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deedralapray's review against another edition
4.0
I love Neal Shusterman. He had me at Unwind. This book is NOTHING like Unwind or its counterparts. It was thoughtful and sad and very human. I have been recommending this book to students for years out of sheer love for Shusterman. They have almost always come back asking for something else like this. Honestly, there isn't much else like this. This book is unique and endearing in its own way.
aoosterwyk's review against another edition
5.0
Another amazing story by Shusterman. Brewster has a habit of taking on the pain of others- literally. He can't let those he cares about suffer and his body ends up a whelter of bruises, burns and at times broken bones. His biggest fear is widening his circle of friends and having someone he cares for take advantage of what he can do for them.
This is a fantastic look inside the psyche at how people deal with pain, love, and personal responsibility.
This is a fantastic look inside the psyche at how people deal with pain, love, and personal responsibility.
kelleemoye's review against another edition
5.0
This is a story of a boy unlike any other. He has a photographic memory of magnificent proportions, he is a great big brother, oh, and he can take away the pain of anyone he cares about. His solution to less pain is to just care about less people. But then Bronte and Tennyson enter his life.
This book takes the idea of "I feel your pain" to a whole new level.
Told from 4 different points of view, this book unfold the mystery of Brewster in such a fascinating way. I've read a couple of reviews where the different points of view were described as "confusing" and "hard to get into" but I think the point was to see Brewster from the outside and the inside. If this story had only been told by Bronte or Brewster, the intimacy of the characters would have not been there.
This book takes the idea of "I feel your pain" to a whole new level.
Told from 4 different points of view, this book unfold the mystery of Brewster in such a fascinating way. I've read a couple of reviews where the different points of view were described as "confusing" and "hard to get into" but I think the point was to see Brewster from the outside and the inside. If this story had only been told by Bronte or Brewster, the intimacy of the characters would have not been there.
brandypainter's review against another edition
4.0
Review originally posted here.
Bruiser is the story of four individuals, two sets of siblings, and how their lives become permanently intertwined by the knowledge of a strange and mysterious secret. Tennyson and Bronte are twins, children of literature professor parents whose marriage is in crisis. When Bronte decides to date Brewster "Bruiser" Rawlins, Tennyson is not happy about it. He is used to his sister taking in strays but the kid voted "Most Likely to Get the Death Penalty" is more than he can stand for. Bronte refuses to back off. She knows that Brewster is not like everyone says, but her and Tennyson both soon discover there is a reason he is a loner and has no friends. Caring about people is dangerous for Brewster. It is, in fact, painful. Often it is all he can do to endure his love for his reckless younger brother Cody. As all four of their lives become increasingly intertwined they learn some important lessons about love, friendship, family, and sacrifice.
The book is contemporary realistic fiction with a dash of the strange and unknown. Brewster's secret is different and strange. The paranormal label doesn't fit and neither does a straight fantasy label fit it. Sci-Fi doesn't work either. I guess this book is one example of why the label "magical realism" was invented.
The story here is told by the four main characters. The first narrator is Tennyson and I loved his voice. This is what immediately pulled me into the story and did not make me happy about performing my parental duties for the rest of the night. He is the snarky lazy type and we know what a sucker I am for those. I very much enjoyed Tennyson's character arc through the entire story. How he goes from bully and snob to ally to friend and then becomes a victim of his own selfishness and how he overcomes it in the end, this is good reading. Loved every bit of him. Bronte was more difficult for me to enjoy because I felt she was incredibly stupid on a lot of fronts. Also incredibly self absorbed, and not in the painful conflicted way of her brother, but in an oblivious-want -to-smack-her way. Which is a realistic portrayal of a selfish person,but it was hard for me to like her. Cody's narration was surprisingly enjoyable. He sound genuinely eight years old in his sections. This is difficult and many authors fail at authentically voicing so young a narrator. It is easy to love Cody, who adores his brother and becomes quite a little hero by the time all is said and done. Brewster's sections were difficult for me to sink into, partly because they were written in the form of modern poetry, and partly because he is difficult to relate to. I was frustrated with him not just explaining things to Bronte and for being a bit of a door mat. However, I can understand how it could be confusion being him and making the choices he has to make given what he can do.
The four narratives combine to tell a gripping story. I was enthralled from beginning to end, anxious to see how it could all possibly end. I only had a small quibble with the way story resolved. there is one element at the end I found to be cheesy and sentimental. This aside I like that the book ended with some uncertainty as to how things would turn out.
Bruiser is an interesting study in relationships, the motivations behind them, and how easy it sometimes is to unknowingly use people for our own selfish ends.
Bruiser is the story of four individuals, two sets of siblings, and how their lives become permanently intertwined by the knowledge of a strange and mysterious secret. Tennyson and Bronte are twins, children of literature professor parents whose marriage is in crisis. When Bronte decides to date Brewster "Bruiser" Rawlins, Tennyson is not happy about it. He is used to his sister taking in strays but the kid voted "Most Likely to Get the Death Penalty" is more than he can stand for. Bronte refuses to back off. She knows that Brewster is not like everyone says, but her and Tennyson both soon discover there is a reason he is a loner and has no friends. Caring about people is dangerous for Brewster. It is, in fact, painful. Often it is all he can do to endure his love for his reckless younger brother Cody. As all four of their lives become increasingly intertwined they learn some important lessons about love, friendship, family, and sacrifice.
