A review by dawntin
We the Animals by Justin Torres

emotional fast-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

2.5

I did not like the author’s writing style. This book is semi-autobiographical, but it felt like it was hinting at something I couldn’t quite get the whole time. There were moments that seemed like they were going to lead up to something more but never did, like when the narrator’s mother was
being cared for by her female supervisor and the supervisor kisses her. Maybe it was to show the mother possibly being queer but in the closet? I’m not sure, and it was never mentioned again.
There was such a heavy focus on the narrator’s childhood that the ending felt like it came out of nowhere, since there was little buildup to it. The whole book made me uncomfortable, and I get that it’s probably the purpose of the book, but it just was not for me.
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