in need of a place to stay. His turbulent teen-years involving a toxic relationship, a horrific crime and the physical effects of a traumatic brain injury have sent Justin into a spiral of self-destruction, and forced Willa to cut ties with him to protect her own stability.
Now years later, his reentry into her life sets the two off on a path towards tentative reconnection. However, the past still hangs between them and more than time is needed to mend old wounds.
Through beautiful prose and poignant insights, Mirabella does something that few books in its genre are able to do: it captures the quiet, everyday-fallout of trauma. When it comes to traumatic coming-of-age narratives, there’s the temptation to flare into the dramatic. To show the highest of highs, only to almost physically jerk the tears from your audiences eyes during the tragic lows. For a textbook example of that, we need look no further than a book I’ve already seen some reviewers compare this to: A Little Life. Dear readers, this book is not like A Little Life. Where A Little Life is a bombastic orchestra, this is a quiet, acoustic ballad that never feels like it revels in the characters misery. In my opinion, this is much harder to do and therefore much more impressive when done right.
Mirabella expertly captures the shaky grounds on which the relationship between Willa and Justin is funded, and their tentative attempts at reconnection. I also really enjoyed the imagery used, especially the dioramas Willa builds to literally frame her personal memories.
What had me round my 4.5 down instead of up comes down to two issues: the pacing and the audiobook. The pacing took a bit of a dip between the 40 and 70% mark. It wasn’t that I wanted more “action”, but around this point the heaviness of the subject matter, in combination with very little “lightness” in between made the book feel very bleak. So much so, that I couldn’t quite enjoy my time with the book for a while.
My second issue is regarding the audiobook, which I was specifically sent for review. I feel the audio-narration would’ve been improved with a second (male) narrator for Justin’s POV. Although I enjoyed the female narrator overall, she worked very hard to differentiate her voice between the characters. For Justin and Grace specifically, she was quite obviously “performing a man and an elderly woman” respectively, which distracted from the story a bit.
Many thanks to the publisher Dreamscape Media for providing me with an advanced-audio copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Richard Mirabella delivers an impressive debut with this literary novel about trauma, queer coming-of-age, and the unique, volatile bond between a brother and a sister.
Our story opens with Willa, a put-together if somewhat withdrawn nurse, finding her estranged brother on her doorstep, in need of a place to stay. His turbulent teen-years involving a toxic relationship, a horrific crime and the physical effects of a traumatic brain injury have sent Justin into a spiral of self-destruction, and forced Willa to cut ties with him to protect her own stability.
Now years later, his reentry into her life sets the two off on a path towards tentative reconnection. However, the past still hangs between them and more than time is needed to mend old wounds.
Through beautiful prose and poignant insights, Mirabella does something that few books in its genre are able to do: it captures the quiet, everyday-fallout of trauma. When it comes to traumatic coming-of-age narratives, there’s the temptation to flare into the dramatic. To show the highest of highs, only to almost physically jerk the tears from your audiences eyes during the tragic lows. For a textbook example of that, we need look no further than a book I’ve already seen some reviewers compare this to: A Little Life. Dear readers, this book is not like A Little Life. Where A Little Life is a bombastic orchestra, this is a quiet, acoustic ballad that never feels like it revels in the characters misery. In my opinion, this is much harder to do and therefore much more impressive when done right.
Mirabella expertly captures the shaky grounds on which the relationship between Willa and Justin is funded, and their tentative attempts at reconnection. I also really enjoyed the imagery used, especially the dioramas Willa builds to literally frame her personal memories.
What had me round my 4.5 down instead of up comes down to two issues: the pacing and the audiobook. The pacing took a bit of a dip between the 40 and 70% mark. It wasn’t that I wanted more “action”, but around this point the heaviness of the subject matter, in combination with very little “lightness” in between made the book feel very bleak. So much so, that I couldn’t quite enjoy my time with the book for a while.
My second issue is regarding the audiobook, which I was specifically sent for review. I feel the audio-narration would’ve been improved with a second (male) narrator for Justin’s POV. Although I enjoyed the female narrator overall, she worked very hard to differentiate her voice between the characters. For Justin and Grace specifically, she was quite obviously “performing a man and an elderly woman” respectively, which distracted from the story a bit.
