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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
Audiobook, read by the author. Some intriguing stuff but should be shorter.
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I should have given this more of a chance but if I want to experience an unlikeable cishet man, I'll simply talk to any cishet man I pass on the street.
(/hj)
(/hj)
dark
emotional
funny
fast-paced
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A difficult but impactful read for people in the midst of their own grieving process — especially for those dealing with loved ones with dementia. The feeling of losing a person you loved so much before ever really getting to know them, but not being allowed to grieve for them fully because their heart is still beating. The feeling of never being satisfied with the time that you had with them because you always will wish you had more. I think the less time you spend away from this book while reading it, the better. I think I should go visit my nan.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug use, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm pretty sure the skin peeling off part was supposed to be gross but as someone who has a massive problem picking at my own skin....I dunno...seemed pretty satisfying to me. I kind of wish I could do that.
Anyway very moody, very similar to 'I'm thinking of ending things' or a little of 'house of leaves' or even 'scp' however it doesn't have a super satisfying ending. More of a whimper than a bang, unfortunately.
Anyway very moody, very similar to 'I'm thinking of ending things' or a little of 'house of leaves' or even 'scp' however it doesn't have a super satisfying ending. More of a whimper than a bang, unfortunately.
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
all in all, 'Brat' was an interesting exploration of grief and family, aided by horror elements that brought something strange and new to a rather simple story.
initially, I was put off by the detached and simplistic, if not at times clumsy, writing style. it's clear that this is the way the author chose to portray the grieving protagonist' point of view, but personally, I prefer to be closer to a character. to me, the cold tone of the story lessened the impact the plot points had on me as a reader. having read the ending, I understand the purpose of this - Gabriel slowly coming out of his shell-shocked state was very well portrayed. still, it took me about 200 pages to care for him at all. none of the characters, except for his grandmother, were particularly likeable, which was hard to read about, because all of them were mean in the same flat, emotionless way throughout most of the book.
I very much expected the climax of the book to come about through the various horror elements, but I like what we got instead: the two brothers connecting and taking first steps towards understanding each other and healing. Not all is explained or resolved, but there is a future to be imagined.
the short chapters interspersed with manuscript excerpts made me go through the book at a fast pace in spite of the impersonal writing style. if you don't have a problem with unlikeable characters and more vibes than plot, and aren't looking for elegant sentences either, I'd recommend!
initially, I was put off by the detached and simplistic, if not at times clumsy, writing style. it's clear that this is the way the author chose to portray the grieving protagonist' point of view, but personally, I prefer to be closer to a character. to me, the cold tone of the story lessened the impact the plot points had on me as a reader. having read the ending, I understand the purpose of this - Gabriel slowly coming out of his shell-shocked state was very well portrayed. still, it took me about 200 pages to care for him at all. none of the characters, except for his grandmother, were particularly likeable, which was hard to read about, because all of them were mean in the same flat, emotionless way throughout most of the book.
I very much expected the climax of the book to come about through the various horror elements, but I like what we got instead: the two brothers connecting and taking first steps towards understanding each other and healing. Not all is explained or resolved, but there is a future to be imagined.
the short chapters interspersed with manuscript excerpts made me go through the book at a fast pace in spite of the impersonal writing style. if you don't have a problem with unlikeable characters and more vibes than plot, and aren't looking for elegant sentences either, I'd recommend!
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This book was wonderful. A story about grief that is both beautiful and unsettling, weaving in comedy and horror, and left me awake at night trying to piece together its meaning. The structure of this book was so unique and refreshing. Some interactions between Gabriel and his brother were little insufferable, hence the .25 off.
I love how the author portrayed Gabriel's grief both physically and metaphorically, throughthe house. You have his peeling skin that is mirrored in the paint peeling off the walls and shingles falling off the roof. I feel like the black mold could be a representation of either his health deteriorating or his mental state worsening because of the grief and his difficulty in letting go of his father (he constantly rewatches the tape, etc). Although I still don't understand the meaning of the deer-man, I guess you can also connect that to grief, in that grief can bring sudden and inexplicable horror into someone's life. That might be a stretch 🤷♀️. But then you see the deer-man reappear when Gabriel unlocks the shed door, and the overgrown weeds disappear from the front of the house. We are left to assume that it is the deer-man who cleans up the house using the shears from the shed, so I think that symbolizes that Gabriel is opening his heart to healing.
I also loved how the siblings told Gabriel to stay in the house, specifically when they said, "'Our dad couldn't keep it together. He was too broken. He sold the house. He's gone, too. And now we're stuck.' 'You need the house... Or you will end up stuck'". I feel like it's a sign to Gabriel that he should stay in the house and use it/fix up the house to overcome the death of his father, or else he will be constantly stuck grieving. What I don't fully understand here is why the siblings are stuck, although that could mirror Gabriel and his brother. Maybe the father in their scenario represents Gabriel's mother, but it doesn't quite line up.
I also loved how the grandma constantly repeated that she had no answers for him. I feel like she is a source of wisdom in Gabriel's life, but can also be an indirect narrator. It's like the author is telling us that if you look at all these horror experiences individually, the deer-man, the creepy house, the strange siblings, it would be difficult to try to find a connection between them ("an answer"). But if you try to connect them using the underlying theme of the book (grief) that you can kinda piece together each part of the story.
I love how the author portrayed Gabriel's grief both physically and metaphorically, through
I also loved how the siblings told Gabriel to stay in the house, specifically when they said, "'Our dad couldn't keep it together. He was too broken. He sold the house. He's gone, too. And now we're stuck.' 'You need the house... Or you will end up stuck'". I feel like it's a sign to Gabriel that he should stay in the house and use it/fix up the house to overcome the death of his father, or else he will be constantly stuck grieving. What I don't fully understand here is why the siblings are stuck, although that could mirror Gabriel and his brother. Maybe the father in their scenario represents Gabriel's mother, but it doesn't quite line up.
I also loved how the grandma constantly repeated that she had no answers for him. I feel like she is a source of wisdom in Gabriel's life, but can also be an indirect narrator. It's like the author is telling us that if you look at all these horror experiences individually, the deer-man, the creepy house, the strange siblings, it would be difficult to try to find a connection between them ("an answer"). But if you try to connect them using the underlying theme of the book (grief) that you can kinda piece together each part of the story.