Brother & Sister Enter the Forest by Richard Mirabella
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.
Review:
This is a beautiful but gut-wrenching novel that explores the complex dynamics of family, trauma, and resilience. With his eloquent writing and masterful storytelling, Mirabella takes readers on an emotional rollercoaster that leaves a lasting impact.
The novel opens with Willa visiting her brother Justin. We get the sense that their relationship is strained, but not much information as to why. After the first chapter, we get the idea that there’s something wrong with Justin – my initial thoughts were maybe substance abuse issues – and that Willa struggles with feeling like she has to take care of him but also feels as though she needs to make him figure out his own shit. But then as the book progresses, we learn why Justin is the way he is. Bit by bit, more pieces of the puzzle fall into place as the story flips between past and present and between various points of view until Justin’s story falls completely into place. It’s rough, and it’ll gut you, but it’s also so beautifully heartbreaking that I couldn’t stop thinking about it long after I finished reading.
Justin’s character is so broken but so lovable, and readers cannot help but become invested in his journey. Mirabella portrays his struggles with an authenticity that tugs at the heartstrings. From the moment he steps onto his sister’s doorstep seeking refuge, the reader is immediately drawn to his vulnerability and longing for redemption. I went from being skeptical of him to literally wanting to crawl into the book and help take care of him. In a way, he reminded me of William in Ann Napolitano’s “Hello Beautiful”. All both of these boys needed was a sense of belonging.
So many people failed Justin when he was younger. I seriously wanted to shake his mother. She neglected him emotionally and never understood his needs, and I couldn’t help but blame her for the trajectory of his life.
Willa – Justin’s younger sister – serves as the anchor in his chaotic world. As a nurse with a carefully ordered life, she initially hesitates to let him in, afraid of the consequences. The author expertly captures the complexities of sibling relationships, showcasing the simultaneous love and closeness between Willa and Justin and the frustration from their past that keeps them wary of one another. Their relationship hits a breaking point when Justin’s addiction and traumatic brain injury become impossible to manage. The tension between them is palpable, and readers will find themselves hoping desperately for a resolution.
The supporting characters are equally well-developed and add depth to the story. Some of the characters that had the biggest impact were Willa’s landlord, Renee, with whom Justin develops a sweet relationship; Nick, Justin’s older boyfriend; and Grace, Justin and Willa’s mother. Each character brings their own unique perspective and dynamic to the narrative, with the latter two bringing plenty of pain to both Willa and Justin’s lives.
Mirabella skillfully weaves together the past and present timelines. Even though there was a lot of jumping around, I never felt lost. To me, it was almost like living in Justin’s chaotic mind. The most tragic of all is when we revisit Justin’s high school years. This is where he seeks solace in the arms of his first lover, Nick, an older boy who offers him a sense of intimacy and belonging. All Justin wanted was for someone to see him and accept him. He is relentlessly bullied at school, and his mother doesn’t understand him. He feels isolated, worthless, and alone, so naturally, he is going to seek refuge with someone he sees as safe – someone who gives him what he feels is love. This fragile sense of security is shattered when Nick – his boyfriend – commits a horrifying act of violence. He ends up skipping town, taking Justin with him, forever altering the course of Justin’s life and that of his family. This is where we get a look at what caused a lot of Justin’s trauma, and while it is raw and unflinching, it’s handled with care.
This is an exceptional novel that left me feeling all sorts of things. It’s dark and heavy, but it’s so well written. In a time when people are trying to shove LGBTQ folks back into the closet, this is a perfect reminder as to how dangerous that can be – especially to gay youth who just need to be loved for who they are. This book is brutally honest and, at times, tough to read, but at the same time, a reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and the power of love to heal and rebuild. It is a story that will stay with readers long after they turn the final page. This is one of my favorite books of the year.
