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Bruiser
Tennyson Don’t get me started on the Bruiser. He was voted “Most Likely to Get the Death Penalty” by the entire school. He’s the kid no one knows, no one talks to, and everyone hears disturbing rumors about. So why is my sister, Brontë, dating him? One of these days she’s going to take in the wrong stray dog, and it’s not going to end well. Bronte My brother has no right to talk about Brewster that way―no right to threaten him. There’s a reason why Brewster can’t have friends―why he can’t care about too many people. Because when he cares about you, things start to happen. Impossible things that can’t be explained. I know, because they’re happening to me. Award-winning author Neal Shusterman has crafted a chilling and unforgettable novel about the power of unconditional friendship, the complex gear workings of a family, and the sacrifices we endure for the people we love. “At once dark and darkly humorous, intense and intensely satisfying, bruiser may very well be Neal Shusterman’s best novel yet. Put this one at the top of your ‘must read’ list.” ―Ellen Hopkins, New York Times bestselling author of Crank “The English language needs another ‘a shusterman.’ It means a book that is guaranteed to grip you from beginning to end and leave you thinking about the characters for years, just like bruiser will. Buckle up and prepare for a great ride!” ―Laurie Halse Anderson, National Book Award Finalist for Speak and Chains
6 pages, Audio CD
First published June 29, 2010
500 people are currently reading
15414 people want to read
About the author
Neal Shusterman
90 books30.1k followersAward-winning author Neal Shusterman grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where he began writing at an early age. After spending his junior and senior years of high school at the American School of Mexico City, Neal went on to UC Irvine, where he made his mark on the UCI swim team, and wrote a successful humor column. Within a year of graduating, he had his first book deal, and was hired to write a movie script.
In the years since, Neal has made his mark as a successful novelist, screenwriter, and television writer. As a full-time writer, he claims to be his own hardest task-master, always at work creating new stories to tell. His books have received many awards from organizations such as the International Reading Association, and the American Library Association, as well as garnering a myriad of state and local awards across the country. Neal's talents range from film directing (two short films he directed won him the coveted CINE Golden Eagle Awards) to writing music and stage plays – including book and lyrical contributions to “American Twistory,” which is currently playing in Boston. He has even tried his hand at creating Games, having developed three successful "How to Host a Mystery" game for teens, as well as seven "How to Host a Murder" games.
As a screen and TV writer, Neal has written for the "Goosebumps" and “Animorphs” TV series, and wrote the Disney Channel Original Movie “Pixel Perfect”. Currently Neal is adapting his novel Everlost as a feature film for Universal Studios.
Wherever Neal goes, he quickly earns a reputation as a storyteller and dynamic speaker. Much of his fiction is traceable back to stories he tells to large audiences of children and teenagers -- such as his novel The Eyes of Kid Midas. As a speaker, Neal is in constant demand at schools and conferences. Degrees in both psychology and drama give Neal a unique approach to writing. Neal's novels always deal with topics that appeal to adults as well as teens, weaving true-to-life characters into sensitive and riveting issues, and binding it all together with a unique and entertaining sense of humor.
Of Everlost, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman has reimagined what happens after death and questions power and the meaning of charity. While all this is going on, he has also managed to write a rip-roaring adventure…”
Of What Daddy Did, Voice of Youth Advocates wrote; "This is a compelling, spell-binding story... A stunning novel, impossible to put down once begun.
Of The Schwa Was Here, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman's characters–reminiscent of those crafted by E. L. Konigsburg and Jerry Spinelli–are infused with the kind of controlled, precocious improbability that magically vivifies the finest children's classics.
Of Scorpion Shards, Publisher's Weekly wrote: "Shusterman takes an outlandish comic-book concept, and, through the sheer audacity and breadth of his imagination makes it stunningly believable. A spellbinder."
And of The Eyes of Kid Midas, The Midwest Book Review wrote "This wins our vote as one of the best young-adult titles of the year" and was called "Inspired and hypnotically readable" by School Library Journal.
Neal Shusterman lives in Southern California with his children Brendan, Jarrod, Joelle, and Erin, who are a constant source of inspiration!
In the years since, Neal has made his mark as a successful novelist, screenwriter, and television writer. As a full-time writer, he claims to be his own hardest task-master, always at work creating new stories to tell. His books have received many awards from organizations such as the International Reading Association, and the American Library Association, as well as garnering a myriad of state and local awards across the country. Neal's talents range from film directing (two short films he directed won him the coveted CINE Golden Eagle Awards) to writing music and stage plays – including book and lyrical contributions to “American Twistory,” which is currently playing in Boston. He has even tried his hand at creating Games, having developed three successful "How to Host a Mystery" game for teens, as well as seven "How to Host a Murder" games.
As a screen and TV writer, Neal has written for the "Goosebumps" and “Animorphs” TV series, and wrote the Disney Channel Original Movie “Pixel Perfect”. Currently Neal is adapting his novel Everlost as a feature film for Universal Studios.
Wherever Neal goes, he quickly earns a reputation as a storyteller and dynamic speaker. Much of his fiction is traceable back to stories he tells to large audiences of children and teenagers -- such as his novel The Eyes of Kid Midas. As a speaker, Neal is in constant demand at schools and conferences. Degrees in both psychology and drama give Neal a unique approach to writing. Neal's novels always deal with topics that appeal to adults as well as teens, weaving true-to-life characters into sensitive and riveting issues, and binding it all together with a unique and entertaining sense of humor.
Of Everlost, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman has reimagined what happens after death and questions power and the meaning of charity. While all this is going on, he has also managed to write a rip-roaring adventure…”
Of What Daddy Did, Voice of Youth Advocates wrote; "This is a compelling, spell-binding story... A stunning novel, impossible to put down once begun.
Of The Schwa Was Here, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman's characters–reminiscent of those crafted by E. L. Konigsburg and Jerry Spinelli–are infused with the kind of controlled, precocious improbability that magically vivifies the finest children's classics.
Of Scorpion Shards, Publisher's Weekly wrote: "Shusterman takes an outlandish comic-book concept, and, through the sheer audacity and breadth of his imagination makes it stunningly believable. A spellbinder."
And of The Eyes of Kid Midas, The Midwest Book Review wrote "This wins our vote as one of the best young-adult titles of the year" and was called "Inspired and hypnotically readable" by School Library Journal.
Neal Shusterman lives in Southern California with his children Brendan, Jarrod, Joelle, and Erin, who are a constant source of inspiration!
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October 3, 2014Again – not a book review, but a review of my writing process for BRUISER. The idea of telling a story about an empath who can take on people’s pain had been with me for a while – but it wasn’t until I started toying with the idea of a character who could take on psychological and emotional pain that I got really interested in telling this story. We THINK we want our hurts taken away from us, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that surrendering our emotional pain cripples us. We can become addicted to emotional pain-killers just as we can to physical pain killers. Being human means experiencing the full range of human emotions. I wanted to explore that concept.
But how to do it?
Well, I knew I wanted to tell the story from multiple points of view. The challenge was to find all the voices. Tennyson is in first person present. Brontë, who is more introspective, is first person, past tense, because that allows her to reflect on what happened. Cody is total stream of consciousness, which I always wanted to try. I remember in college reading Faulkner’s “The Sound and the Fury,” and my favorite part was the stream-of-consciousness segment from the mentally disabled character. It was really my first introduction to stream-of-consciousness writing. Cody’s voice was great fun to write.
Then we come to Brewster. I knew right away that I wanted his voice to be in free verse. It was harder than I thought it would be. I threw away a lot of verse until I came up with material that I felt captured the character. The fact that my friend, Ellen Hopkins (who has made her career writing verse-novels ) really liked it, meant the world to me!
As for the farm house in the middle of a suburban development, and the weird old bull that lived there, that came from my neighborhood in SoCal. Funny thing – I got an e-mail the other day from someone who lives in my neighborhood, and freaked out when they read that, because they knew the exact farm house, and the exact bull I was talking about!
Hope you enjoy BRUISER.
But how to do it?
