Scan barcode
A review by paulineerika
Real Life by Brandon Taylor
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
4.0
This was a beautifully written book that is also so frustrating and maddening. I wanted to scream so many times.
Wallace has a lot of anger and pain and he deals with it by effectively shutting down. Everything is "fine." He takes the blame for things that he shouldn't. He lets himself more or less be used by his friend, who repeatedly says he's not gay/"into dudes," but who also wants to hook up with Wallace and gets offended when Wallace tries to distance himself. He suffers through so many microaggressions and his response is to call out his friend's partner for possibly cheating (after the friend already lamented to Wallace about what to do). And throughout it all, he calls himself selfish and petty. He is buried so deep in pain and self-loathing that it becomes painful to read, all the more so because you get it. You understand why he feels the way he does and the despair/depression he's going through.
Wallace is the only character (I think) to be accused of being selfish, but it's clear that every single other character is equally, if not more, selfish and self-centered (except Brigit, probably). So many clearly consider themselves "woke" or "allies," but none bother to really understand why Wallace acts the way he does. When he does try to express it, he gets dismissed. His friends want to be his friends only under particular circumstances. They don't understand or respect what his thoughts and opinions are and as a result, there's a huge disconnect. I wanted Wallace to find better friends, but at the same time, where is that going to happen?
Ultimately, I thought this was a really sad book. There's no satisfying ending here, only a sort of resignation about what will happen next. It's hard to even be hopeful that Wallace figures out what he wants or is able to get it.
Wallace has a lot of anger and pain and he deals with it by effectively shutting down. Everything is "fine." He takes the blame for things that he shouldn't. He lets himself more or less be used by his friend, who repeatedly says he's not gay/"into dudes," but who also wants to hook up with Wallace and gets offended when Wallace tries to distance himself. He suffers through so many microaggressions and his response is to call out his friend's partner for possibly cheating (after the friend already lamented to Wallace about what to do). And throughout it all, he calls himself selfish and petty. He is buried so deep in pain and self-loathing that it becomes painful to read, all the more so because you get it. You understand why he feels the way he does and the despair/depression he's going through.
Wallace is the only character (I think) to be accused of being selfish, but it's clear that every single other character is equally, if not more, selfish and self-centered (except Brigit, probably). So many clearly consider themselves "woke" or "allies," but none bother to really understand why Wallace acts the way he does. When he does try to express it, he gets dismissed. His friends want to be his friends only under particular circumstances. They don't understand or respect what his thoughts and opinions are and as a result, there's a huge disconnect. I wanted Wallace to find better friends, but at the same time, where is that going to happen?
Ultimately, I thought this was a really sad book. There's no satisfying ending here, only a sort of resignation about what will happen next. It's hard to even be hopeful that Wallace figures out what he wants or is able to get it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
Moderate: Racism