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samarakroeger's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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
4.25
Christopher Isherwood meets Transcendent Kingdom meets Bryan Washington (???) -- I'm doing that thing again where I end up picking up books that are pretty different on the surface but end up covering very similar themes/topics or have similar tones. Real Life takes place over a very short time period and deals with queerness, otherness, and grief like A Single Man, and the coldness of the tone is almost dissociative, like Isherwood. It also has a similar setting to Transcendent Kingdom (Black grad student from Alabama studying STEM at a PWI) and for some reason I can't quite place Brandon Taylor's writing reminds me of Bryan Washington. Both Memorial and Real Life fail to show a single healthy relationship and both have "unsatisfying" endings (which I personally appreciate). If you liked any of these elements in other books, you might really like Real Life.
Real Life honestly sometimes felt a little too real, certainly very raw and almost dejected. I'm glad I didn't read this while I was struggling to slog through my STEM degree and frequently felt like I didn't belong there. The Imposter Syndrome vibes are very very strong and honestly is a bit of a trigger warning if that would hit too close to home at the moment. If you're feeling very lonely and lost in the world, proceed with caution. I felt it perfectly captured the Midwestern microaggression flavor and casual racism/sexism/homophobia in a place that is "proud of being woke and liberal" but is still overwhelmingly white. Also, the frustration of advisor favoritism.
The writing style veered a little too close to purple prose for me at times. However, given that Taylor wrote this in a matter of weeks (!!!), I think its solid foundation could have benefitted from just a bit more editing.
I liked all the hints that it was set at UW Madison without ever mentioning it by name, which felt like a fun little easter egg hunt for Midwesterners. I feel like I have to be right because UW Madison is Taylor's alma mater and Real Life seems pretty heavily autobiographical.
All in all, I can see how this book would be divisive for people. There's nothing uplifting about this, there's no healthy relationships, there's no real conclusion or lesson to take away from it. It could be deeply triggering for some people, or verge on not being relatable enough to others. Personally, I liked it a lot, but I can't say I'd recommend this across the board.
Real Life honestly sometimes felt a little too real, certainly very raw and almost dejected. I'm glad I didn't read this while I was struggling to slog through my STEM degree and frequently felt like I didn't belong there. The Imposter Syndrome vibes are very very strong and honestly is a bit of a trigger warning if that would hit too close to home at the moment. If you're feeling very lonely and lost in the world, proceed with caution. I felt it perfectly captured the Midwestern microaggression flavor and casual racism/sexism/homophobia in a place that is "proud of being woke and liberal" but is still overwhelmingly white. Also, the frustration of advisor favoritism.
The writing style veered a little too close to purple prose for me at times. However, given that Taylor wrote this in a matter of weeks (!!!), I think its solid foundation could have benefitted from just a bit more editing.
I liked all the hints that it was set at UW Madison without ever mentioning it by name, which felt like a fun little easter egg hunt for Midwesterners. I feel like I have to be right because UW Madison is Taylor's alma mater and Real Life seems pretty heavily autobiographical.
All in all, I can see how this book would be divisive for people. There's nothing uplifting about this, there's no healthy relationships, there's no real conclusion or lesson to take away from it. It could be deeply triggering for some people, or verge on not being relatable enough to others. Personally, I liked it a lot, but I can't say I'd recommend this across the board.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Homophobia, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Grief
Imposter Syndrome and feeling incredibly lonely and hopeless in the world also prevalent themesmattdjf's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, and Vomit
voidboi's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
What can I even say about this book? I ached as I read, submerged in gorgeous and brutal writing, feeling both deep connection and intense alienation as I was let into Wallace's head/body.