Well, I knew I wanted to tell the story from multiple points of view. The challenge was to find all the voices. Tennyson is in first person present. Brontë, who is more introspective, is first person, past tense, because that allows her to reflect on what happened. Cody is total stream of consciousness, which I always wanted to try. I remember in college reading Faulkner’s “The Sound and the Fury,” and my favorite part was the stream-of-consciousness segment from the mentally disabled character. It was really my first introduction to stream-of-consciousness writing. Cody’s voice was great fun to write.
Then we come to Brewster. I knew right away that I wanted his voice to be in free verse. It was harder than I thought it would be. I threw away a lot of verse until I came up with material that I felt captured the character. The fact that my friend, Ellen Hopkins (who has made her career writing verse-novels ) really liked it, meant the world to me!
As for the farm house in the middle of a suburban development, and the weird old bull that lived there, that came from my neighborhood in SoCal. Funny thing – I got an e-mail the other day from someone who lives in my neighborhood, and freaked out when they read that, because they knew the exact farm house, and the exact bull I was talking about!
Hope you enjoy BRUISER.
February 7, 2018
2/7/18 - ON SALE for $3.99:
http://amzn.to/2BLxOMH
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
3.5 stars
First of all, this book might just have the best first chapter I've ever read in my life.
Secondly . . . this book is weird. I'm talking The Talented Mr. Ripley weird.
And like THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY, it's better that you go into reading BRUISER knowing as little as possible.
That being said, one of the main characters is the victim of child abuse, so if that's one of your triggers, you have been warned. The abuse isn't pointless, it's a catalyst, so while, yes, it was painful--such subjects should always be painful--it was tolerable.
Moving on.
I've read several other Shusterman books, and I've never more than just gotten through them. I find his writing to be too . . . disheartening, maybe? They've all had an overwhelming sense of melancholy that dragged me down into the doldrums.
And I avoid books like that, b/c for me, the doldrums don't end just b/c the book does--don't misunderstand, I don't only like light and fluffy books. But there's a difference between telling a story with painful elements, and telling a story in which the entire tone is pain and suffering.
Shusterman's other books have been the latter. Too depressing.
BRUISER . . . not as much.
While Brewster is a wretchedly unfortunate individual, Tennyson is snarkily hilarious enough to counter it, and Cody's child-like exuberance also tips the balance.
So while the story plays out, spiraling further and further toward the inevitable conclusion--life cannot continue in the previous manner; there has to be change--the characters are fantastic enough to stave off the gloom, and wonder-of-wonders, the books ends with hope.
I love books that end with hope. Recommended. Ish.
First of all, this book might just have the best first chapter I've ever read in my life.
Secondly . . . this book is weird. I'm talking The Talented Mr. Ripley weird.
And like THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY, it's better that you go into reading BRUISER knowing as little as possible.
That being said, one of the main characters is the victim of child abuse, so if that's one of your triggers, you have been warned. The abuse isn't pointless, it's a catalyst, so while, yes, it was painful--such subjects should always be painful--it was tolerable.
Moving on.
I've read several other Shusterman books, and I've never more than just gotten through them. I find his writing to be too . . . disheartening, maybe? They've all had an overwhelming sense of melancholy that dragged me down into the doldrums.
And I avoid books like that, b/c for me, the doldrums don't end just b/c the book does--don't misunderstand, I don't only like light and fluffy books. But there's a difference between telling a story with painful elements, and telling a story in which the entire tone is pain and suffering.
Shusterman's other books have been the latter. Too depressing.
BRUISER . . . not as much.
While Brewster is a wretchedly unfortunate individual, Tennyson is snarkily hilarious enough to counter it, and Cody's child-like exuberance also tips the balance.
So while the story plays out, spiraling further and further toward the inevitable conclusion--life cannot continue in the previous manner; there has to be change--the characters are fantastic enough to stave off the gloom, and wonder-of-wonders, the books ends with hope.
I love books that end with hope. Recommended. Ish.
http://amzn.to/2BLxOMH
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
3.5 stars
First of all, this book might just have the best first chapter I've ever read in my life.
Secondly . . . this book is weird. I'm talking The Talented Mr. Ripley weird.
And like THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY, it's better that you go into reading BRUISER knowing as little as possible.
That being said, one of the main characters is the victim of child abuse, so if that's one of your triggers, you have been warned. The abuse isn't pointless, it's a catalyst, so while, yes, it was painful--such subjects should always be painful--it was tolerable.
Moving on.
I've read several other Shusterman books, and I've never more than just gotten through them. I find his writing to be too . . . disheartening, maybe? They've all had an overwhelming sense of melancholy that dragged me down into the doldrums.
And I avoid books like that, b/c for me, the doldrums don't end just b/c the book does--don't misunderstand, I don't only like light and fluffy books. But there's a difference between telling a story with painful elements, and telling a story in which the entire tone is pain and suffering.
Shusterman's other books have been the latter. Too depressing.
BRUISER . . . not as much.
While Brewster is a wretchedly unfortunate individual, Tennyson is snarkily hilarious enough to counter it, and Cody's child-like exuberance also tips the balance.
So while the story plays out, spiraling further and further toward the inevitable conclusion--life cannot continue in the previous manner; there has to be change--the characters are fantastic enough to stave off the gloom, and wonder-of-wonders, the books ends with hope.
I love books that end with hope. Recommended. Ish.
First of all, this book might just have the best first chapter I've ever read in my life.
Secondly . . . this book is weird. I'm talking The Talented Mr. Ripley weird.
And like THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY, it's better that you go into reading BRUISER knowing as little as possible.
That being said, one of the main characters is the victim of child abuse, so if that's one of your triggers, you have been warned. The abuse isn't pointless, it's a catalyst, so while, yes, it was painful--such subjects should always be painful--it was tolerable.
Moving on.
I've read several other Shusterman books, and I've never more than just gotten through them. I find his writing to be too . . . disheartening, maybe? They've all had an overwhelming sense of melancholy that dragged me down into the doldrums.
And I avoid books like that, b/c for me, the doldrums don't end just b/c the book does--don't misunderstand, I don't only like light and fluffy books. But there's a difference between telling a story with painful elements, and telling a story in which the entire tone is pain and suffering.
Shusterman's other books have been the latter. Too depressing.
BRUISER . . . not as much.
While Brewster is a wretchedly unfortunate individual, Tennyson is snarkily hilarious enough to counter it, and Cody's child-like exuberance also tips the balance.
So while the story plays out, spiraling further and further toward the inevitable conclusion--life cannot continue in the previous manner; there has to be change--the characters are fantastic enough to stave off the gloom, and wonder-of-wonders, the books ends with hope.
I love books that end with hope. Recommended. Ish.
December 3, 2010
GAHHH. GAHH. THIS BOOK IS GORGEOUSSS. I WANT TO EAT IT. I LOVE IT TO SHREDS. Seriously, I don't think Neal Shusterman's genius will ever fail to amaze me. He is too awesome for words. It's not fair. Well, okay––Unwind is still my favorite. Everlost and Everwild are pretty hard to beat, too. But Bruiser is also very very amazing.
I don't really want to say what it's about, since part of its magic is in finding out Bruiser's secret on your own. But I can tell ya, this book––like all of Shusterman's books––is highly original. I absolutely adore the premise, and Shusterman executes it perfectly. His writing is amazing, his characters are realistic and likable … Basically, this is the kind of book that will keep you thinking for days afterward.
LOVE IT. READ IT NOW.
I don't really want to say what it's about, since part of its magic is in finding out Bruiser's secret on your own. But I can tell ya, this book––like all of Shusterman's books––is highly original. I absolutely adore the premise, and Shusterman executes it perfectly. His writing is amazing, his characters are realistic and likable … Basically, this is the kind of book that will keep you thinking for days afterward.
LOVE IT. READ IT NOW.
June 27, 2011
Brewster (or Bruiser), a 15-year old troubled, withdrawn kid, is in a possession of a special gift/curse - he absorbs physical pain from people he cares about. He can't control this ability, he just takes away the hurts of his friends and family, whenever he is close to them, and experiences it, regardless of if he wants it or not. Bruiser has always tried to not get attached to people, to spare himself unnecessary suffering. His social circle is limited to his abusive uncle and younger brother Cody. Things change when he becomes an object of interest of 2 twins - Bronte and Tennyson. These two give Brewster friendship and love that he craves, but as he gets involved with the siblings and their uneasy family life, he is forced to take on more pain than he can possibly handle.
