A review by karolinak
Real Life by Brandon Taylor

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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