A review by nithya_natalya
Real Life by Brandon Taylor

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

4.25

I haven't read any literary fiction in a long time, but I was in search of something queer that wasn't written by a white person and also isn't YA. Although I don't tend to love literary fiction, this novel really resonated with me. Maybe it's because I'm getting ready to leave a job where I feel like white people are always expecting me to go above and beyond to prove I'm worthy of being in this position, but this book really gets at that lonely feeling, that sense of feeling outside yourself as you question everything. I wouldn't say there's a whole lot of queer joy in this book. There is a lot of pain in this book, tinged with hopefulness, but still. It can be a lot. 
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