It is a premise with a lot of room for thought, even though the idea itself is not necessarily an original one (think Stephen King's The Green Mile). What if there is someone in your life that can take away your hurts? Would you want to live pain-free? How would that alter your experience of life? Will it make your life easier? Or will absence of pain devalue your appreciation of the rare moments of happiness? Will you ever learn of the dangers of the world if someone always takes your falls? Would you be comfortable knowing that someone suffers for you? Would you want that person by you at all times? Will you become dependent on this stolen sense of safety?
Bruiser raises and answers these questions quite well, but never lives up to its full potential. This story is handicapped by too many perspectives IMO. Granted, all 4 (Brewster, Tennyson, Bronte and Cody's) are unique, but splitting the plot 4 ways dilutes it. Writing Brewster's story from one perspective would have focused it better, would have made it more personal, more urgent. As is, this novel is not bad, but neither is it great or unforgettable.
It is a premise with a lot of room for thought, even though the idea itself is not necessarily an original one (think Stephen King's The Green Mile). What if there is someone in your life that can take away your hurts? Would you want to live pain-free? How would that alter your experience of life? Will it make your life easier? Or will absence of pain devalue your appreciation of the rare moments of happiness? Will you ever learn of the dangers of the world if someone always takes your falls? Would you be comfortable knowing that someone suffers for you? Would you want that person by you at all times? Will you become dependent on this stolen sense of safety?
Bruiser raises and answers these questions quite well, but never lives up to its full potential. This story is handicapped by too many perspectives IMO. Granted, all 4 (Brewster, Tennyson, Bronte and Cody's) are unique, but splitting the plot 4 ways dilutes it. Writing Brewster's story from one perspective would have focused it better, would have made it more personal, more urgent. As is, this novel is not bad, but neither is it great or unforgettable.
June 25, 2012
I won't pretend I thought Shusterman, the Tim Burton of YA literature, was worth my time before this book. I won't even say that I was so intrigued by the synopsis or the title or the cover art that I paid for it with my own hard earned dollars. All I will say is that my mom told me I would like it and practically put her copy of Bruiser in my hands, and the next day at work I was so incredibly bored I decided to read a few pages.
I got little work done that night.
Bruiser is one of those punch-you-in-the-gut, stab-you-in-the-heart kind of books that you run across only once in a long while. Does it have a bit of supernatural? Sure. A little bit of romance? Maybe a sliver. Action? Just a taste. What it is rich in is humanity. Shusterman's character study isn't for the faint of heart and this book isn't for those seeking a quick and easy read. He puts a price on happiness and asks the terrifying question, what would you do if you had a chance to live without pain?
Narrated by four strikingly different characters, Shusterman delves into the timeless theory that happiness is merely the contrast to sorrow. And you can't have one without the other. What's a life devoid of pain? Is it full of pure happiness? No. It's completely neutral which is no life at all.
Brewster "Bruiser" Rawlins is the embodiment of all the pain in the world, at least in the world of the other narrators, Bronte (his girlfriend), Cody (his kid brother), and Tennyson (Bronte's brother and the would-be voice of the novel). The thing about these kids is that they are just your average, everyday, normal kids. And the plot of the novel is driven by their average, everyday, normal situations. Think classmate rivalry. Think sibling quarrels. Think parent divorce. Think about your own adolescence and you'll probably come pretty close.
The seeming super power of Bruiser to absorb the pain (both external and internal) of those he cares about is very much played down. It's never explained why he has this ability, and unlike most YA novels involving supernatural elements, the kids don't go all Nancy Drew and try to unravel the mystery surrounding Bruiser's ability. Instead, they accept that it can't be explained and go on with their very real lives.
Bronte is the rational one. The one who sees the big picture and may be a little slow to notice things outside her teenage girl bubble, but once she does she makes very deep, very reflective assumptions about life, love, and happiness. Her voice is fast and forward and a little annoying at times but her narrations tend to be short so it's okay.
Cody is about ten and his narration is very convincingly naive. His voice is fun and entertaining. You just can't help but love him, yet it's hard to read as the events and consequences of his innocent reasoning unfold. But you can't look away from the car wreck, especially when it's as irresistible as this unstoppable kid.
Tennyson seems to be the real voice of the novel and as a reader you are inclined to take his point of view even when other characters are taking their turn in the narration. You don't always agree with his decisions but you relate to him and ultimately understand what he is feeling. He is the character that feels the most. His pain is raw and real and his happiness is sky high. When Tennyson chooses to live without pain by keeping Brewster close, you can't help but wonder, would you do the same?
Such is this book. Don't think you can sit back, detached, and come out clean. Shusterman puts a spotlight on flaws in humanity such as abuse, addiction, divorce, bullying, and assault, but counters it with true heroics such as self-sacrifice and accountability for one's actions. Be prepared to witness realistic brutality and decide for yourself what could be right in a world so full of pain. What is it we want more than anything? To be happy. Peace. Serenity. Shusterman is known for delivering the bizarre, the creepy, the unsettling. But maybe Peace is just around the corner after all. Maybe if it hadn't been for that unsettling stuff, you wouldn't have recognized Peace when it arrived.
Brewster gets a few pages of narration, but not until Shusterman paints a vivid image of him through the other characters. His voice is written in verse which sets him apart even more and breathes some fresh air into book that is so deep at times its almost stifling. Although the novel revolves around Brewster in a way, and how the other character's lives are changed when they get to know him, he is really just the emblem of what life would be like if someone could take all your pain away. Tennyson and Bronte are the true heroes of the story who ultimately decide that you must accept the pain with the happiness because true happiness is a flee from pain. Without the pain, then you are just standing still. And if you stand still for too long, you will forget what happiness is altogether.
Shusterman dissects the human heart beautifully. Emotional pain is something that psychologists are still trying to understand. It plagues the human race, but it's still shrouded in mystery. One thing is certain: it can be as hurtful as physical pain; it can lead to depression, isolation, violence, illness, and suicide. But as Shusterman points out, happiness is always on the horizon. A divorce may break your heart today, but tomorrow something else will come along to mend it.
I got little work done that night.
Bruiser is one of those punch-you-in-the-gut, stab-you-in-the-heart kind of books that you run across only once in a long while. Does it have a bit of supernatural? Sure. A little bit of romance? Maybe a sliver. Action? Just a taste. What it is rich in is humanity. Shusterman's character study isn't for the faint of heart and this book isn't for those seeking a quick and easy read. He puts a price on happiness and asks the terrifying question, what would you do if you had a chance to live without pain?
Narrated by four strikingly different characters, Shusterman delves into the timeless theory that happiness is merely the contrast to sorrow. And you can't have one without the other. What's a life devoid of pain? Is it full of pure happiness? No. It's completely neutral which is no life at all.
Brewster "Bruiser" Rawlins is the embodiment of all the pain in the world, at least in the world of the other narrators, Bronte (his girlfriend), Cody (his kid brother), and Tennyson (Bronte's brother and the would-be voice of the novel). The thing about these kids is that they are just your average, everyday, normal kids. And the plot of the novel is driven by their average, everyday, normal situations. Think classmate rivalry. Think sibling quarrels. Think parent divorce. Think about your own adolescence and you'll probably come pretty close.
The seeming super power of Bruiser to absorb the pain (both external and internal) of those he cares about is very much played down. It's never explained why he has this ability, and unlike most YA novels involving supernatural elements, the kids don't go all Nancy Drew and try to unravel the mystery surrounding Bruiser's ability. Instead, they accept that it can't be explained and go on with their very real lives.
Bronte is the rational one. The one who sees the big picture and may be a little slow to notice things outside her teenage girl bubble, but once she does she makes very deep, very reflective assumptions about life, love, and happiness. Her voice is fast and forward and a little annoying at times but her narrations tend to be short so it's okay.