In Real Life, the complexities of grief, memory, identity, and relationships converge over a weekend of experimental setbacks, socializing with friends, walks through a midwestern city, and a burgeoning sexual and toxic connection. The story is grounded in Wallace's internal experience, playing with the stark border between the self and others, as the othered. I was especially impressed by the way Taylor masterfully evokes the existential crisis that is academia, different from my experience in humanities and social sciences, but still painfully familiar with far-reaching impacts. Throughout this book, the world is honestly rendered in both condemnation and empathy. It hurts. I'll carry this one with me for a long time.
In Real Life, the complexities of grief, memory, identity, and relationships converge over a weekend of experimental setbacks, socializing with friends, walks through a midwestern city, and a burgeoning sexual and toxic connection. The story is grounded in Wallace's internal experience, playing with the stark border between the self and others, as the othered. I was especially impressed by the way Taylor masterfully evokes the existential crisis that is academia, different from my experience in humanities and social sciences, but still painfully familiar with far-reaching impacts. Throughout this book, the world is honestly rendered in both condemnation and empathy. It hurts. I'll carry this one with me for a long time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Infidelity, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Gaslighting
Minor: Alcoholism, Eating disorder, and Vomit
lainemill's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
All takes place in one weekend where the main characters life is falling apart in some ways.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcohol
Loved this book but it’s intenserenjamin's review against another edition
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Eating disorder, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Animal death
sophieduncan's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Sexual assault
Moderate: Eating disorder, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Violence, and Death of parent
Minor: Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit
oliverlang's review against another edition
dark
emotional
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
3.0
I'm not sure what I expected from this book to begin with but as it went on I found myself compelled to read more in the hopes that the resolutions I wanted from it would come to fruition.
There's a lot of friend group drama going on throughout this book with a lot of dark/serious themes.
I feel like I wanted this book to be more than it was. It had the opportunity to provide strong character development and show a bisexual identity and it just didn't give me that.
Although the book only documents the events over one weekend, the ending felt unfinished and the final chapter came out of the blue with a flash back to the friends meeting for the first time.
There's a lot of friend group drama going on throughout this book with a lot of dark/serious themes.
I feel like I wanted this book to be more than it was. It had the opportunity to provide strong character development and show a bisexual identity and it just didn't give me that.
Although the book only documents the events over one weekend, the ending felt unfinished and the final chapter came out of the blue with a flash back to the friends meeting for the first time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Cancer, Cursing, Death, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicidal thoughts
ohlhauc's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
This is a book that you need to be in the right mind for because it will make your body clench and blood boil. It is a graphic, dark, and infuriating read not because of the writing but because of the situations the narrator finds himself in, especially as reflect real life (apt title, then).
Real Life follows a long weekend of a black, gay man -- Wallace -- at a Midwestern University as he struggles to find his place amidst a gruelling grad program and a group of friends and colleagues who hurl micro- and macro-aggressions through slurs, complicit silence, and more. It also explores his toxic relationship that descends into violence with a perceived frenemy.
The author's writing and pacing makes the scenes, especially the graphic moments, feel visceral and as if you're a fly on the wall watching hell open up. And despite there being a handful of characters, you feel as if you get to know each one on a personal level, and can relate to knowing someone like them in your own life.
One thing that took away from the novel for me was the extremely detailed description of the scenery and environment. If you're into vivid writing about the place the novel is in, this might not be a deal breaker, but I do prefer less detail. In particular, the description of place broke my focus in the story such as when comments about fowl and the lakeshore was inserted in an emotional, vulnerable conversation between two characters. I wanted to focus on the dialogue not on a heron eating a cricket. The specific explanations of scientific processes and equipment also didn't hook me but if you're a graduate student or into campus novels, again, you might enjoy this level of detail.
Overall, this was a powerful debut that will make you think, both mentally and physically. Highly recommended if you are able to handle graphic descriptions of what's mentioned in the content triggers, especially sexual violence.
Real Life follows a long weekend of a black, gay man -- Wallace -- at a Midwestern University as he struggles to find his place amidst a gruelling grad program and a group of friends and colleagues who hurl micro- and macro-aggressions through slurs, complicit silence, and more. It also explores his toxic relationship that descends into violence with a perceived frenemy.
