Kylie Brennan Character Analysis in The Story of Tom Brennan

Kylie is Tom's younger sister; she's about fifteen. For much of the novel, Kylie is closed off and volatilely angry with Tom and her parents, though she does seek friendship and community at school when she makes friends with Brianna. She's far more trusting of others than Tom is, as she tells Brianna about what happened to the Brennans in Mumbilli. To cope with her grief and her fear, Kylie starts wearing dark makeup and uses an obscene amount of product in her hair, which Tom insists makes it smell bad and doesn't look good at all. After the Brennans have been in Coghill for a few months, Kylie gives a speech on terrorism in one of her classes. In it, she talks about the abuse that her family suffered after Daniel’s sentencing hearing and effectively makes the family secret common knowledge. She later tells Tom that she did it thinking it would help her feel better but didn't think about how her actions would affect Tom. Tom finds Kylie's behavior as a whole perplexing until she admits to him that she has a secret: she actually fanned the flames of conflict between Fin and Daniel in the week before the accident. She was fed up with Daniel's behavior and thus turned her attention to helping Fin see Claire in secret. Because of this, she blames herself for the accident. To help make up for her role in the accident, Kylie throws herself into helping Fin when he moves home from rehab.

Kylie Brennan Quotes in The Story of Tom Brennan

The The Story of Tom Brennan quotes below are all either spoken by Kylie Brennan or refer to Kylie Brennan. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

The thought of Dad hurting and the possibility that he could drop his bundle at any moment was too much for me to swallow.

Related Characters: Tom Brennan (speaker), Dad, Mum, Kylie Brennan, Daniel Brennan

Page Number and Citation: 103

Explanation and Analysis:

"But remember your fellow man, Daniel, because life is more than just a one-man show. Everything we do in this life affects others. Did you think of that the night you got behind the wheel, your trusting passengers the loved ones of others? We think probably not."

Related Characters: Gran (speaker), Mum, Dad, Nicole, Kylie Brennan, Daniel Brennan, Tom Brennan

Page Number and Citation: 123

Explanation and Analysis:

My breath panted at the back of my throat. He knew? Jimmy knew?

"We're your mates, Tom, " Rory started. "We're part of a..."

Related Characters: Rory (speaker), Tom Brennan (speaker), Kylie Brennan, Jimmy

Page Number and Citation: 173

Explanation and Analysis:

"We were fighting all the time. The new young players were shit-scared. If you had a bad game you were dead meat. It wasn't about us, it was all about the Wattle Shield. We stopped looking out for each other."

Related Characters: Tom Brennan (speaker), Daniel Brennan, Fin, Kylie Brennan

Page Number and Citation: 229

Explanation and Analysis:

"They couldn't control Dan. They were scared of him. Well, scared of the consequences if they tried to pull him into line [...] Maybe Daniel was always going to do something like this. Maybe he had to fall this far."

Related Characters: Tom Brennan (speaker), Daniel Brennan, Mum, Claire, Fin, Dad, Kylie Brennan

Page Number and Citation: 230

Explanation and Analysis:

Kylie Brennan Character Timeline in The Story of Tom Brennan

The timeline below shows where the character Kylie Brennan appears in The Story of Tom Brennan. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

It's 4:30 a.m. on the 23rd of January. Quietly, Tom and his family—Dad, Mum, and Kylie—load the last of their bags and suitcases into their car. Tom waits for Dad's signal... (full context)

...she's staring at him. He begins, but Gran stops him to ask where Mum is. Kylie looks as though Gran is crazy, as Mum hasn't eaten at the table since Daniel... (full context)

...used to go down at his parents' place. They'd have a barbeque and Tom, Daniel, Kylie, and their cousin Fin would start a game of cricket while Dad grilled. In the... (full context)

...Tom in conversation. Gran makes sure to note that Tom is repeating Year Eleven, while Kylie managed to keep up with her schoolwork. Gran also insists that Tom will absolutely join... (full context)

...he regrets it almost immediately when Dad and Gran decide to watch and decide that Kylie has to go too. Gran turns to Mum and asks if she's coming, insisting that... (full context)