Cody is about ten and his narration is very convincingly naive. His voice is fun and entertaining. You just can't help but love him, yet it's hard to read as the events and consequences of his innocent reasoning unfold. But you can't look away from the car wreck, especially when it's as irresistible as this unstoppable kid.
Tennyson seems to be the real voice of the novel and as a reader you are inclined to take his point of view even when other characters are taking their turn in the narration. You don't always agree with his decisions but you relate to him and ultimately understand what he is feeling. He is the character that feels the most. His pain is raw and real and his happiness is sky high. When Tennyson chooses to live without pain by keeping Brewster close, you can't help but wonder, would you do the same?
Such is this book. Don't think you can sit back, detached, and come out clean. Shusterman puts a spotlight on flaws in humanity such as abuse, addiction, divorce, bullying, and assault, but counters it with true heroics such as self-sacrifice and accountability for one's actions. Be prepared to witness realistic brutality and decide for yourself what could be right in a world so full of pain. What is it we want more than anything? To be happy. Peace. Serenity. Shusterman is known for delivering the bizarre, the creepy, the unsettling. But maybe Peace is just around the corner after all. Maybe if it hadn't been for that unsettling stuff, you wouldn't have recognized Peace when it arrived.
Brewster gets a few pages of narration, but not until Shusterman paints a vivid image of him through the other characters. His voice is written in verse which sets him apart even more and breathes some fresh air into book that is so deep at times its almost stifling. Although the novel revolves around Brewster in a way, and how the other character's lives are changed when they get to know him, he is really just the emblem of what life would be like if someone could take all your pain away. Tennyson and Bronte are the true heroes of the story who ultimately decide that you must accept the pain with the happiness because true happiness is a flee from pain. Without the pain, then you are just standing still. And if you stand still for too long, you will forget what happiness is altogether.
Shusterman dissects the human heart beautifully. Emotional pain is something that psychologists are still trying to understand. It plagues the human race, but it's still shrouded in mystery. One thing is certain: it can be as hurtful as physical pain; it can lead to depression, isolation, violence, illness, and suicide. But as Shusterman points out, happiness is always on the horizon. A divorce may break your heart today, but tomorrow something else will come along to mend it.
March 2, 2015
4.5 Stars! A deeply touching emotional story!
In a nutshell, this story centers around how much of yourself your willing to give to protect, shelter, and save those you love. Brewster "Bruiser", the main male protagonist, has a unique ability, or rather abilities, which I won't touch on so I don't ruin the story for potential readers. Keep in mind, nothing, nothing at all is at it seems. The paranormal element worked, it was different, a little strange at first, but once you understand what's happening, it all makes sense. At times it's painful to read about, and my heart hurt for Brewster...so, so much!
Brontë was lovely character, she was kind, compassionate and non-judgmental. She was also strong, determined and I adored her. She didn't let rumors and misconceptions sway her feelings, she saw past what everyone else thought they knew to be true, and was able to see the awesomeness that was a boy named Brewster! If there were only more people like her in this world.
Brontë and Brewster's siblings, Tennyson and Cody learn a valuable lesson, they were initially quite selfish, but both of them come around when they realize how much Brewster is giving of himself.
I had no idea how much this story would affect me, and I was praying for a good outcome...for everyone...well, almost everyone!
Sometimes when you give of yourself there are those willing to give back, even if it means they won't be the same, but it will make you whole again. A poignant message in this beautiful book, and I think about these characters and this story quite often. It definitely left its mark on me.
I was relieved and satisfied with the ending, but an epilogue would put my heart in a little better place. I'd love to get back into the lives of these characters someday.
About the audiobook...
Brilliantly narrated by a collective group of talented voices: Nick Podehl, Kate Rudd, Luke Daniels and Laura Hamilton! There is no doubt the author, Neal Shusterman, wrote a beautiful story, but the combined efforts of these individuals brought it to another level. I'm not always a fan of multiple narrators for one book, but this flowed incredibly well and each of them captured the essence of the characters they voiced!
January 6, 2020
2.5 stars
I enjoyed the audiobook, but I found the story too depressing. It has an interesting concept and I felt for Brewster, but listening to what he was going through was exhausting, to be honest. Especially since we learn about him early on and the whole thing just dragged for me.
By the time the story finished I ended up disliking all the other characters. I found Tennyson and Bronte very annoying and I think they behaved very selfishly throughout most of the book. Their parents weren't any better either.
I enjoyed the audiobook, but I found the story too depressing. It has an interesting concept and I felt for Brewster, but listening to what he was going through was exhausting, to be honest. Especially since we learn about him early on and the whole thing just dragged for me.
By the time the story finished I ended up disliking all the other characters. I found Tennyson and Bronte very annoying and I think they behaved very selfishly throughout most of the book. Their parents weren't any better either.
May 20, 2012
There’s a small fraction of authors that have left a lasting impression on me with their literary talent that catapults my imagination into unchartered territories. Shusterman is undeniably one of those authors in the top echelon of highly regarded and slightly feared… where I’m concerned at least.
I read his novel Unwind years ago, about the time it first came out, and I can still remember to this day how my imaginary safe place was rocked to its core by a simple and short chapter in that book which left me speechless and shocked. Mind you, it wasn’t even his use of words, descriptors, narrative or dialog that drove me to one of my most profound cases of cognitive resistance. He simply gave me a few sparse statements that led my imagination into overdrive.
So even to this day, I approach Shusterman’s books with caution. Yes, he’s capable of truly scaring the holy hale out of me, so when I saw Bruiser on the shelf the illogical side of my brain led me to pick up this novel and approach it with extreme caution. I think it’s the Roland Chapter that to this day has branded my brain, so my skittishness is definitely warranted.
Well I have to thank Bruiser for making me a little bit braver and a helluva lot more convinced that Shusterman is capable of unbounded twisted. I mean, who in their right mind is capable of creating a character like Bruiser to be a receiver of pain, physical damage and emotional turmoil from those he has the unfortunate opportunity of coming to care about? An evil genius, that’s who!
This book is filled with a ton of “Are you kidding me!” and “Oh! Come on! Cut him a break!” material, and I’m not even including the mental screaming going on in my head. Fine. Fine. Call me mental.
There were parts where I was shouting at the improbability of an eight year old not knowing the consequences of his ignorant decisions, but at the same time, I did like the kid despite is disregard for Bruiser’s broken bones.
I guess this all leaves me wondering… what does Shusterman have against kids? I started wondering that in Unwind, but Bruiser definitely had me considering the fact that he might just like to torture them… in a fictional sense mind you. Well, I met the man and he appears to be grounded, maybe even a bit funny, witty, but underneath all of that, yes I’m creeped to the core to know there’s an element too twisted for words. Holy crap the guy signed my book with “Stay whole.” Who does that?
Overall, that same illogical side of my brain coupled with my morbid curiosity to find out what else Shusterman has up his sleeve, will lead me to grab the first copy of UnWholly when it hits the shelf. I’ll take his twisted and face the consequences thank you very much. That man sure knows how to entertain his audience.
I read his novel Unwind years ago, about the time it first came out, and I can still remember to this day how my imaginary safe place was rocked to its core by a simple and short chapter in that book which left me speechless and shocked. Mind you, it wasn’t even his use of words, descriptors, narrative or dialog that drove me to one of my most profound cases of cognitive resistance. He simply gave me a few sparse statements that led my imagination into overdrive.
So even to this day, I approach Shusterman’s books with caution. Yes, he’s capable of truly scaring the holy hale out of me, so when I saw Bruiser on the shelf the illogical side of my brain led me to pick up this novel and approach it with extreme caution. I think it’s the Roland Chapter that to this day has branded my brain, so my skittishness is definitely warranted.
Well I have to thank Bruiser for making me a little bit braver and a helluva lot more convinced that Shusterman is capable of unbounded twisted. I mean, who in their right mind is capable of creating a character like Bruiser to be a receiver of pain, physical damage and emotional turmoil from those he has the unfortunate opportunity of coming to care about? An evil genius, that’s who!
This book is filled with a ton of “Are you kidding me!” and “Oh! Come on! Cut him a break!” material, and I’m not even including the mental screaming going on in my head. Fine. Fine. Call me mental.