The author's writing and pacing makes the scenes, especially the graphic moments, feel visceral and as if you're a fly on the wall watching hell open up. And despite there being a handful of characters, you feel as if you get to know each one on a personal level, and can relate to knowing someone like them in your own life.
One thing that took away from the novel for me was the extremely detailed description of the scenery and environment. If you're into vivid writing about the place the novel is in, this might not be a deal breaker, but I do prefer less detail. In particular, the description of place broke my focus in the story such as when comments about fowl and the lakeshore was inserted in an emotional, vulnerable conversation between two characters. I wanted to focus on the dialogue not on a heron eating a cricket. The specific explanations of scientific processes and equipment also didn't hook me but if you're a graduate student or into campus novels, again, you might enjoy this level of detail.
Overall, this was a powerful debut that will make you think, both mentally and physically. Highly recommended if you are able to handle graphic descriptions of what's mentioned in the content triggers, especially sexual violence.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Self harm, Blood, and Vomit
Minor: Death of parent
womanwill's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Death of parent
notagreatreader's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Wow, this book messed with my head. I feel like I should preface this by saying that this book should be accompanied by content warnings for: child sexual assault, adult sexual assault, disordered eating behavior, dissociation, anxiety, depression, passive suicidal thoughts. The latter three, among other things, are also in the context of a graduate student experience, which is the part that initially messed with my head, before all the other issues were explored.
What saves this book from feeling gratuitous in its portrayal of a miserable experience is the fact that it feels authentic. Which makes sense, since it's an ownvoices novel.Unlike another book about a miserable queer man with Life in the title. And I can appreciate it for that alone.
Also, a note here from a PhD student who studied in a similar field to Wallace's (which is Biochemistry): The portrayal of how it feels to be a graduate student working in a lab - the grind, the frustration, the desperation of those in their final year(s) who want to just graduate already, dealing with difficult colleagues and supervisors, and the accompanying feelings of anxiety, depression and a certain kind of numbness and resignation. It all was just so brilliantly captured, it took me straight back to the worst times during my own PhD.
However, it's also expertly written - in terms of creating narrative, sharp imagery, feeling and connecting it all in a cohesive whole. From the fact that the book takes place over one weekend and Wallace's work involving careful observation of nematodes under a microscope to the painfully exact description of what Wallace thinks and feels when experiencing a particular instance of racist microaggression and what he feels and how he dissociates when he's assaulted. It all comes together in a microscopic exploration of Wallace's experience, of what it feels like to feel alien, especially in a place where you thought you would belong, in a place that was supposed to save you and where you hoped people would get you.
What saves this book from feeling gratuitous in its portrayal of a miserable experience is the fact that it feels authentic. Which makes sense, since it's an ownvoices novel.
Also, a note here from a PhD student who studied in a similar field to Wallace's (which is Biochemistry): The portrayal of how it feels to be a graduate student working in a lab - the grind, the frustration, the desperation of those in their final year(s) who want to just graduate already, dealing with difficult colleagues and supervisors, and the accompanying feelings of anxiety, depression and a certain kind of numbness and resignation. It all was just so brilliantly captured, it took me straight back to the worst times during my own PhD.
However, it's also expertly written - in terms of creating narrative, sharp imagery, feeling and connecting it all in a cohesive whole. From the fact that the book takes place over one weekend and Wallace's work involving careful observation of nematodes under a microscope to the painfully exact description of what Wallace thinks and feels when experiencing a particular instance of racist microaggression and what he feels and how he dissociates when he's assaulted. It all comes together in a microscopic exploration of Wallace's experience, of what it feels like to feel alien, especially in a place where you thought you would belong, in a place that was supposed to save you and where you hoped people would get you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Racism, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Eating disorder and Racial slurs
Minor: Homophobia and Suicidal thoughts