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foxblood's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book was a little hard for me to push through in the last third - definitely check TWs prior. Regardless, I really enjoyed certain aspects of this book, and it will certainly stick with me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Racism, and Homophobia
Moderate: Eating disorder
fynn_jls's review against another edition
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, Rape, and Racism
Moderate: Homophobia, Child abuse, and Death of parent
clocrim's review
medium-paced
- 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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder and Sexual assault
ryanbada's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Racism, and Misogyny
_kanielsen_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- 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? Yes
5.0
Gorgeous prose, impressively well-developed characters, precise details
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault
Moderate: Gaslighting and Death of parent
paulineerika's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
This was a beautifully written book that is also so frustrating and maddening. I wanted to scream so many times.
Wallace has a lot of anger and pain and he deals with it by effectively shutting down. Everything is "fine." He takes the blame for things that he shouldn't. He lets himself more or less be used by his friend, who repeatedly says he's not gay/"into dudes," but who also wants to hook up with Wallace and gets offended when Wallace tries to distance himself. He suffers through so many microaggressions and his response is to call out his friend's partner for possibly cheating (after the friend already lamented to Wallace about what to do). And throughout it all, he calls himself selfish and petty. He is buried so deep in pain and self-loathing that it becomes painful to read, all the more so because you get it. You understand why he feels the way he does and the despair/depression he's going through.
Wallace is the only character (I think) to be accused of being selfish, but it's clear that every single other character is equally, if not more, selfish and self-centered (except Brigit, probably). So many clearly consider themselves "woke" or "allies," but none bother to really understand why Wallace acts the way he does. When he does try to express it, he gets dismissed. His friends want to be his friends only under particular circumstances. They don't understand or respect what his thoughts and opinions are and as a result, there's a huge disconnect. I wanted Wallace to find better friends, but at the same time, where is that going to happen?
Ultimately, I thought this was a really sad book. There's no satisfying ending here, only a sort of resignation about what will happen next. It's hard to even be hopeful that Wallace figures out what he wants or is able to get it.
Wallace has a lot of anger and pain and he deals with it by effectively shutting down. Everything is "fine." He takes the blame for things that he shouldn't. He lets himself more or less be used by his friend, who repeatedly says he's not gay/"into dudes," but who also wants to hook up with Wallace and gets offended when Wallace tries to distance himself. He suffers through so many microaggressions and his response is to call out his friend's partner for possibly cheating (after the friend already lamented to Wallace about what to do). And throughout it all, he calls himself selfish and petty. He is buried so deep in pain and self-loathing that it becomes painful to read, all the more so because you get it. You understand why he feels the way he does and the despair/depression he's going through.
Wallace is the only character (I think) to be accused of being selfish, but it's clear that every single other character is equally, if not more, selfish and self-centered (except Brigit, probably). So many clearly consider themselves "woke" or "allies," but none bother to really understand why Wallace acts the way he does. When he does try to express it, he gets dismissed. His friends want to be his friends only under particular circumstances. They don't understand or respect what his thoughts and opinions are and as a result, there's a huge disconnect. I wanted Wallace to find better friends, but at the same time, where is that going to happen?
Ultimately, I thought this was a really sad book. There's no satisfying ending here, only a sort of resignation about what will happen next. It's hard to even be hopeful that Wallace figures out what he wants or is able to get it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
Moderate: Racism
notbrhymes's review against another edition
3.5
I have never been so unsure how to rate or review a book but I have a lot of thoughts and found this to be very engaging and our protagonist very nuanced so it’ll get something good.
Just label the whole review as a spoiler at this point.
I found the first 20%-25% to be difficult to get into and I almost DNFd it, but I’m glad I didn’t. I found the later chunk to be deeply engaging. I listened via audio and did not want to stop.
I found every single person in this novel to be insufferable, confusing, or both. Most of the side characters only existed to be horrible to our protagonist, Wallace.
Wallace’s entire friend group is awful. His whole education department is awful. His advisor is awful. Everyone is awful!
I so desperately wanted better for Wallace. He basically NEVER said anything he was thinking throughout this entire novel. I understand that in many instances he would be seen as the problem in the situation for making something (ie: someone being horribly racist to him) a “big deal”, but oftentimes this was also just during general conversations with those he calls his friends (god knows why)
Wallace early on develops a relationship with Miller. He then spends the rest of the book being entirely inconsiderate of the way his actions will make Miller feel. He even continuously goes out of his way to poke and poke and poke Miller to get under his skin. I CANNOT understand this more than any other thing in this book. He takes no consideration for Miller’s feeling unless it’s so that he can irritate him. WHY?!
That all being said, Wallace was easily the best and most fleshed out character in this book. I felt so deeply for him and wanted for him to be able to express himself or stand up for himself without being met with immediate backlash. I was so angry in so many instances throughout this book at the things said/done to him. And for his “friends” to just sit by while horrible things are said to him was truly heartbreaking. Wallace deserved better from EVERY single person in this book.
Additionally, don’t think I liked miller’s ass because of what I said earlier. This man seemingly directly assaulted Wallace and we just moved on from it. What??? They just…continue the relationship.
I really, really wish Brandon Taylor would have addressed this and some of the other deeply problematic things done/said to Wallace a bit more. I also really wish we got to see Wallace stand up for himself more towards the end of this book. But hey, that’s real life.
Just label the whole review as a spoiler at this point.
I found the first 20%-25% to be difficult to get into and I almost DNFd it, but I’m glad I didn’t. I found the later chunk to be deeply engaging. I listened via audio and did not want to stop.
I found every single person in this novel to be insufferable, confusing, or both. Most of the side characters only existed to be horrible to our protagonist, Wallace.
Wallace’s entire friend group is awful. His whole education department is awful. His advisor is awful. Everyone is awful!
I so desperately wanted better for Wallace. He basically NEVER said anything he was thinking throughout this entire novel. I understand that in many instances he would be seen as the problem in the situation for making something (ie: someone being horribly racist to him) a “big deal”, but oftentimes this was also just during general conversations with those he calls his friends (god knows why)
That all being said, Wallace was easily the best and most fleshed out character in this book. I felt so deeply for him and wanted for him to be able to express himself or stand up for himself without being met with immediate backlash. I was so angry in so many instances throughout this book at the things said/done to him. And for his “friends” to just sit by while horrible things are said to him was truly heartbreaking. Wallace deserved better from EVERY single person in this book.
I really, really wish Brandon Taylor would have addressed this and some of the other deeply problematic things done/said to Wallace a bit more. I also really wish we got to see Wallace stand up for himself more towards the end of this book. But hey, that’s real life.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Violence, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Racism, and Homophobia
levc's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pedophilia, Racism, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Rape, Sexual violence, and Racial slurs
amandalorianxo's review
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
So I think my feelings about this book are complex. While I appreciate the story of a black gay man who is navigating getting his master’s in STEM and trying to not fall prey to the angry black man stereotype, I think the white people in this book got away with too much. The microagressions, blatant racist comments and even the sexual assault made me feel pained for Wallace. He didn’t deserve that not ask for it. Why put him through this when his childhood was already troubling? Miller disgusted me. Sometimes the prose got to be a little too much and sometimes I didn’t want to sift through a sentence when something simple could be substituted. I do have hope about Brandon’s other novels and would definitely read more from him.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Homophobia
kiahsbooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Racism
Minor: Death of parent, Vomit, Homophobia, and Blood