There were parts where I was shouting at the improbability of an eight year old not knowing the consequences of his ignorant decisions, but at the same time, I did like the kid despite is disregard for Bruiser’s broken bones.
I guess this all leaves me wondering… what does Shusterman have against kids? I started wondering that in Unwind, but Bruiser definitely had me considering the fact that he might just like to torture them… in a fictional sense mind you. Well, I met the man and he appears to be grounded, maybe even a bit funny, witty, but underneath all of that, yes I’m creeped to the core to know there’s an element too twisted for words. Holy crap the guy signed my book with “Stay whole.” Who does that?
Overall, that same illogical side of my brain coupled with my morbid curiosity to find out what else Shusterman has up his sleeve, will lead me to grab the first copy of UnWholly when it hits the shelf. I’ll take his twisted and face the consequences thank you very much. That man sure knows how to entertain his audience.
June 30, 2016
this book is just a giant bundle of pain and I love it.
August 13, 2023
"Sometimes I feel things very deeply, y'know?"
"How deeply?" I asked.
"Bottomless, kinda."
This is the last book I'm reading this year, and I cannot even begin to explain how I feel. This book is art. It's beautiful and meaningful, and I don't even want to shelve it as YA, because it's not a novel meant solely for teenagers or young people. It's the kind of book that hits something really deep inside you, and after I read the last page (this was a lovely edition by the way, with lots of extra content!) and I had to put the book back into my bag, I started staring into space and I felt everything and nothing at all. I think the book's title is strangely appropriate, because now it's like I've got a big purple bruise where it hit me, and I can't quite shake off this feeling, as if I'm still feeling the pain from the blow.
Bruiser was my first book by Neal Shusterman, but it certainly won't be the last. The writing is so unbearably good that I ended up underlining a lot of it with my pencil, something I mostly do with poetry, and the whole book is original, surprising and amazingly touching. I love magical realism, but Bruiser felt like something new, like a yet unexplored land.
The book is about two siblings, Tennyson and Brontë, their family - that is slowly and silently falling apart - and about a boy, just a boy; the local school's weirdo, an outsider, a freak. His skin is bruised with the pain of others. His mind his torn by the emotions of all the people he cares about. Brewster - or Bruiser, as some kids call him - does not have a gift: he bears the weight of a curse. He is forced to take away the pain from the ones he loves, even when he doesn't want to, and this is exactly why he cannot care about anyone too deeply, if he wants to survive. I expected Bruiser to be mean and vindictive, but I couldn't have been more wrong: there was something so undeniably good in his heart that it was disarming. He simply couldn't bring himself to hurt other people, not even the ones who hurt him - not even a monster like his uncle.
The book is split into four POVs: the most important ones are Tennyson's and Bronte's (and, with my mother being a teacher and me being named after Julius Caesar, I can relate to all the literary strangeness), but there are also some chapters from Bruiser and Cody's (his little brother) point of view. The four narrating voices are very different from each other: Tennyson's was probably my favorite, and I loved that Bruiser's chapters were all written in (mostly) free verse. Only a great author can write poetry about a drunk uncle that wants to beat you. The first chapter from Cody's point of view was a little difficult to follow - a kid's mind is a really confusing place to be in - but after that first one I immediately got used to it.
Bruiser is a powerful, poetic and sometimes even funny story. It's beautiful in an heartbreaking way, and even now I'm still not sure what's going to happen to all of them. I don't know if they can fix it. I don't even know if they've got anything left to fix.
My mother and I had a serious talk.
"Guard your heart" she told me.
"That is your hero's sword".
(2015 read)
July 13, 2016
4.5 Stars Rated Up
Bruiser is one of those books that just completely blindsides you. I didn’t do a lot of research before I started reading it. Hell, I didn’t do a lot of research before I even decided to buy it. I found it at a thrift store quite a while ago and recognized it as a book that a few booktubers had mentioned previously. It sat on my shelf for a while before I came across it again as a “Daily Deal” audiobook through Audible.
Bruiser tells the story of a misunderstood teenaged boy named Brewster Rawlins, nicknamed Bruiser due to his above average size. His classmates constantly tease him while also being slightly afraid of him. When Brewster begins an unlikely relationship with Brontë, her twin brother Tennyson doesn’t necessarily approve. Soon, strange things start to occur and any scrapes or bruises or physical harm that Brontë or Tennyson endure, disappear without any trace or explanation.
Bruiser started out one way and completely transformed as the story unfolded. Because I didn’t do much research beforehand, this book turned into something completely unexpected. I didn’t realize that there was a magical realism/sci-fi element to it until it presented itself. At first I was unsure about how much I was going to enjoy that element. I thought the story was going one way and I really wasn’t sure how I felt about the magical realism aspect.
Let me tell you right now that Bruiser was one of the best unexpected surprises I have ever read. I didn’t ever want to stop listening to it. I had it going while I got ready in the morning, while I took the bus home from work and every moment in between. I absolutely needed to know what was going to happen next immediately. I don’t think I have ever been this engrossed in an audiobook since I listened to The Martian.
Bruiser is told in four different character’s voices: Brewster, Tennyson, Brontë and Cody (Brewster’s younger brother). When I first began listening to the audiobook I just assumed that the entire novel was going to be told from Tennyson’s point of view as that was the way that it started out. I had no idea that the story was going to jump from character to character, but I’m really glad that it did. This provided the reader with multiple reactions to the same events. It showed us how the different characters were effected by different scenarios.
I absolutely loved all four of these main characters. When the novel first begins, we are viewing the story from Tennyson’s point of view. At first, Tennyson was a bit of a jerk and I really didn’t know how I felt about him, but as the story progressed and his attitude changed, he became one of the best characters. Brewster, however, instantly became my favourite. I loved the different ways in which Tennyson and Brontë came to befriend Brewster and I loved seeing their relationships grow. Brewster is the gentle giant type. Everyone assumes he’s mean and awful simply because of his large size, but in reality he is quite possibly the most innocent and pure character I have ever read. The relationships between him and Brontë, Tennyson and his brother Cody were all so different from one another, yet he loves them all equally.
The ending of this novel had me on the edge of my seat…quite literally, I was on the bus as I listened to the ending and I was just so anxious the entire time! I wanted everything to be okay and I wanted everything to be perfect, but like I said, Bruiser is one of those books that completely blindsides you. The ending was unexpected and it was left open rather than having a solid and conclusive ending. It’s hard to talk about without giving too much away. While there is room for a potential sequel, I truly believe that the open ending was the way to go for this novel.
As you can clearly tell, I absolutely loved Bruiser. I didn’t necessarily expect to enjoy it as much as I did, but I am really glad that I found it. Bruiser is a beautifully written novel that deals with heavy themes while adding a magical realism twist to the story. I thought that this novel was brilliant and I’m extremely eager to read more of Neal Schusterman’s work in the near future!
--
Quick initial post reading thoughts:
Wow. I loved this. It was completely unexpected. It went in directions that I did not see coming. It was heartfelt and beautifully written and not enough people talk about this book.
February 21, 2011
Rating 4.5
This would have been a complete 5 star for me, but there were a couple of places that bothered me and I can believe it ended the way it did. Having said that let me just say WOW!!! I read Unwind a while ago and I never thought that anything could ever top that book, but Shusterman has proved me wrong, even with a few bothersome things. I can't and won't say too much about the plot as I think that every reader needs to explore this and read it in the way the author has so skillfully written out or you won't grasp the full impact of Brewster. This book is moving, heartbreaking, and so many more emotions that I can't even think straight. I loved the characters names as well. Being a complete reading booknerd *waves flag* how could I not love Bronte and Tennyson. These two are twins and their lives take a drastic turn (for better or for worse you will have to find out) when Bronte starts dating Brewster aka Bruiser. I never knew exactly what this book was about and I am glad that I went into it not knowing as I really enjoyed seeing and feeling all the emotions that these characters felt. Okay my two bothers were one Bronte. I think she started out great, but I wanted her to feel more towards Brewster. She looked at him as a project one too many times for me and I think he deserved more. Tennyson was more true to character imo. I can totally see why the author chose to have him go through what he did and all the consequences that came with it. I just wish that Bronte could have owned up to hers a little bit more. The second was the ending! I am so angry that Shusterman ended it that way. I wanted to know how things worked out it was so open ended that I am left craving for at least one more chapter or shoot I would read another book without batting an eye. So for those who will read this just be where the ending, but don't let that stop you because this book is a MUST read!
