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bookishtiff's review against another edition
2.0
I didn't really like this book that much. It's been so long since I've read it that I can't pin point the reasons for me not liking it.
avalynn's review against another edition
5.0
i went into this blind, definitely not expecting the supernatural element and wasn’t even sure if i would enjoy it once it was revealed. this ended up being beautiful enough to be one of my favorites i’ve read this year and painful enough to have to take a break mid-read.
acdidsbury's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
icecreamjane's review against another edition
3.0
Another interesting story by schusterman. I liked getting the story from 4 different perspectives. I liked also that it had no swearing so my 8th and 7th graders can read it and parents won't hate me!
keppyboone's review against another edition
4.0
3.5/5
Bruiser tells the story of a 15 year old boy named Brewster "Bruiser" Rawlins, who is a loner, and has no friends. The kids at school bully him, even giving him the title "The Most Likely to Get the Death Penalty". But there is a very real reason why Bruiser can't make friends, when he cares about someone, mysterious things begin to happen.
Brontë and Tennyson are twins who attend school with Bruiser. (They are children of Literature professors, as if that wasn't obvious enough already). Brontë begins dating Bruiser, and at first Tennyson is adamantly against the two of them hooking up, but after getting to know Bruiser a bit, he changes his mind
There is a unique paranormal aspect to this novel, and Shusterman pulls it off nicely. I can't really share much about it without risking spoilers, but Bruiser has a unique ability that is a mixed blessing to both him, and those he cares about. As the mystery becomes revealed, the reader is drawn in, and can't help but feel both compassion and sympathy for all effected.
I recommend this book to anyone who reads YA Fiction, and even to those readers who usually only read adult fiction, as the book is not overly simplified for a younger audience.
This is the fourth book I have read by Neal Shusterman. I have read two books in the Unwind Dystology, as well as the first book in the Skinjacker Series. To me, his writing is witty, sharp, and entertaining. His characters are always sassy, and I love that.
Bruiser tells the story of a 15 year old boy named Brewster "Bruiser" Rawlins, who is a loner, and has no friends. The kids at school bully him, even giving him the title "The Most Likely to Get the Death Penalty". But there is a very real reason why Bruiser can't make friends, when he cares about someone, mysterious things begin to happen.
Brontë and Tennyson are twins who attend school with Bruiser. (They are children of Literature professors, as if that wasn't obvious enough already). Brontë begins dating Bruiser, and at first Tennyson is adamantly against the two of them hooking up, but after getting to know Bruiser a bit, he changes his mind
There is a unique paranormal aspect to this novel, and Shusterman pulls it off nicely. I can't really share much about it without risking spoilers, but Bruiser has a unique ability that is a mixed blessing to both him, and those he cares about. As the mystery becomes revealed, the reader is drawn in, and can't help but feel both compassion and sympathy for all effected.
I recommend this book to anyone who reads YA Fiction, and even to those readers who usually only read adult fiction, as the book is not overly simplified for a younger audience.
This is the fourth book I have read by Neal Shusterman. I have read two books in the Unwind Dystology, as well as the first book in the Skinjacker Series. To me, his writing is witty, sharp, and entertaining. His characters are always sassy, and I love that.
trisha_thomas's review against another edition
4.0
"You think you want to know the secrets of the universe. You think you want to see the way things all fit together. You believe in your heart of hearts that enlightenment will save the world and set you free.
Maybe it will.
But the path to enlightenment is rarely a pleasant one."
I had this one as an audio book. Wonderful! The readers were excellent. Bronte's narrator was fabulous! I couldn't wait every morning when I got to pop this in and pick the story back up.
Of course, the story was also amazing. Brewster, Bronte, Tennyson, even the parents in the story were so well done. The conversations had me laughing out loud just as much as when my heart broke over what they were experiencing.
Maybe it will.
But the path to enlightenment is rarely a pleasant one."
I had this one as an audio book. Wonderful! The readers were excellent. Bronte's narrator was fabulous! I couldn't wait every morning when I got to pop this in and pick the story back up.