Many thanks to the publisher Dreamscape Media for providing me with an advanced-audio copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
February 16, 2025
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐— Brother & Sister Enter the Forest – A Haunting, Quietly Beautiful Read
Richard Mirabella’s novel isn’t just a story—it’s a delicate unraveling of memory, trauma, and the unbreakable bond between siblings. Told in a quiet, restrained style, the book lingers in moments of tenderness and pain, making Justin and Willa’s relationship feel heartbreakingly real.
At its heart, this is a story about love—not the grand, sweeping kind, but the love that persists through silence, through years of distance, through things left unsaid.
“She had never had a brother she could count on, only one she needed to take care of,” Willa reflects, capturing the bittersweet dynamic between them. Yet, despite everything, they remain tethered to each other in ways that neither fully understands.
Mirabella’s writing is deceptively simple but cuts deep. The past and present weave together seamlessly, revealing Justin’s struggles and Willa’s quiet attempts to hold them both together. “She wanted to reach across time and stop whatever had happened to him before it began,” she thinks, a line that encapsulates the helplessness and longing at the core of their story.
This book doesn’t offer easy resolutions, but that’s what makes it feel so profoundly true. It’s a beautifully written, deeply human novel—one that lingers like a half-forgotten dream.
February 22, 2023
This was an incredible book - I was completely blown away and shocked that it was a debut. The form is expertly crafted, characters are so real, and the prose is so precise and impactful. I was glued to this book while I read it, with just enough suspense to keep the momentum going without being indulgent. This is a story that is in conversation with the trauma plot archetype, subverting expectations and focusing on new aspects of these characters' lives. The relationships are pure and messy, the escalation of events heartbreaking and believable.
This was a stunning read and I'll be shoving copies into the hands of anyone who will take them.
Thanks to Catapult for the advanced copy.
This was a stunning read and I'll be shoving copies into the hands of anyone who will take them.
Thanks to Catapult for the advanced copy.
April 5, 2023
Wow! This book was intense. There is so much here to discuss. I think it would be a great book club selection. It's a debut novel, too!! I'm so excited to meet and talk to the author next month at my annual book retreat in Vermont.
July 28, 2023
Mirabella’s debut novel about the bond and trauma between siblings is stunning and horrifying.
While reading the novel I felt like I was reading a ghost story. The sense of horror that slowly unfolds throughout the story was excellently crafted due to the structure of the book. The bond between Willa and Justin is the heart of the story and at every page I wanted them to connect and heal. Combined, it made for an additive read.
•”He had no friends. She’d been his only friend for a long time, and he often resisted it. But not tonight.”
Willa’s struggle the connect and take care of her brother was touching and heartbreaking. And Justin’s struggle to heal and be present in his life was scary. Scary because what he experienced can happen to anyone. Justin felt like such a real person. It made caring and rooting for both of them easy and deep.
•”Being near her frightened him. He wanted her to be kind, to go easy on him, but her coldness invaded him. She wanted him to be hurt.”
The book leaves the perfect amount of questions unanswered and threads hanging. A completely satisfying story with a bit of ambiguity to make the story stay with you after you finish reading.
I highly recommend this to anyone who loves books about family trauma, literary fiction and light horror. Definitely one of the best books I’ve read all year!
While reading the novel I felt like I was reading a ghost story. The sense of horror that slowly unfolds throughout the story was excellently crafted due to the structure of the book. The bond between Willa and Justin is the heart of the story and at every page I wanted them to connect and heal. Combined, it made for an additive read.
•”He had no friends. She’d been his only friend for a long time, and he often resisted it. But not tonight.”
Willa’s struggle the connect and take care of her brother was touching and heartbreaking. And Justin’s struggle to heal and be present in his life was scary. Scary because what he experienced can happen to anyone. Justin felt like such a real person. It made caring and rooting for both of them easy and deep.
•”Being near her frightened him. He wanted her to be kind, to go easy on him, but her coldness invaded him. She wanted him to be hurt.”
The book leaves the perfect amount of questions unanswered and threads hanging. A completely satisfying story with a bit of ambiguity to make the story stay with you after you finish reading.
I highly recommend this to anyone who loves books about family trauma, literary fiction and light horror. Definitely one of the best books I’ve read all year!
July 8, 2023
mirabella really knows how to make characters jump off the page because my GOD!
