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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
I love Neal Shusterman, so I'm not surprised I loved this book. An intriguing little story that really makes a person think. And it was so well-written (as expected). Definitely worthwhile.
This was a very interesting book. I can't really explain it, but I really liked it, and I think it was intelligently written.
This book was really slow for me and I didn't enjoy it anywhere near as much as his other books :(
I've decided that this is an impossible book to review without giving away everything. The journey was fantastic and heart wrenching at times. I felt so much for Brewster and also I loved Tennyson's personal journey. It was one of those books that sucks you in and no matter the painful moments you still adore. I loved it.
Within the first 50 pages, I predicted this would be about bullying, about sibling rivalry, about child abuse...I was wrong. It is soo much more! Bronte and Tennyson (parents are English professors), fraternal twins, know their family's about to blow up, but neither can really face the facts. Tenny throws himself into lacrosse; Bronte tries to fix people. Into their lives comes Bruiser...Brewster...a loner. Surly, mysterious. A kid who just 'isn't right' somehow.
The twins soon find out there's something magical and horrible about Brewster's strange ability to absorb the hurt and pain others feel...the injuries, the diseases. But at a horrifying personal cost. His body is scarred and bruised. His soul is isolated and protective. When he begins to care, really care, about another person, he suffers beyond measure.
The four narrator voices tell very different stories; I loved how Brewster's voice is poetic; there is so much more to him than the loser others see. Like in UNWIND, Bronte, the girl, is strong and true...Shusterman does a wonderful job of writing in her voice, with all the nuanced concerns a girl is likely to have. At the same time, Tenny and Cody's voices also ring true. Each has so much to learn, and I think they're on their way to insights.
It was all I could do to keep from sobbing at the end...tears did drip off my chin. Magic, love, caring, personal responsibility. The place of suffering in our lives...all are explored here in a book I'll be sharing enthusiastically for a long time.
The twins soon find out there's something magical and horrible about Brewster's strange ability to absorb the hurt and pain others feel...the injuries, the diseases. But at a horrifying personal cost. His body is scarred and bruised. His soul is isolated and protective. When he begins to care, really care, about another person, he suffers beyond measure.
The four narrator voices tell very different stories; I loved how Brewster's voice is poetic; there is so much more to him than the loser others see. Like in UNWIND, Bronte, the girl, is strong and true...Shusterman does a wonderful job of writing in her voice, with all the nuanced concerns a girl is likely to have. At the same time, Tenny and Cody's voices also ring true. Each has so much to learn, and I think they're on their way to insights.
It was all I could do to keep from sobbing at the end...tears did drip off my chin. Magic, love, caring, personal responsibility. The place of suffering in our lives...all are explored here in a book I'll be sharing enthusiastically for a long time.
I loved the characters. At first I HATED Tennyson. He ran up on some guy he doesn't even know. Brewster never does anything to anyone and yet he is "Most Likely to Get the Death Penalty. But after he stalked Brewster I started to appreciate his humor.
Bronte kind of annoyed me sometimes. I hated reading her "sexy" comments. I think there was something about wanting to see his new muscles. I hate reading descriptions of body types/sizes. It just makes me cringe.
Cody was adorable & frustratingly naïve (and plain dumb). I hated all of the adults. Brewster was mysterious. I think it was very interesting that Brewster was seemingly doomed to a life of misery. Misery being a life where he is always used and abused. Which, is a nightmare to me.
But in the chapter that starts on page 120, Brewster lists 10 things he'll never tell "Bronte Or anyone else". There's a lot of interesting background on Brewster that never used in the story. I want to know why he wishes he didn't know his dad. I want to know about the cult. I want to know about Cody's father. And I want to know what their life was before his mom died. Most or maybe all of these are probably irrelevant to the story but I just think it would really interesting.
The big lesson (or lessons?) I took from this book is happiness is not a state and to accept your emotions instead of avoiding them. I thought it was funny that Bronte's "thing" was saying "Don't bring out the heart paddles!" And in the end she yelled it to revive her dead boyfriend...
Overall I think the book was cheesy. It was funny and cute.
Bronte kind of annoyed me sometimes. I hated reading her "sexy" comments. I think there was something about wanting to see his new muscles. I hate reading descriptions of body types/sizes. It just makes me cringe.
