Reviews

The Late Americans by Brandon Taylor

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maddiekelly's review against another edition

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reflective

4.75

gigireadswithkiki's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective slow-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

3.75

This book has concretely demonstrated that stories with less of a focus on plot and more on character analysis/psyche is perhaps not for me. Granted!!! The conversations this book contains on the multidues of the Midwestern lived experience as a queer/BIPOC person were riveting and highly nuanced, and I can definitely see the appeal of Brandon Taylor and his works form this standpoint. His character studies are well-written and eye-opening, as someone who has pretty much only lived in coastal suburbs/cities. My lower rating of this book is entirely attributed to plot-less stories not being my thing, but those who are a big fan of slow lit fic would absolutely eat this up methinks.

chaoticbibliophile's review

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I started this really invested in it (especially it being my first Brandon Taylor), even if there was a very dated quality to the writing from the beginning. I've read Taylor's criticism, so I know which realist writing tradition he subscribes to, and it's one I know decently well. It used to be my bread and butter as a reader, what I personally identified as "solid great literature." But as the pages of this novel went by, the familiarity and solidity of the writing began to feel stale and stilted... Today I realized that this year I've read some of the most exiting writing I've ever read, including novels which I believe are examining quite similar themes and using very similar writing tools, but doing so in ways that feel more tender and alive.

I'll still give Real Life a chance, but I'm afraid I'm still in this mindset of "life's too short, too many books" to stick with ones that eventually will be middle of the pack for me.

lindsaysmeldrum's review against another edition

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3.0

3.5

When I looked at this cover I saw a rugged landscape. Now that I’ve read it, and I see it for what it truly is!

This book was a little pretentiousness (we start out in a poetry seminar!), with a lot complicated relationships and detailed sex. I found it hard to keep track of all the characters are they all seemed to be in similarly complicated relationships, and to just hook up with each other whenever. Seamus’s character was the most unique and well developed, however he wasn’t always the most bearable person to read. I was anticipating more of a focus on found family, which I love, but it seemed to stick in the nitty gritty of each relationship.

I read this book quickly, in a day, so I was engaged in it. I thought it was well constructed and well paced. I do think that for some, the many detailed sex scenes between the men will be a turn off. I would rate it higher on writing quality, but kept it at 3.5 just because it would be harder to universally recommend.

jcxjab's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional medium-paced

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

3.5

I thought this book was really interesting. I love stories that just emulate the human form. I wish I had a better grasp of the characters themselves, I got them mixed up a lot and had a difficult time distinguishing them. I picked this book because I enjoyed the writing but I can't help but understand the actual connection Seamus had to the other characters at the end. Maybe I read too fast but nonetheless, I loved the writing. I didn't appreciate the mention of women in the synopsis and then the only mentions of them to be so short and vapid.

Content Warnings