Brother & Sister Enter the Forest

November 7, 2022
Mirabella debuts with the moving story of two estranged siblings whose attempt at reconnection forces them to reckon with and mend their individual wounds. Willa, a 30-something nurse, is dating a quintessential Good Guy—a farm boy turned veterinary student—but keeps him at arm’s length. In her youth, her troubled older brother, Justin, was the kind of miserable attention-getter who “the trees bowed around.” Fifteen years ago, Justin went on the lam with his lover, Nick, after Nick assaulted a homophobic bully. Perhaps unsurprisingly, their fugitive run turned violent. As well, Justin has struggled with alcoholism, and one day he arrives on Willa’s doorstep, hoping to be healed by the one person who’s looked out for him. Willa, though, is hesitant, having been the peacekeeper between Justin and their mother as a child. The relationship between Willa and Justin is by turns contentious and tender, though the shifts in their interactions sometimes feel engineered to raise the dramatic stakes. Mirabella’s plain prose, meanwhile, belies the melancholic bitterness of the characters’ strained exchanges. It’s a gripping if sometimes maudlin meditation on the difficulties of youth and the salvation that can be found in family.

June 10, 2024

Justin and Willa have not spoken in years, but after Justin's life falls apart, he attempts to reconnect with his sister. Willa has constructed an ordered life for herself, working as a nurse and creating intricate dioramas as a hobby. Her relationship with Justin has always been fraught, so she feels exposed when he attempts to connect with those closest to her. When his brain injury causes Justin to spiral out of control and make terrible decisions, he and Willa take off on a road trip that will change their lives. Mirabella's debut is a modern take on "Hansel and Gretel," which delves into the complexities of sibling relationships. The story is relayed through two timelines, allowing listeners to see a fuller picture of the siblings' past and current relationship, including a glimpse into their complicated interactions with their mother. Eve Passeltiner narrates the twins as they struggle to understand each other and reconnect after many years and experiences apart. VERDICT Mirabella's ambitious novel tackles relationships, sexual orientation, and physical and mental healing. A layered tale that should appeal to fans of Emily Ruskovich's Idaho or Hanya Yanagihara's A Little Life.--Elyssa Everling

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