Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Real Life by Brandon Taylor

203 reviews

ashleyj_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This gets very intense at some parts, but it’s so good. Wallace’s story is gut-wrenching in the best and worst ways. Some pieces are very relatable for me too. The reflection that comes from reading this (as a white woman) is exceptionally deep. 
I recommend this book for everyone who can handle the content!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Mental illness, Racial slurs, and Toxic relationship

ejanephillips's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Eating disorder, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Death of parent

Minor: Violence and Vomit

decie's review

challenging reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts

mywayorthehemingway's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit

swolf1840's review

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault

megpotter's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I have never read a book quite like this. Taylor's prose is beautiful and visceral, and I feel like this will be a classic in the not to far off future. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Toxic friendship

yuhanlin's review

dark emotional reflective tense 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia and Sexual assault

lilyaugust's review

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Reread this in 2023. Liked it even less. I like when characters are unhappy and strange bad people but oh god they’re just so miserable all the time and they refuse to offer each other a single moment of relief. Like it’s all just so bitter and awful and no one is ever like “this is so messed up can this please just end let’s all drop out and never speak to each other again because THIS ALL SUCKS” I hate being someone who is like “I didn’t like this book because it’s pretentious” but I think there is a degree of pretension to expecting someone to invest so deeply in the intricacies of an entire cast’s unending misery 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Rape, and Sexual assault

ecn's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

This book was very triggering and emotionally exhausting but the overall premise was interesting. Maybe not my thing? But I wanted more of an exploration than explicit trauma

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Classism

karolinak's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-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

4.0

I really enjoyed this. I found I was able to relate to the main character a lot. Feeling estranged from your friends, not being able to open up, feeling awkward around people and wanting to be alone but at the same time wanting to be included-I've experienced the exhausting anxiety of it all and the way the author writes about it is so real.

One problem I had with the book is

gay characters who have experienced sexual abuse as children is a bit of a trope these days and not one I particularly like reading (happened to read A Little Life and Shuggie Bain relatively recently).

 So I wish that element of the book hadn't been there. To me, it didn't add a lot to the character development and his complicated feelings towards his family could have been due to hundreds of other reasons, like his father's abandonment.

The writing was beutiful, heart wrenching at times. This is exactly the kind of book that I love, one that focuses on relationships, characters and introspection. 

I'd say don't read this if you like plot heavy books (there's really no plot here) or conflict resolutions.
 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Classism

Moderate: Vomit