Of course, the story was also amazing. Brewster, Bronte, Tennyson, even the parents in the story were so well done. The conversations had me laughing out loud just as much as when my heart broke over what they were experiencing.
jugglingpup's review against another edition
3.0
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I grabbed this book thinking it was going to be about an abusive boyfriend and be a super suspenseful book in that sense. Instead it is a book about a boy named Brewster that has an extraordinary gift. The gift tests him again and again when it comes to his feelings.
My biggest complain about Shusterman’s books always comes down to that he has so many damn narrators that can’t be told apart. In this book Tennyson and Brontë can’t be told apart. They sound identical. Brewster has a different format, so his is easily told apart (MIRACLE!). Cody is pretty much the same as Tennyson and Brontë, except every once in a while there will be a word like “runned” used since he is a kid. So 2.5 narrators can’t be told apart. It is my biggest pet peeve in books like this. If your characters are flat enough that I can’t tell them apart, then have a single narrator or a third person one.
However, just like with every other Shusterman novel the plot was enough to keep me reading and still scored it a really good rating. This plot was one of those quiet suspense ones. Everything was about emotions and it sneaked up on me. There was so much happening, then BAM it was quiet. The quiet was so disconcerting. It was obvious what was happening, but just in case Shusterman had a whole chapter about it before it did happen that laid out what was happening. Foreshadowing or not trusting readers to follow a basic plot? It is unclear, but even if I was being written down to, I was enjoying myself and didn’t feel like I was being made fun of. So I think that view will depend on how you are feeling by that point in the book.
There was a super dark scene that came out of nowhere. I wasn’t expecting it at all. Then the angst afterward. YES. For that scene alone, I would have been ok with all of my issues with the book (and all his other books too!). Everything after that scene with Uncle Hoyt didn’t matter. The book kind of dragged after that. The big emotional climax had happened for me. The ending twists and turns were really mild and not all that surprising in the slightest. It felt like the ending took longer than the rest of the book. I was enjoying myself, but I had no idea why the book was still going. I could tell where it was going and saw why Shusterman wanted to include it, but I just didn’t see why it really was included. It couldn’t match that powerful punch or even come close.
I grabbed this book thinking it was going to be about an abusive boyfriend and be a super suspenseful book in that sense. Instead it is a book about a boy named Brewster that has an extraordinary gift. The gift tests him again and again when it comes to his feelings.
My biggest complain about Shusterman’s books always comes down to that he has so many damn narrators that can’t be told apart. In this book Tennyson and Brontë can’t be told apart. They sound identical. Brewster has a different format, so his is easily told apart (MIRACLE!). Cody is pretty much the same as Tennyson and Brontë, except every once in a while there will be a word like “runned” used since he is a kid. So 2.5 narrators can’t be told apart. It is my biggest pet peeve in books like this. If your characters are flat enough that I can’t tell them apart, then have a single narrator or a third person one.
However, just like with every other Shusterman novel the plot was enough to keep me reading and still scored it a really good rating. This plot was one of those quiet suspense ones. Everything was about emotions and it sneaked up on me. There was so much happening, then BAM it was quiet. The quiet was so disconcerting. It was obvious what was happening, but just in case Shusterman had a whole chapter about it before it did happen that laid out what was happening. Foreshadowing or not trusting readers to follow a basic plot? It is unclear, but even if I was being written down to, I was enjoying myself and didn’t feel like I was being made fun of. So I think that view will depend on how you are feeling by that point in the book.
There was a super dark scene that came out of nowhere. I wasn’t expecting it at all. Then the angst afterward. YES. For that scene alone, I would have been ok with all of my issues with the book (and all his other books too!). Everything after that scene with Uncle Hoyt didn’t matter. The book kind of dragged after that. The big emotional climax had happened for me. The ending twists and turns were really mild and not all that surprising in the slightest. It felt like the ending took longer than the rest of the book. I was enjoying myself, but I had no idea why the book was still going. I could tell where it was going and saw why Shusterman wanted to include it, but I just didn’t see why it really was included. It couldn’t match that powerful punch or even come close.