Reviews
" The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers is a rollicking and smart novel-mythic, mysterious and utterly compelling. Thomas Mullen shows us ourselves in his speculative historical fiction, and for readers who love great stories told beautifully, his books can't come fast enough."-Jess Walter, author of The Financial Lives of the Poets " The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers is an ambitious and big-hearted book, as lively and full of surprises as the Brothers themselves. The Depression-era world that Mullen conjures in its pages is satisfyingly real-and startlingly reminiscent of the America we inhabit today."-Jon Clinch, author of Finn "Thomas Mullen's obvious intelligence and soaring imagination have come together to create this remarkable mythic tale. The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers is a story that reminds us that adventure, heroism, magic, and love can survive-and, in fact, thrive-in times of economic collapse and harrowing social uncertainty." -Dean Bakopoulos, author of Please Don't Come Back from the Moon "If there's any justice in the world, Thomas Mullen's searing, thrilling novel will have as many lives as the Firefly Brothers. It's a thoughtful exploration of celebrity worship and the border country between lore and despair; it's also a crackling good yarn that never loses its getaway-car momentum. This is gangster fiction for grownups-from a writer who brings history vividly and bruisingly to life." -Louis Bayard, author of The Black Tower "Fast-talking gents with gats, swell dames falling for the wrong fellas, car chases and hideouts in a depression-era America desperate for a new Robin Hood, this novel has the goods. In The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers , Thomas Mullen puts a magical twist on a classic tale to give us just the right book for hard times. Read this book, see."-Keith Donohue, author of The Stolen Child "A rip-roaring yarn that manages to be both phantasmagorical and historically accurate. In its labyrinthine, luminous narrative, reminiscent of Michael Chabon's best fiction, readers will find powerful parallels to the present-day…a stunning work of fiction that is intense, deeply satisfying and always uniquely American."- Los Angeles Times / The Chicago Tribune "Mullen follows up his acclaimed debut novel, The Last Town on Earth, with amysterious and compelling romp through the 1930s when the FBI was out to make a name for itself and the world was full of poverty and discontent."- Associated Press "A full-throttle page-turner…smartly written…a kind of graphic-novel historical fiction, where sharply drawn two-dimensional characters are superimposed on an almost photo-realistic background…Like Michael Chabon, whose Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay is brought to mind by The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers ' high-wire balance of historical fiction and pulp fantasy, Mullen is equally adept at illuminating and exploiting his readers' familiarity with pop culture tropes…Mullen knows his stuff."- The Toronto Star "A magical and imaginative portrait of Great Depression-era America…Mullen gracefully interweaves themes of justice, mortality, and fame."- Atlanta Magazine "If The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers were a woman, I'd ask her to marry me. Every so often I stumble across a read so mesmerizing, it makes me forget about my other literary loves. Thomas Mullen's latest is just such a read…provocative… immersive…memorable…Firefly leapfrogs its contemporaries. Hands down, this is one heart-pounding work of fiction you shouldn't overlook."- The Free Lance-Star , Fredericksburg, VA "Compelling…Mullen makes the despair of the Great Depression palpable, as his antiheroes become folk icons to the downtrodden people of the Midwest resentful of a government that can''t help them."- Publishers Weekly, starred, " The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers is a rollicking and smart novel-mythic, mysterious and utterly compelling. Thomas Mullen shows us ourselves in his speculative historical fiction, and for readers who love great stories told beautifully, his books can't come fast enough."-Jess Walter, author of The Financial Lives of the Poets " The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers is an ambitious and big-hearted book, as lively and full of surprises as the Brothers themselves. The Depression-era world that Mullen conjures in its pages is satisfyingly real-and startlingly reminiscent of the America we inhabit today."