The book is contemporary realistic fiction with a dash of the strange and unknown. Brewster's secret is different and strange. The paranormal label doesn't fit and neither does a straight fantasy label fit it. Sci-Fi doesn't work either. I guess this book is one example of why the label "magical realism" was invented.
The story here is told by the four main characters. The first narrator is Tennyson and I loved his voice. This is what immediately pulled me into the story and did not make me happy about performing my parental duties for the rest of the night. He is the snarky lazy type and we know what a sucker I am for those. I very much enjoyed Tennyson's character arc through the entire story. How he goes from bully and snob to ally to friend and then becomes a victim of his own selfishness and how he overcomes it in the end, this is good reading. Loved every bit of him. Bronte was more difficult for me to enjoy because I felt she was incredibly stupid on a lot of fronts. Also incredibly self absorbed, and not in the painful conflicted way of her brother, but in an oblivious-want -to-smack-her way. Which is a realistic portrayal of a selfish person,but it was hard for me to like her. Cody's narration was surprisingly enjoyable. He sound genuinely eight years old in his sections. This is difficult and many authors fail at authentically voicing so young a narrator. It is easy to love Cody, who adores his brother and becomes quite a little hero by the time all is said and done. Brewster's sections were difficult for me to sink into, partly because they were written in the form of modern poetry, and partly because he is difficult to relate to. I was frustrated with him not just explaining things to Bronte and for being a bit of a door mat. However, I can understand how it could be confusion being him and making the choices he has to make given what he can do.
The four narratives combine to tell a gripping story. I was enthralled from beginning to end, anxious to see how it could all possibly end. I only had a small quibble with the way story resolved. there is one element at the end I found to be cheesy and sentimental. This aside I like that the book ended with some uncertainty as to how things would turn out.
Bruiser is an interesting study in relationships, the motivations behind them, and how easy it sometimes is to unknowingly use people for our own selfish ends.
hannahrfrty's review against another edition
4.0
such a good simple read. a reminded that the purpose of life is to experience human emotions
arundlestl's review against another edition
4.0
Brewster Rollins is different from his peers. His clothes are well-worn and too small. He is huge and stays to himself, earning him the title of "Most likely to get the death penalty" and giving him the cruel nickname "the Bruiser".
Bronte is in Brewster's class, but she's never really talked to him until he comes into the library to find poetry while she is volunteering. Her twin brother, Tennyson, is furious when he learns that Brewster and Bronte are dating. Tennyson decides to do some research and make Bronte see how evil her new boyfriend is. Tennyson quickly learns that sometimes, people surprise you; they're nothing like your expectations. He follows Brewster home only to see that he's kind to his 8 year old brother, Cody, and he works hard to keep the family's house in order. Worse, Brewster and Cody live with their alcoholic, abusive Uncle Hoyt. As Tennyson befriends Brewster, Bronte falls in love with him.
Tennyson is the first to discover Bruiser's secret: it is the real reason he is a loner. Brewster takes physical and emotional pain from the people he cares about. He can't help it. It's always been this way. But how much pain can one teenager take?
Bronte is in Brewster's class, but she's never really talked to him until he comes into the library to find poetry while she is volunteering. Her twin brother, Tennyson, is furious when he learns that Brewster and Bronte are dating. Tennyson decides to do some research and make Bronte see how evil her new boyfriend is. Tennyson quickly learns that sometimes, people surprise you; they're nothing like your expectations. He follows Brewster home only to see that he's kind to his 8 year old brother, Cody, and he works hard to keep the family's house in order. Worse, Brewster and Cody live with their alcoholic, abusive Uncle Hoyt. As Tennyson befriends Brewster, Bronte falls in love with him.
Tennyson is the first to discover Bruiser's secret: it is the real reason he is a loner. Brewster takes physical and emotional pain from the people he cares about. He can't help it. It's always been this way. But how much pain can one teenager take?
ljesica's review against another edition
4.0
Bruiser is a freak. He's the opposite of popular. His clothes don't fit, he doesn't seem clean and he's always got cuts and scrapes. So when Tennyson's twin sister Bronte starts dating him, he is not happy about it.
But then they get to know Brewster, the actual human being. Brewster has a strange home life and something is definitely different about him. It's hard to put your finger on it, but hanging out with Brewster, it's like all of your pain disappears.
I sometimes think that some of the teen books I read are scarier for me than the intended audience, because I know how easily kids can get hurt. I was really nervous about how this book would end. But I liked it!
But then they get to know Brewster, the actual human being. Brewster has a strange home life and something is definitely different about him. It's hard to put your finger on it, but hanging out with Brewster, it's like all of your pain disappears.
I sometimes think that some of the teen books I read are scarier for me than the intended audience, because I know how easily kids can get hurt. I was really nervous about how this book would end. But I liked it!