A few quotes that stood out for me...
" I rarely feel true hatred toward anyone, but right then I despised the author of those wounds, glaringly written across his body like blunt hieroglyphics "
"People thought Brewster Rawlins was a dark unknown, a black hole best kept away from. Well, maybe he was, but what people don't realize is that black holes generate an amazing amount of light. The problem is, their gravity is so great, the light can't escape-it just gets pulled in along with everything else.
This would have been a complete 5 star for me, but there were a couple of places that bothered me and I can believe it ended the way it did. Having said that let me just say WOW!!! I read Unwind a while ago and I never thought that anything could ever top that book, but Shusterman has proved me wrong, even with a few bothersome things. I can't and won't say too much about the plot as I think that every reader needs to explore this and read it in the way the author has so skillfully written out or you won't grasp the full impact of Brewster. This book is moving, heartbreaking, and so many more emotions that I can't even think straight. I loved the characters names as well. Being a complete reading booknerd *waves flag* how could I not love Bronte and Tennyson. These two are twins and their lives take a drastic turn (for better or for worse you will have to find out) when Bronte starts dating Brewster aka Bruiser. I never knew exactly what this book was about and I am glad that I went into it not knowing as I really enjoyed seeing and feeling all the emotions that these characters felt. Okay my two bothers were one Bronte. I think she started out great, but I wanted her to feel more towards Brewster. She looked at him as a project one too many times for me and I think he deserved more. Tennyson was more true to character imo. I can totally see why the author chose to have him go through what he did and all the consequences that came with it. I just wish that Bronte could have owned up to hers a little bit more. The second was the ending! I am so angry that Shusterman ended it that way. I wanted to know how things worked out it was so open ended that I am left craving for at least one more chapter or shoot I would read another book without batting an eye. So for those who will read this just be where the ending, but don't let that stop you because this book is a MUST read!
A few quotes that stood out for me...
" I rarely feel true hatred toward anyone, but right then I despised the author of those wounds, glaringly written across his body like blunt hieroglyphics "
"People thought Brewster Rawlins was a dark unknown, a black hole best kept away from. Well, maybe he was, but what people don't realize is that black holes generate an amazing amount of light. The problem is, their gravity is so great, the light can't escape-it just gets pulled in along with everything else.
May 22, 2012
Oh. So who thought this was going to be a normal fiction book? *raises hand* I actually like it when books are different from my general expectation. Especially YA books, since they're normally so easy to predict.
So, I like what he did there with Brew and Howl, but seriously, how many teens are going to get that the reference to the poem and his actual thought process are related? I don't want to be giving kids a lack of credit, but it seems like these characters are very literary where the majority of the world isn't. It's a happening trend in the YA world, methinks, just because writers are so literary. I just don't know that it transfers.
The characters are decent, the back and forth keeps the book confusing but hopping. It's a pretty easy read, nothing too serious.
I have to say, I feel like the author totally gave up with the ending. He'd built up all this great possibility, with Ten becoming like the uncle and Brew handling their parents divorce as well as all the other kids he was starting to like in making friends, and then kind of wimped out and took the easy path. I was really hoping for a harder ending.
There seemed to be some contradictions with the use of Brew's ability, especially at the end there with the pool, but since nothing is ever really explained anyway...it just makes the story that much weaker.
So, I like what he did there with Brew and Howl, but seriously, how many teens are going to get that the reference to the poem and his actual thought process are related? I don't want to be giving kids a lack of credit, but it seems like these characters are very literary where the majority of the world isn't. It's a happening trend in the YA world, methinks, just because writers are so literary. I just don't know that it transfers.
The characters are decent, the back and forth keeps the book confusing but hopping. It's a pretty easy read, nothing too serious.
I have to say, I feel like the author totally gave up with the ending. He'd built up all this great possibility, with Ten becoming like the uncle and Brew handling their parents divorce as well as all the other kids he was starting to like in making friends, and then kind of wimped out and took the easy path. I was really hoping for a harder ending.
There seemed to be some contradictions with the use of Brew's ability, especially at the end there with the pool, but since nothing is ever really explained anyway...it just makes the story that much weaker.
January 18, 2021
This is an excellent novel for teens about accepting emotional and physical pain. Neal Shusterman, author of the fantastic Arc of the Scythe series, tells the story of Brewster a teen who takes the pain from the people he cares about. Interesting idea delivered in an interesting engaging novel for young adults and older people too.
November 27, 2010
Neal Shusterman came highly recommended by a fellow goodreads-er and now I know why. He is just brillant!!! Bruiser was authentic and inventive in its plot! I was riveted and in awe of Neal Shusterman's writing style. Bruiser keeps you guessing as mysteries are revealed throughout the story, making it quite difficult to put this book down. The lines are witty, funny, and insightful! I went through a full spectrum of emotions: from laughing out loud to crying quietly! The characters are smart and entertaining! Neal had me at Bronte and Tennyson! (I love English lit!)
When I first read the book jacket, I was so sure it was another werewolf story when it made mention about one of the main characters healing quickly. But, this book is so much more! Brewster Rawlins or AKA 'the Bruiser',the social outcast and unpopular sophomore and voted most likely to receive the Death Penalty, possesses unnatural abilities, abilities that appear to be both a curse and a gift to Brewster. There's a reason why Brewster is a loner and keeps to himself at school. He could not afford to become close to anyone and begin to care for them for there are consequences, grave consequences if he did. Eventually, Brewster can't continue to be reclusive as he encounters Bronte, one of the Sternberger's twin. Bronte finds out that there's more to Brewster than his ill-ridden reputation and couldn't stay away from getting to know him more.
But, Tennyson, the other Sternberger twin is not too happy that his twin sister starts dating Brewster. Soon enough Tennyson finds out the reason why Bronte could not stay away from Brewster and sees what she sees, and befriends him as well.
Bruiser is narrated in four perspectives, 3 of which are written in prose (Tennyson - being the main protagonist, Bronte, and Cody - Brewster's little brother) and Brewster's POV is in free verse. Brewster's POV is pained and angry but the most touching and thought-provoking! To read and feel what he feels brought tears to my eyes. He was so torn and tortured. To live or to love, which is it? Gotta love a selfless man! And I do love Brewster! He has a gorgeous heart and soul!
Neal Shusterman is definitely a new favorite author of mine! Bruiser is one fantastic book and one that I'll remember for a long time! I highly recommend!
When I first read the book jacket, I was so sure it was another werewolf story when it made mention about one of the main characters healing quickly. But, this book is so much more! Brewster Rawlins or AKA 'the Bruiser',the social outcast and unpopular sophomore and voted most likely to receive the Death Penalty, possesses unnatural abilities, abilities that appear to be both a curse and a gift to Brewster. There's a reason why Brewster is a loner and keeps to himself at school. He could not afford to become close to anyone and begin to care for them for there are consequences, grave consequences if he did. Eventually, Brewster can't continue to be reclusive as he encounters Bronte, one of the Sternberger's twin. Bronte finds out that there's more to Brewster than his ill-ridden reputation and couldn't stay away from getting to know him more.
But, Tennyson, the other Sternberger twin is not too happy that his twin sister starts dating Brewster. Soon enough Tennyson finds out the reason why Bronte could not stay away from Brewster and sees what she sees, and befriends him as well.
Bruiser is narrated in four perspectives, 3 of which are written in prose (Tennyson - being the main protagonist, Bronte, and Cody - Brewster's little brother) and Brewster's POV is in free verse. Brewster's POV is pained and angry but the most touching and thought-provoking! To read and feel what he feels brought tears to my eyes. He was so torn and tortured. To live or to love, which is it? Gotta love a selfless man! And I do love Brewster! He has a gorgeous heart and soul!
Neal Shusterman is definitely a new favorite author of mine! Bruiser is one fantastic book and one that I'll remember for a long time! I highly recommend!