-Jon Clinch, author of Finn "Thomas Mullen's obvious intelligence and soaring imagination have come together to create this remarkable mythic tale. The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers is a story that reminds us that adventure, heroism, magic, and love can survive-and, in fact, thrive-in times of economic collapse and harrowing social uncertainty." -Dean Bakopoulos, author of Please Don't Come Back from the Moon "If there's any justice in the world, Thomas Mullen's searing, thrilling novel will have as many lives as the Firefly Brothers. It's a thoughtful exploration of celebrity worship and the border country between lore and despair; it's also a crackling good yarn that never loses its getaway-car momentum. This is gangster fiction for grownups-from a writer who brings history vividly and bruisingly to life." -Louis Bayard, author of The Black Tower "Fast-talking gents with gats, swell dames falling for the wrong fellas, car chases and hideouts in a depression-era America desperate for a new Robin Hood, this novel has the goods. In The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers , Thomas Mullen puts a magical twist on a classic tale to give us just the right book for hard times. Read this book, see."-Keith Donohue, author of The Stolen Child "A rip-roaring yarn that manages to be both phantasmagorical and historically accurate. In its labyrinthine, luminous narrative, reminiscent of Michael Chabon's best fiction, readers will find powerful parallels to the present-day&a stunning work of fiction that is intense, deeply satisfying and always uniquely American."- Los Angeles Times / The Chicago Tribune "Mullen follows up his acclaimed debut novel, The Last Town on Earth, with amysterious and compelling romp through the 1930s when the FBI was out to make a name for itself and the world was full of poverty and discontent."- Associated Press "A full-throttle page-turner&smartly written&a kind of graphic-novel historical fiction, where sharply drawn two-dimensional characters are superimposed on an almost photo-realistic background&Like Michael Chabon, whose Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay is brought to mind by The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers ' high-wire balance of historical fiction and pulp fantasy, Mullen is equally adept at illuminating and exploiting his readers' familiarity with pop culture tropes&Mullen knows his stuff."- The Toronto Star "A magical and imaginative portrait of Great Depression-era America&Mullen gracefully interweaves themes of justice, mortality, and fame."- Atlanta Magazine "If The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers were a woman, I'd ask her to marry me. Every so often I stumble across a read so mesmerizing, it makes me forget about my other literary loves. Thomas Mullen's latest is just such a read&provocative& immersive&memorable&Firefly leapfrogs its contemporaries. Hands down, this is one heart-pounding work of fiction you shouldn't overlook."- The Free Lance-Star , Fredericksburg, VA "Compelling&Mullen makes the despair of the Great Depression palpable, as his antiheroes become folk icons to the downtrodden people of the Midwest resentful of a government that can''t help them."- Publishers Weekly, starred From the Hardcover edition., "The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothersis a rollicking and smart novel-mythic, mysterious and utterly compelling. Thomas Mullen shows us ourselves in his speculative historical fiction, and for readers who love great stories told beautifully, his books can't come fast enough."-Jess Walter, author ofThe Financial Lives of the Poets "The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothersis an ambitious and big-hearted book, as lively and full of surprises as the Brothers themselves. The Depression-era world that Mullen conjures in its pages is satisfyingly real-and startlingly reminiscent of the America we inhabit today."-Jon Clinch, author ofFinn "Thomas Mullen's obvious intelligence and soaring imagination have come together to create this remarkable mythic tale.The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothersis a story that reminds us that adventure, heroism, magic, and love can survive-and, in fact, thrive-in times of economic collapse and harrowing social uncertainty." -Dean Bakopoulos, author ofPlease Don't Come Back from the Moon "If there's any justice in the world, Thomas Mullen's searing, thrilling novel will have as many lives as the Firefly Brothers. It's a thoughtful exploration of celebrity worship and the border country between lore and despair; it's also a crackling good yarn that never loses its getaway-car momentum. This is gangster fiction for grownups-from a writer who brings history vividly and bruisingly to life." -Louis Bayard, author ofThe Black Tower "Fast-talking gents with gats, swell dames falling for the wrong fellas, car chases and hideouts in a depression-era America desperate for a new Robin Hood, this novel has the goods. InThe Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers, Thomas Mullen puts a magical twist on a classic tale to give us just the right book for hard times. Read this book, see."-Keith Donahue, author ofThe Stolen Child