May 22, 2023
After several years apart Justin shows up at his sister Willa’s door needing a place to stay. Willa works as a nurse and spends her free time creating elaborate dioramas recreating her memories. Through flashbacks we learn about Justin’s past relationship with an abusive man and the trauma that changed their family forever.
I absolutely loved this novel. The book focuses around the characters of Willa and Justin. Both are such strong characters and so well written I felt like I knew them, and I felt their pain. The author weaves the stories of the siblings and their past so well that it engrossed the reader without ever leaving them confused. I really admired how much specificity was brought to the characters and the situations. The conflict and plot are subtle, nuanced but I found the story so emotional I couldn’t put it down.
I really connected with Justin and thought his scenes were beautiful, so specific. Justin searches the world for connection, his sister, his mother, strangers. There is a lovely sequence between Justin and his sisters ailing landlord. His connection with Shivam is absolutely wonderful in the middle section.
If you’re looking for plot-driven novel, this isn’t it. But if you want a character novel that explores tone and theme, check this one out. There are gaps in the story, but those spaces in time tell so much about these characters just searching to make a connection in this world and healing from trauma.
This is my favorite book of 2023 so far and I hope so many others pick this one up.▪️
I absolutely loved this novel. The book focuses around the characters of Willa and Justin. Both are such strong characters and so well written I felt like I knew them, and I felt their pain. The author weaves the stories of the siblings and their past so well that it engrossed the reader without ever leaving them confused. I really admired how much specificity was brought to the characters and the situations. The conflict and plot are subtle, nuanced but I found the story so emotional I couldn’t put it down.
I really connected with Justin and thought his scenes were beautiful, so specific. Justin searches the world for connection, his sister, his mother, strangers. There is a lovely sequence between Justin and his sisters ailing landlord. His connection with Shivam is absolutely wonderful in the middle section.
If you’re looking for plot-driven novel, this isn’t it. But if you want a character novel that explores tone and theme, check this one out. There are gaps in the story, but those spaces in time tell so much about these characters just searching to make a connection in this world and healing from trauma.
This is my favorite book of 2023 so far and I hope so many others pick this one up.▪️
May 12, 2023
2.5. Okay. Hard to follow. Definitely lots of trauma and it’s a decent depiction of the effects of that and how it is experienced differently for each family member. The book felt a little disorganized kind of like Justin’s mental illness…bipolar? schizoaffective? Trauma response?
April 21, 2023
4.7/ So much to say about this one -- the prose is stunning, Richard Mirabella has a lovely and haunting way with words. A bit of Shirley Jackson meets Joy Williams with a twist of Miranda July.
The story moves swiftly, it's quite easy to read and pulled me through page by page. The characters are deep and well drawn (Justin is heartbreaking), and the relationships in the book are well observed and even tender at times.
The book explores brutality in many ways and in many lenses. The language strikes this chord on its own at times-- evocative and cutting -- but the story takes us to some dark and disturbing places, too. There's a look into the violence of gayness that felt original and honest, and it felt refreshing to have an unglamorous (to put it mildly) gay protagonist at the heart of this story.
I also thought the sections of the story that took place in Willa and Justin's teenage years were fresh and real, it took me back to the late 90s and early 00s, especially those languid summer memories cooped up in a house with your siblings. I loved the way it resisted so much of what we expect from a coming of age story. The sense of place of Upstate NY and the Upper Hudson Valley was especially well done also.
I look forward to reading what Mirabella writes next.
The story moves swiftly, it's quite easy to read and pulled me through page by page. The characters are deep and well drawn (Justin is heartbreaking), and the relationships in the book are well observed and even tender at times.
The book explores brutality in many ways and in many lenses. The language strikes this chord on its own at times-- evocative and cutting -- but the story takes us to some dark and disturbing places, too. There's a look into the violence of gayness that felt original and honest, and it felt refreshing to have an unglamorous (to put it mildly) gay protagonist at the heart of this story.
I also thought the sections of the story that took place in Willa and Justin's teenage years were fresh and real, it took me back to the late 90s and early 00s, especially those languid summer memories cooped up in a house with your siblings. I loved the way it resisted so much of what we expect from a coming of age story. The sense of place of Upstate NY and the Upper Hudson Valley was especially well done also.
I look forward to reading what Mirabella writes next.
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