3.75 Stars Rounded to 4
Cover: 4 Stars

WWTQ: Do you want to talk about your daddy issues?
Answer: Nope. Instead we're going to ignore them, pretend we're OK, and then predictably, combust.

These two need to be in therapy.

The Brothers Hawthorne is the 4th installment in the Inheritance Games series, and takes place after the initial trilogy ends. It deals with the aftermath of what happened to the two middle Hawthorne boys, Grayson and Jameson. The story switches back and forth between these two separate stories: Grayson dealing with his half-sisters' "problems," in Arizona, and Jamie in a rather complex scavenger hunt around the UK.

The puzzels on the Jamie and Avery side are fun. They essentially enter an underground, rich people gaming world that is a bit fantastical. There is a whole thing where the gentlemen's club is set up to cater to the seven deadly sins, but there are only 4 rooms: Lust, Sloth, Greed, and then a room for all the others: Wrath, Pride, Envy, and Gluttony. There are underground gondolas, hidden cameras, and child labor. It didn't make a ton of sense. It was all very Davinci Code, but with teenagers and tuxedos.

The Grayson story is underwhelming. You can tell the author really likes Grayson and wants to give him something to do but I found him exhausting at times. There is only so much depressing inner monologue one can take without it being indulgent. Hawthornes are not allowed to fail, and Gray fails at everything. He thinks this a lot. We're also introduced to his half-sisters, and frankly they're awful.

The stakes in this book are just a lot lower: No one is dead or dying, there isn't billions of dollars on the line. Both boys could have just went home, without consequence, and the book could have ended. The reason to go along on this adventure is because you already love the characters and want to explore their issues. Grayson is damaged and has a savior complex. Jamie is damaged and self destructive, but he has Avery. That's really the whole book.

Did I enjoy it? I did, because I like the Hawthorne brothers and their family bond.

The Brothers Hawthorne - Likewise Book Reviews

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