We the Animals

By: Justin Torres

Narrated by: Frankie J. Alvarez

An exquisite, blistering debut novel.

Three brothers tear their way through childhood—smashing tomatoes all over each other, building kites from trash, hiding out when their parents do battle, tiptoeing around the house as their mother sleeps off her graveyard shift. Paps and Ma are from Brooklyn—he’s Puerto Rican, she’s white—and their love is a serious, dangerous thing that makes and unmakes a family many times.

Life in this family is fierce and absorbing, full of chaos and heartbreak and the euphoria of belonging completely to one another. From the intense familial unity felt by a child to the profound alienation he endures as he begins to see the world, this beautiful novel reinvents the coming-of-age story in a way that is sly and punch-in-the-stomach powerful.

Written in magical language with unforgettable images, this is a stunning exploration of the viscerally charged landscape of growing up, how deeply we are formed by our earliest bonds, and how we are ultimately propelled at escape velocity toward our futures.

©2011 Justin Torres (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

" We the Animals is a dark jewel of a book. It’s heartbreaking. It’s beautiful. It resembles no other book I’ve read. We should all be grateful for Justin Torres, a brilliant, ferocious new voice." (Michael Cunningham, Pulitzer Prize–winning author)

A change in focus

This novel, which reads more like a memoir, begins with a wonderful tale of three rambunctious boys, fighting and causing trouble and trying to figure out their weird mother and financially strapped and sometimes absent father. Then, two thirds of the way through, the focus shifts to the narrator's self-discovery as he grows up. His differences separate him from his older brothers, which is downplayed but sad.

The novel is beautifully written, with a gritty realistic feel throughout, even in some of the less credible scenes. The characters are lively and likeable, often when they are being mean or irresponsible. As the narrator grows up, his writing becomes more poetic.

Frankie J. Alvarez does a good job with the narration.

Very good

this was a very good book. From the start the story is very relatable to me.

I love Justin Torres’ writing

I came to this book right after reading Blackouts. I simply enjoyed the narration. The words, lyrical descriptions of the story. Like a life being sung back to us in passing.

Very much enjoyed until....

I thought this story was great (full of life about 3 young brothers growing up in a mixed race family with somewhat nutty but lovable parents) until, towards the end, it turns into a gay thing. Sorry, but does EVERYTHING need to turn into a gay thing?? I think not. 😕
Left me feeling very let down and disappointed.

nothing special

this book was okay but nothing special. The author depicted a family in turmoil brothers that were closed but with parents that abused them. but then it all unraveled at the end and I didn't quite get the point of telling the story at all

Amazing narrator, interesting story

Somewhat dark story of brothers made great by the last two chapters and a phenomenal narrator.

Deeply emotional, raw and introspective

Trigger warning: This book does contain depictions of domestic violence (physical, verbal, and sexual) towards women and children.

The narration of the book was done well and really helped the characters come alive. I very much enjoyed listening to it.

The story itself explores the complexity of growing up with a confusing mix of all the good and bad moments of living in an abusive household. A deeply introspective look at how the little moments build upon more traumatic events till they reach that critical moment where everything comes crashing down.

Narrator is Phenomenal

Alvarez is REALLY talented. If you have to “read” this for school, don’t, listen to this guy read it instead. Wonderful job!! Thank you!! :D

sad story

This is an emotionally riveting book. I enjoyed the story until the last chapter. I struggled to understand the ending.

We are all Animals!

Rambunctious, noisy, boisterous, hungry, or simply just being adolescent, that makes you one of the animals. Be different, you will be a cast away, adrift, alone, left by your families, no longer be part of the pack. Dark lyrical prose to fine storytelling, we are all animals.