...then rants about Daniel. Finally, she gets up and begins snatching plates off the table. Kylie and Dad rush to pick up the dropped silverware. When Father Vincent gets up and... (full context)

...of Saint Cecelia that Gran hung for him. Gran's house is covered in paintings of saints—Kylie's room has Saint Rose, while Mum and Dad have Saint Jane. (full context)

Kylie pokes her head into Tom's room to tell him it's time to get ready. She... (full context)

In the truck on the way to the game, Kylie sits between Gran and Tom in the back. Tom can tell she's extremely angry. Dad... (full context)

...Tom watches Gran boss a young man around as he sets up her chair while Kylie pretends not to see. (full context)

The next morning is tense; it's Kylie and Tom's first day of school in Coghill. Tom kicks a ball around outside while... (full context)

Dad pulls up at the side entrance of St. Benedict's and tries to give Kylie and Tom a pep talk, but his suggestion that this is a challenge from God... (full context)

Because Gran's house is so far out of town, Tom and Kylie are the last off the bus and then have to walk ten minutes. Tom tries... (full context)

...creepy. Dad is in the kitchen and cheerily invites Tom to come with him and Kylie to the pool. Dad says that Mum is "having a lie down," which Tom knows... (full context)

...his time at Matt's house. Then, Dad came home one night and told Tom and Kylie that they needed to pack and not tell anyone they're leaving. (full context)

...looking for cereal, he winks and says it's all gone. Tom mutters and asks where Kylie is. Dad says she's out with a new friend, Brianna Henderson. Gran whispers that Brianna's... (full context)

...says that once, Daniel left the car and was gone a long time. He and Kylie ran inside to tell Pa, and Pa punished Daniel. Later, Daniel punished Tom for telling:... (full context)

Tom goes to Kylie's room, where he finds her blasting music and sitting in front of her mirror. She... (full context)

...though Tom hasn't replied. Rory and Tom discuss tryouts one afternoon, and Rory notes that Kylie and Brianna are friends now. He tells Tom to warn Kylie about her, as Brianna... (full context)

...first day of Tom's new life. Brendan arrived and took Mum to the police station. Kylie and Tom sat at home, and Tom could still smell Fin's blood. Matt came over... (full context)

...the courthouse on September 13 to enter a plea. Dad had struggled to explain to Kylie that "entering a plea" meant that Daniel would have to say if he's guilty or... (full context)

Early on Monday morning, Brendan left to be with Aunty Kath and Fin. Tom and Kylie didn't go to school, and Daniel's solicitor, Dennis Talbot, came to visit for the first... (full context)

...was usually more lenient, while the other, Judge Williams, was known to be difficult. Suddenly, Kylie burst into the kitchen. She panted that everyone in town had been saying bad things,... (full context)

On the day of rugby tryouts, Brendan drives Tom and Kylie to school. He teases Kylie as she puts black eyeliner on and then turns to... (full context)

...hall to investigate and returns, saying that Dad will eat later with Mum and that Kylie is out with Brianna. She serves up soggy meatloaf and Tom stirs it around, thinking... (full context)

After the accident, it was several weeks before Tom and Kylie went back to school. Matt and Snorter stuck close to Tom and Tom couldn't shake... (full context)

...came around once or twice to see Daniel, and Claire visited as well. Mum and Kylie couldn't stand her visiting, but her visits made Dad and Tom feel as though something... (full context)

...walks into the kitchen, Dad is sitting at the table with a grim look and Kylie looks ready to kill. She spits that she likely just flunked her science assignment and... (full context)

...was coming during Fin's move to rehab, so he feels caught off guard. Kath sends Kylie to shower and then tells Tom that Fin is fine; he's looking forward to getting... (full context)

A bit later, Kylie returns from her shower and Aunty Kath promises to make another strudel before Kylie's science... (full context)

...a ball on the bed. Brendan sits with her, Aunty Kath paces, and Gran and Kylie stand against the wall. Kath and Gran explain that Daniel called, hoping to speak to... (full context)

