Reviews

Filthy Animals by Brandon Taylor

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ella_e's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

tarrowood's review against another edition

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4.0

BT’s stories in Filthy Animals are drawn as if the reader were the artist, not the observer. The way the stories flowed together made it feel even more like a novel than a compilation of stories. Most of the stories plunge deeply into the nature of how we, as humans, are inherently disgusting, attempting to grasp whatever might cleanse us, turn us from beasts into humans. A solid 4.5/5

ybuckley's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective fast-paced

3.0

Interesting array of stories, some were a bit disturbing but that’s ok. I liked how there was one sort of main story and then several short stories to break it up

rballenger's review against another edition

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3.0

Type of read: Commuter read.

What made me pick it up: I found 'Filthy Animals' on one of my suggested lists from my library (based on previous books/authors).

Overall rating: Wow, honestly, not totally sure what I just read. 'Filthy Animals' is an interesting dive into human behavior and relationships. There are multiple storylines and characters, yet by the end of the book, none fully come together or have a gift-wrapped ending. But that's kind of what life is like, you don't get that pretty, clean, ending...and I think that's what 'Filthy Animals' is all about. Life isn't pretty. It's not predictable. What you think is actually going to happen doesn't. And through it all, you find out why you're really here or at the very least, why you're still living. I'm not sure if I could fully recommend 'Filthy Animals' because like I said, I honestly don't really know what I read. There was a lot of jumping, a lot of characters, a lot of sex. But underneath all of that, there is a really good message, and the book itself is almost poetic when you get past the crudeness and explicitness. I think what 'Filthy Animals' does really well is show that even if you're brought up a certain way or go through specific life experiences, we all have something inside ourselves that hasn't been fully realized or worked out. And sometimes we find the answer to that, or if not the answer a bandaid, in the least expected places.

Reader's Note: 'Filthy Animals' includes themes of suicide, eating disorders, self-harm, sex, drugs, and physical abuse. Additionally, 'Filthy Animals' contains sexual content.

saintakim's review against another edition

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4.0

This feels, in many ways, like a step back but maybe a good one.

BT is brillant at capturing how one's loneliness can trap one into oneself and how in this state of isolation other people become as much objects of desire than opportunities for harm.