Scan barcode
goldenaces00's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, and Infidelity
Moderate: Rape, Kidnapping, and Child abuse
Minor: Abortion
ukponge's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, and Homophobia
tree_branch's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Classism, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and Abortion
madisoy's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Sexual violence and Sexual content
carriepond's review
- 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
3.75
This is not a plot-driven novel, so if that is something that is important to you, look elsewhere. I, however, love a good character-driven novel where the main thing that is happening is the internal monologue of the characters, and although this is my first time reading Brandon Taylor, I understand that this is a common thread in his works.
There are many things this novel does incredibly, the greatest of which is the depth of characters that Taylor creates. I loved sweet Fyodor and Bea, and ended up feeling very invested in Seamus, who I had immediately pegged as an asshole. And at the very end, Taylor gives us more about Daw, who just made my heart break a little more. And the writing was beautiful-- there are so many sentences and passages that I've underlined because they resonated with me or moved me. I will admit, though, that, despite the well-drawn characters and beautiful writing, something about this felt a little too disjointed, making it hard to completely lose myself in it.
Full of ruminations on class, race, sexuality, academia, art, passion, and love, Brandon Taylor's The Late Americans is arresting and beautiful despite feeling stretched thin at times. It makes me excited to check out his backlist, and I recommend that readers of character-driven literary fiction check this one out when it comes out on May 23.
*I received an advanced review copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway. Thanks to the publisher for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.*
Graphic: Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Classism, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexual assault and Drug use
Minor: Abortion and Child death
writtenontheflyleaves's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
🌟🌟🌟🌟
📝 The plot: In Iowa City, a group of lovers, exes and friends go about their lives - attending poetry seminars and dance classes, arguing with their partners, working shitty jobs. They are each on the edge of an uncertain future, a boundary they occupy together though each experiences it entirely alone.
Brandon Taylor is an auto-buy author for me. Real Life, his first novel, is one of my favourite books of all time, and Filthy Animals, his collection of short stories also set in Iowa City, was a five star read for me last year.
What I love about Taylor's writing is that it always strikes me as knife-like: the cold, reflective flat of the blade, the gasp of the sharp edge, the hot pulse of something desperate and living underneath. The Late Americans gives free rein to these skills because it takes you through the lives of several characters, letting you glimpse them through each other's eyes. It allows you to see both their cruelty and their yearning, which isn't something a lot of writers can pull off, to make you hate a character in one moment and ache for them the next.
What held this back from being a five star read for me is simply my own preferences - I loved how deep we travelled into Wallace's head in Real Life, and I love being able to really settle in and focus on one character. This was a beautiful, searching novel though and if you love spending time with an ensemble of complex characters this is the book for you!
📝 Read it if you love short story cycles and especially Taylor's Filthy Animals as this was a similar vibe. Also if you like stories about students on the precipice of quote-unquote "adulthood".
🚫 Avoid if you're steering clear of scenes of sexual assault and violence right now, or if you are deep in the post-grad crisis and are looking for a light at the end of the tunnel, as this is definitely all tunnel lol
#thelateamericans #brandontaylor
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Violence, and Sexual assault