Cody was adorable & frustratingly naïve (and plain dumb). I hated all of the adults. Brewster was mysterious. I think it was very interesting that Brewster was seemingly doomed to a life of misery. Misery being a life where he is always used and abused. Which, is a nightmare to me.
But in the chapter that starts on page 120, Brewster lists 10 things he'll never tell "Bronte Or anyone else". There's a lot of interesting background on Brewster that never used in the story. I want to know why he wishes he didn't know his dad. I want to know about the cult. I want to know about Cody's father. And I want to know what their life was before his mom died. Most or maybe all of these are probably irrelevant to the story but I just think it would really interesting.
The big lesson (or lessons?) I took from this book is happiness is not a state and to accept your emotions instead of avoiding them. I thought it was funny that Bronte's "thing" was saying "Don't bring out the heart paddles!" And in the end she yelled it to revive her dead boyfriend...
Overall I think the book was cheesy. It was funny and cute.
I started and ending this book quite far apart. Last time I put it down I was set to give it a 2, but after finishing I could see giving it a four. I'll stick with a three for now and give it more time to digest.
Let's just start off by saying that I cried. Yes, cried. I've never cried in a book before, I've teared up yes, but have never had tears rolling down my face, my nose running, my vision so blurry I had to stop reading and get a stack of paper towels because I couldn't see the words behind my teary eyes, and me blubbering like a baby while I explain to my mom why I was crying. And this didn't just happen once. I cried three times!
Bruiser was an amazing book! Now one of my favorites. The whole book isn't a tearjerker, despite all the emotions that run through out the book, Neal Shusterman put some humor into it.
What I really loved in it, was no matter how mad twins, Tennyson and Bronte got at each other, they still had an amazing bond, and helped each other cope with everything that was happening in their lives. The way Neal Shusterman laid out the story, and the way he wrote it was just genius. The way he made the chapters switch off from all four of the main characters, and he did it SO smoothly! Usually I don't really like when authors do that, because I usually end up dreading one of the characters chapters, and I pick favorites. Not with this book. I loved every single character, and I really can't choose who's my favorite. I really loved how Bronte and Brewster were dating, and how they didn't let anything get in their way of loving each other. No matter how tough things got for everybody. Brewster's friendship with Tennyson was just amazing. I usually think when books try the whole "Inspirational Friendship Message" through out the book becomes really cheesy! But not with Bruiser, reading this made me want Tennyson as my best friend. I can't really explain it or I might give away spoilers, but that's just another good reason why you should stop reading whatever you are now, and pick up Bruiser. (:
I literally could not put this book down. I skipped lunch, just so I could finish it. And believe me, that's big. I like my food.
I hope you love this book as much as I did! (:
Abigaile (http://ReadingTeen.net/)
Bruiser was an amazing book! Now one of my favorites. The whole book isn't a tearjerker, despite all the emotions that run through out the book, Neal Shusterman put some humor into it.
What I really loved in it, was no matter how mad twins, Tennyson and Bronte got at each other, they still had an amazing bond, and helped each other cope with everything that was happening in their lives. The way Neal Shusterman laid out the story, and the way he wrote it was just genius. The way he made the chapters switch off from all four of the main characters, and he did it SO smoothly! Usually I don't really like when authors do that, because I usually end up dreading one of the characters chapters, and I pick favorites. Not with this book. I loved every single character, and I really can't choose who's my favorite. I really loved how Bronte and Brewster were dating, and how they didn't let anything get in their way of loving each other. No matter how tough things got for everybody. Brewster's friendship with Tennyson was just amazing. I usually think when books try the whole "Inspirational Friendship Message" through out the book becomes really cheesy! But not with Bruiser, reading this made me want Tennyson as my best friend. I can't really explain it or I might give away spoilers, but that's just another good reason why you should stop reading whatever you are now, and pick up Bruiser. (:
I literally could not put this book down. I skipped lunch, just so I could finish it. And believe me, that's big. I like my food.
I hope you love this book as much as I did! (:
Abigaile (http://ReadingTeen.net/)
This book is so precious I want to wrap it in a blanket, and protect it at all costs.
Bruiser is perfectly written it hurts (no pun there). This book, especially Brew's POV is carefully written with an honest voice and great prose. I was gripped from start to finish. I finished this in one sitting and I ended up crying in most parts eventhough I have a perception on what will happens next. It is agreat mirror of people. It will be a waste not to read it. Go on, pick it up. READ IT.