A review by madtheimpaler
Brutes by Dizz Tate

dark emotional funny fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Dizz Tate believes her readers are smart. She doesn't over-explain, she doesn't add so many details it buries her meanings, and she doesn't spoon feed anyone. Instead, she lets her story speak for itself. A time jump in the right moment and magical realism in the right place. Brutes is full of meaning and words that fill your mind with crisp and sometimes ugly pictures, but most of all, it captures the intenseness of the end of girlhood or maybe that beginning of womanhood. She reminds readers that at 12, the world seems so much bigger than it really is, and our emotions are more debilitating than they have to be, and friendships are deeper than they can ever be again. Then, in the same breath, she warns us of the dangers of being so young. How, if the adults in our lives take something from us so young, we might get stuck in that place forever.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings