The Sisters Brothers

The Sisters Brothers is a 2011 novel by Canadian writer Patrick DeWitt. Set in 1851, it traces the journey of Charlie and Eli Sisters, two hired killers traveling from Oregon to San Francisco to find a man called Warm, who allegedly stole something from their boss, the Commodore. The darkly comic Western is in the picaresque genre, as the brothers’ episodic misadventures explore different communities populating the American West.

The Sisters Brothers is divided into 64 short chapters. For ease of reference, this guide has attached a number to each of these based on its order in the text. This guide uses the Granta Books edition of the text released in 2011.

Plot Summary

In Oregon City, Eli Sisters, a 19th-century bounty hunter, and his older brother Charlie get a job from their boss, the Commodore: They are to go to San Francisco to track down a man named Warm, who has stolen something from their boss.

On their route, they have a series of unexpected and strange adventures. On the way to California, a poisonous spider bites Eli when they set up camp. Eli gets an antivenom shot which causes his head to swell, which leads to an encounter with a dentist from whom Charlie steals anesthetic.