April 8, 2015
Bruiser is narrated in turn by Tennyson, Bronte, Cody, and Brewster. Each voice is distinct and believable, particularly Brewster's which is written in poetry form. Not only is this unexpected, but it makes his entries so much more haunting.
The book is really about sacrifice and love: Would you sacrifice your own happiness if it meant that those you love would feel no pain? Is Brewster's power to take away the pain from those he loves a gift or a curse? How can a person be happy knowing that someone he or she loves must feel so much pain? By taking pain away from those you love because you can't bear to see them suffer, are you causing them to in turn suffer over your pain? It's a vicious circle in the way love so often is.
Bruiser is an intense, almost violently emotional experience. I can't remember a time where I cared so deeply about such an initially distant, almost unlikable, character. The last chapters are at once torturous and touching, anguished and hopeful. It literally hurt to read them. This book will stay with you long after you've read the final page.
The book is really about sacrifice and love: Would you sacrifice your own happiness if it meant that those you love would feel no pain? Is Brewster's power to take away the pain from those he loves a gift or a curse? How can a person be happy knowing that someone he or she loves must feel so much pain? By taking pain away from those you love because you can't bear to see them suffer, are you causing them to in turn suffer over your pain? It's a vicious circle in the way love so often is.
Bruiser is an intense, almost violently emotional experience. I can't remember a time where I cared so deeply about such an initially distant, almost unlikable, character. The last chapters are at once torturous and touching, anguished and hopeful. It literally hurt to read them. This book will stay with you long after you've read the final page.
Read
August 26, 2010Told from four points of view, BRUISER was quite the twist on reality, even though it was told so well that it didn't even seem like it should be impossible. After Bronte starts dating the Bruiser, she and her twin brother Tennyson find out there really IS a reason Brewster's had stand-offish and weird down perfectly – odd things happen when he cares about people.
Like UNWIND being more than just a futuristic world, BRUISER was more than a story featuring a boy with an infeasible ability. Definitely thought-provoking.
Like UNWIND being more than just a futuristic world, BRUISER was more than a story featuring a boy with an infeasible ability. Definitely thought-provoking.
February 26, 2017
This was more than 3 stars but not quite 4 stars but I think the story was original enough that I'm going to round up. It is a story about Brewster who is a loner who the high school kids call Bruiser. He lives with his uncle and little brother. It is also the story of twins Bronte and Tennyson. Bronte befriends Brewster. Brewster has a secret that I can't reveal without spoiling the story so I will just say that Brewster's friendship with Bronte brings out his secret which was good and bad.
August 30, 2011
This book bummed me out. Not because it was a downer, necessarily, but because I could see all this room for excellence in it that never was fully realized. I think Shusterman is good at developing a likable and mildly amusing voice for his characters, but man if they don't all sound the same. And the poetry sections? Horrifying.
Bruiser is the story of twins Tennyson and Bronte, and the changes that Bronte's new boyfriend (Brewster, commonly known as the Bruiser) makes in their lives. I'm about to reveal something that is a spoiler in the sense that knowing Edward is a vampire is a spoiler, so prepare thyselves. A lovely picture, I know.
So, at first I was convinced this book and I would have a love relatioship of epic proportions. It starts out in Tennyson's perspective, and he is great. Kind of a jerk, but in a way that I can really see a high school boy acting, not like the suave billionaire type of jerk. And even though he did things that I knew would make me dislike him in real life, the peek into his mind that the first person perspective gave me caused me to really, REALLY love him. The problem? Shusterman made the (bad) decision to alternate perspectives like crazy, switching between Bronte, Tennyson, Brewster, and Cody, Brewster's brother. Seriously bad move, dude! Espesh for the Bruiser's sections. Emo poetry is SO not my thing. I can't be the judge as to the poetry's actual merit, because I avoid poetry as a rule, but I'm guessing it wasn't exactly good as far as poetry goes.
Another negative was that the message came across as heavy-handed. Literally all you have to do is read the first hundred pages to understand what the moral will be.
This would have been so good if the whole thing had just crossed back and forth between Tennyson and Bronte, though! I still really adore Tennyson. And I don't even know what the point was of including Cody's perspective. Blahhh.
So, do I recommend this? Yes, to Shusterman fans, or anyone who's looking for a quick read (probably two days and you'll be done). It's humorous and feels "light" even though it has an important message to convey. But if poetry makes you want to barf, consider finding another book.
Seriously. Brewster's sections. The worst.
Bruiser is the story of twins Tennyson and Bronte, and the changes that Bronte's new boyfriend (Brewster, commonly known as the Bruiser) makes in their lives. I'm about to reveal something that is a spoiler in the sense that knowing Edward is a vampire is a spoiler, so prepare thyselves. A lovely picture, I know.
So, at first I was convinced this book and I would have a love relatioship of epic proportions. It starts out in Tennyson's perspective, and he is great. Kind of a jerk, but in a way that I can really see a high school boy acting, not like the suave billionaire type of jerk. And even though he did things that I knew would make me dislike him in real life, the peek into his mind that the first person perspective gave me caused me to really, REALLY love him. The problem? Shusterman made the (bad) decision to alternate perspectives like crazy, switching between Bronte, Tennyson, Brewster, and Cody, Brewster's brother. Seriously bad move, dude! Espesh for the Bruiser's sections. Emo poetry is SO not my thing. I can't be the judge as to the poetry's actual merit, because I avoid poetry as a rule, but I'm guessing it wasn't exactly good as far as poetry goes.
Another negative was that the message came across as heavy-handed. Literally all you have to do is read the first hundred pages to understand what the moral will be.
This would have been so good if the whole thing had just crossed back and forth between Tennyson and Bronte, though! I still really adore Tennyson. And I don't even know what the point was of including Cody's perspective. Blahhh.
So, do I recommend this? Yes, to Shusterman fans, or anyone who's looking for a quick read (probably two days and you'll be done). It's humorous and feels "light" even though it has an important message to convey. But if poetry makes you want to barf, consider finding another book.
Seriously. Brewster's sections. The worst.
October 8, 2015
While not my favorite Shusterman novel, it was really well done. I loved the messages it had, and I found myself really caring for the characters a lot. I don't want to give anything away since it's so short and quick, so I won't say anything other than I like how the novel made me think about what I would do in the characters' situations.
November 17, 2017
This was definitely one of those "this is impossible to put down" books. The perspective switches along with the constant suspense make the reader constantly reflect on their own emotional and physical hardships. The question of "What would YOU do?" is constantly running through your mind as a reader..especially at the end!
March 5, 2011
A big hulk of a guy… that’s Brewster. The others characters are just as… unique. There are Tennyson and Bronte, so named given their parents’ professions as literature professors. I found all of them, as I said, unique… and their story engaging. Neal Shusterman can do no wrong in my eyes, so, yes, you could say that I am a fan. Unwind got me hooked and I am so glad to have found this.
OK, Enough of the gushing. The plot itself was quite different from the things I had been reading. I was in dire need of decent YA read and Bruiser delivered. HOWEVER, I did find myself having flashbacks of Stephen King’s Green Mile. Not just for the big hulk of a protagonist in that one, but also because of what made said big hulk of a guy special. So, while Brewster is not the first of his kind, I still found myself drawn into his story. Why?
Well, first there were all the other characters. Tennyson did not start out as sympathetic. In fact, he started out as an ass. Bronte, was starting to sound too good to be true… until the Bruiser entered their lives. Then there’s Brewster/Bruiser himself… One cannot help but like him. A good majority of the characters were not as developed as I had hoped them to be, and I could imagine Mr. Shusterman taking all of them a whole deeper level… but as it is Bruiser, was OK.
And then there’s the hook. What made Bruiser so special, so different anyway? When you do find out, you find yourself asking the same questions that Bronte was throwing him.
I could throw in the alternating POVs of Brewster, Tennyson and Bronte, and sometimes Cody as well… but I’d be repetitive. Suffice to say, the story telling was seamless. From one point to another, we jump… and thankfully, each jump was not jarring.
Now the negatives. There's free verse in it. I do not like free verse. Why, oh why was there free verse in this one? And I would have loved to see more of Cody’s POV.
