Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Real Life by Brandon Taylor

24 reviews

peachani's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Racial slurs, and Violence

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent

Minor: Animal death, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Blood

oliverlang's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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? Yes

3.0

I'm not sure what I expected from this book to begin with but as it went on I found myself compelled to read more in the hopes that the resolutions I wanted from it would come to fruition.

There's a lot of friend group drama going on throughout this book with a lot of dark/serious themes. 

I feel like I wanted this book to be more than it was. It had the opportunity to provide strong character development and show a bisexual identity and it just didn't give me that. 

Although the book only documents the events over one weekend, the ending felt unfinished and the final chapter came out of the blue with a flash back to the friends meeting for the first time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Cancer, Cursing, Death, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicidal thoughts

ohlhauc's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

This is a book that you need to be in the right mind for because it will make your body clench and blood boil. It is a graphic, dark, and infuriating read not because of the writing but because of the situations the narrator finds himself in, especially as reflect real life (apt title, then).

Real Life follows a long weekend of a black, gay man -- Wallace -- at a Midwestern University as he struggles to find his place amidst a gruelling grad program and a group of friends and colleagues who hurl micro- and macro-aggressions through slurs, complicit silence, and more. It also explores his toxic relationship that descends into violence with a perceived frenemy.

The author's writing and pacing makes the scenes, especially the graphic moments, feel visceral and as if you're a fly on the wall watching hell open up. And despite there being a handful of characters, you feel as if you get to know each one on a personal level, and can relate to knowing someone like them in your own life. 

One thing that took away from the novel for me was the extremely detailed description of the scenery and environment. If you're into vivid writing about the place the novel is in, this might not be a deal breaker, but I do prefer less detail. In particular, the description of place broke my focus in the story such as when comments about fowl and the lakeshore was inserted in an emotional, vulnerable conversation between two characters. I wanted to focus on the dialogue not on a heron eating a cricket. The specific explanations of scientific processes and equipment also didn't hook me but if you're a graduate student or into campus novels, again, you might enjoy this level of detail.

Overall, this was a powerful debut that will make you think, both mentally and physically. Highly recommended if you are able to handle graphic descriptions of what's mentioned in the content triggers, especially sexual violence.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Self harm, Blood, and Vomit

Minor: Death of parent

fondueturtles's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, and Grief