Tom takes a long time in the shower and Kylie teases him about masturbating. After finding clean clothes, Tom begins to go through the old... (full context)

...to say something if he doesn't like a meal. When Tom asks, Gran explains that Kylie stayed over at Brianna's to prepare for a presentation she's giving on Friday. (full context)

...boys gawk at her when she talks to Tom. After she passes them, they notice Kylie and Brianna. Rory insists that Brianna looks like she's up to something. (full context)

...John's, but he knows something is wrong when one of the girls asks if he's Kylie's brother. (full context)

...school and nervously accepts their invitation to go to Burger King. They haltingly explain that Kylie gave a speech on terrorism but instead of talking about 9/11, she talked about what... (full context)

Tom gets home after dark. He finds Dad, Gran, Mum, and Kylie at the table, Kylie in tears. Tom calls Kylie a stupid cow and walks back... (full context)

...scared of going backwards and having to relive what happened in Mumbilli. Brendan concedes that Kylie shouldn't have given the speech, but he insists that sooner or later, people would've found... (full context)

On Monday, none of the other kids at school seem to even notice Tom and Kylie, let alone whisper about them. Rory checks and makes sure that Tom is okay, and,... (full context)

Tom and Kylie don't speak to each other. Tom feels as though he can't let Kylie know he's... (full context)

Tom discovers Kylie on his bed when he gets home. She apologizes for her speech and admits that... (full context)

Tom relents and points out that people would've found out eventually, and he and Kylie discuss that there's been no backlash. Kylie asks if Tom will forgive her, and Tom... (full context)

...is making it really hard to not hate him. A few minutes later, Tom finds Kylie and Fin to tell Kylie they're leaving. Kylie's eyes are watery, and Fin explains that... (full context)

...breakfast when Tom gets back to the house and sends Tom immediately to the shower. Kylie is in the bathroom, whining about hating her hair. Tom insists it'd be fine if... (full context)

Later, Tom reflects that he's totally in love with Chrissy. He hears Kylie still awake and knocks on her door. He pushes it open and finds Kylie sitting... (full context)

Tom sits next to Kylie, puts his arms around her, and tells her that her hair isn't that bad. She... (full context)

Kylie asks Tom if he remembers the fight that Fin and Daniel had the week before... (full context)

Kylie continues that when Fin told her about the fight with Daniel, she reminded him of... (full context)

...control Daniel. Tom wonders if Daniel just needed to fall this far. Tom suggests that Kylie go see him, and she asks why Tom seems to understand more and feel better... (full context)

...Finally, Tom says that his family members are either visiting Fin or Daniel. They discuss Kylie's haircut and then play a video game. In a break, Rory brings up the match... (full context)

Mum, Kylie, and Tom make dinner a few days later. It's the first time Mum has cooked... (full context)

...for Gran's birthday in September. Tom asks Brendan for help and says that they'll get Kylie to help too. (full context)

...all the contraptions she installed so Fin can shower and eat. He hears her telling Kylie and Dad that it's like having a baby again, and she admits that Fin is... (full context)

...he doesn't hate Daniel and says he got another postcard from Claire. He mentions that Kylie feels responsible, but says she was only trying to help. Fin admits he wanted to... (full context)

Mum, Dad, and Tom return home for the last week of the school holiday. Kylie stays behind and one night, she calls to say that she's going to stay longer:... (full context)

...a rooster. On the morning of Gran's birthday, he blindfolds Gran and leads her outside, Kylie, Mum, Brendan, and Dad close behind. They pull the blindfold off and Gran stares at... (full context)

...gives Tom detailed instructions and by the time she's done and in the car with Kylie and Brendan, it's 6:50. Tom races down the track to the river. He can't see... (full context)

Kylie Brennan Character Analysis

Kylie Brennan Quotes in The Story of Tom Brennan

Chapter Seven Quotes

Chapter Nine Quotes

Chapter Twelve Quotes

Chapter Sixteen Quotes

Kylie Brennan Character Timeline in The Story of Tom Brennan