This book contains a content warning for loss of a child.

Welcome back to Reading Between Deadlines, the podcast where we read with the kind of unhinged energy usually reserved for deadline week meltdowns. In this episode, Rachael Johns and Anthea Hodgson attempt to unpack the cult favourite Brother of the More Famous Jack by Barbara Trapido—a book that’s been praised by literary giants and passionately pushed into readers’ hands since 1982.

And yet… we didn’t love it. In fact, we might get cancelled.

In this episode, we cover:

Is this a feminist classic… or just a snobby book with a confusing cast of J-names?

That baby loss twist: gut-wrenching shock or tonal whiplash?

The Goldman family—lovably eccentric or absolutely exhausting?

Roger, Jonathan, John, Jake, Jane—why does everyone in this book have the same name?

Catherine: hot mess, sad snob, or just aggressively beige?

Plus: how many wines does it take to realise you’ve skipped 40 pages?

And, of course, we rate it: Kiss, Kill, or Marry?

Timestamps

00:30 – This week’s pick: Brother of the More Famous Jack by Barbara Trapido

03:00 – Rachael loses her place and 40 pages in New Zealand (relatable content)

08:00 – The literary world LOVES this book. Do we…?

11:00 – The rules: no influencing, just instincts (and the kiss, marry, kill rating)

14:00 – Catherine Brown: the protagonist we didn’t need and still don’t understand

19:30 – Is this book feminist? (Spoiler: probably not)

23:00 – Snobbery, elitism, and emotional detachment—are we just not clever enough to get it?

28:10 – Confusing names, weird family dynamics, and public cervix announcements

33:00 – Have we evolved since 1982? (Yes. But also… maybe not.)

35:00 – Reading regret and the weight of literary expectations

Listen now, subscribe, and tell us—do you believe in the hype, or are you secretly glad someone else finally said “meh”?

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit readingbetweendeadlines.substack.com