OK, Enough of the gushing. The plot itself was quite different from the things I had been reading. I was in dire need of decent YA read and Bruiser delivered. HOWEVER, I did find myself having flashbacks of Stephen King’s Green Mile. Not just for the big hulk of a protagonist in that one, but also because of what made said big hulk of a guy special. So, while Brewster is not the first of his kind, I still found myself drawn into his story. Why?
Well, first there were all the other characters. Tennyson did not start out as sympathetic. In fact, he started out as an ass. Bronte, was starting to sound too good to be true… until the Bruiser entered their lives. Then there’s Brewster/Bruiser himself… One cannot help but like him. A good majority of the characters were not as developed as I had hoped them to be, and I could imagine Mr. Shusterman taking all of them a whole deeper level… but as it is Bruiser, was OK.
And then there’s the hook. What made Bruiser so special, so different anyway? When you do find out, you find yourself asking the same questions that Bronte was throwing him.
I could throw in the alternating POVs of Brewster, Tennyson and Bronte, and sometimes Cody as well… but I’d be repetitive. Suffice to say, the story telling was seamless. From one point to another, we jump… and thankfully, each jump was not jarring.
Now the negatives. There's free verse in it. I do not like free verse. Why, oh why was there free verse in this one? And I would have loved to see more of Cody’s POV.
December 22, 2010
The Sternberger twins live fairly charmed lives. Tennyson is popular, athletic, and confident-bordering-on-cocky. Brontë is popular enough, quietly self-assured, and sensitive to others. The Bruiser, on the other hand, is a hulking loner in too-small clothes who was unofficially voted Most Likely to Get the Death Penalty. He and his little brother, Cody, live with Uncle Hoyt and keep well away from everyone else. Brontë befriends Brewster and draws a very misunderstood and reluctant Bruiser into her confidence, family, and social circle. That’s when it gets weird.
Brewster has an ability to help those he cares for, but it’s an ability he can’t control. That shouldn’t be a bad thing, but it takes its toll on Brew. The people he’s closest to are unaware of the benefits but quickly come to rely on it. The story unfolds and we see how Tennyson, Brontë, Cody, Uncle Hoyt, and even Mr. and Mrs. Sternberger (to an extent) deal with this truth. Tennyson rationalizes and Brontë struggles. Cody—believably childish Cody—runs headlong into life’s scrapes but lacks the benefit of lessons learned. And horrible, drunk, sadistic Uncle Hoyt may be the only one with the ability to be compassionate. It makes him the worst of all.
There’s a lot swirling around about too much of a good thing and how far would you go for/what shameful things are you willing to do to the people you love? It’s an interesting book, but the story lagged in the middle. It irked that Tennyson and Brontë so quickly worked out one side of Brewster’s abilities, but remained ignorant of the other until the very end. I liked the multiple perspectives but while I enjoyed these characters, none of them really endeared themselves to me. I’m glad to have read it, Bruiser gave me a few things to think about.
Brewster has an ability to help those he cares for, but it’s an ability he can’t control. That shouldn’t be a bad thing, but it takes its toll on Brew. The people he’s closest to are unaware of the benefits but quickly come to rely on it. The story unfolds and we see how Tennyson, Brontë, Cody, Uncle Hoyt, and even Mr. and Mrs. Sternberger (to an extent) deal with this truth. Tennyson rationalizes and Brontë struggles. Cody—believably childish Cody—runs headlong into life’s scrapes but lacks the benefit of lessons learned. And horrible, drunk, sadistic Uncle Hoyt may be the only one with the ability to be compassionate. It makes him the worst of all.
There’s a lot swirling around about too much of a good thing and how far would you go for/what shameful things are you willing to do to the people you love? It’s an interesting book, but the story lagged in the middle. It irked that Tennyson and Brontë so quickly worked out one side of Brewster’s abilities, but remained ignorant of the other until the very end. I liked the multiple perspectives but while I enjoyed these characters, none of them really endeared themselves to me. I’m glad to have read it, Bruiser gave me a few things to think about.
December 14, 2010
This book was exceptional in terms of characterization and its ability to make me mull over a moral dilemma. Think about it - if a person existed who was able to remove all of your pain, your anxiety, and every ailment you would ever suffer from, how great would that be? But there's a catch: this magical person must suffer from all the hurt you would have received. Would you go on and live with your pain, or would you give it up and live a carefree existence, knowing every little thing that harms you harms another person instead?
This problem (or, for some, a relief) is presented in Bruiser, the story of Brewster Rawlins, and how he comes to date Bronte - and consequently affect everyone he begins to care about.
This problem (or, for some, a relief) is presented in Bruiser, the story of Brewster Rawlins, and how he comes to date Bronte - and consequently affect everyone he begins to care about.
September 1, 2016
The story evokes multiple feelings, and I love it! Even though it is teenagers story, it is very well written and the plot is precisely constructed. It is even better with great narrations from some of my favorite elites: Nick Podehl, Kate Rudd, Luke Daniels and Laura Hamilton.
February 22, 2014
4.5 stars
Amazing idea and great writing, but some of the plot was a bit weak and questionable. overall, a great moral and definitely recommendable!!
Amazing idea and great writing, but some of the plot was a bit weak and questionable. overall, a great moral and definitely recommendable!!
May 5, 2016
Oh my goodness, this was great.
May 2, 2019
"What do you do with a textbook case when no one's written the textbook?"
—Bruiser, P. 194
Neal Shusterman's writing is otherworldly. Prepare to be blown away by his powers of storytelling when reading any of his books; he is a master at pushing just the right buttons to elicit emotional responses one might never dream could be tripped so powerfully by a novel. Then again, there are few authors like Neal Shusterman out there today. Truly, there are few like him in the history of American literature.
From the first page, reading Bruiser is like being plunged beneath the ocean's waters to an exotic world that one has been ignorant of up until that moment, seeing all sorts of fascinating new life forms that would go unnoticed if one's sightline never went below the surface. The story is told from four alternating first-person perspectives: that of Tennyson, his twin sister Brontë, Brewster, and his younger brother Cody. It all starts when sixteen-year-old Brontë begins dating Brewster (commonly called "Bruiser"), who is mocked around their school as a dangerous and unpredictable guy because of his massive physicality and constant brooding. Tennyson doesn't like the look of their relationship right from the beginning; he knows that his sister has sort of a soft spot for creatures in need of rescue, and he figures that Brewster is her latest reclamation project. This isn't an innocent puppy that Brontë has become involved with this time, though. Tennyson believes that she could get hurt by going out with Brewster, and so he aims to put a stop to it before anything goes too far.
Brewster's life is explosive, and indeed dangerous, but not at all in the way Tennyson imagined. When Tennyson allows himself a closer look at the real Brewster and his eight-year-old brother, Cody, living at home with their uncle without the negative influence of the unkind peers at school to alter Brewster's natural behavior, Tennyson realizes that he had totally misjudged Brewster. There are some mysterious things going on with Brontë's troubled new boyfriend that don't bode well for the future, but Brewster himself appears to pose no legitimate threat.
"I'll never understand how a man can live his life
With his finger on the self-destruct button,
Holding it there day after day,
Blinded by an obsession to press it
But lacking the conviction to do even that."
—Brewster, Bruiser, P. 199
The mystical, almost supernatural secret that Brewster is holding on to can't be kept forever, given the closeness that he now has to both Tennyson and Brontë. Brewster has a certain power to aid those he cares about by taking on the burdens they experience in a most tangible and all-inclusive way. He is capable of quite literally absorbing the ailments of his friends and family, a power that has continuous consequences and will not release him from its grip even if he wanted to be spared the suffering. But he doesn't want to be spared, most of the time. Brewster doesn't seek to be exempted from the ramifications of his strange ability, because he wants to be able to take on the hurt of the people he cares about; he wants to be able to do something that will make their lives better, even if it means sacrificing the quality of his own life to be able to do it.
"How can you do the right thing when you can't figure out what that is? When all you have before you are choices in various shades of wrong?"
—Bruiser, P. 285
Trouble lurks in Tennyson and Brontë's family by way of big conflict in their parents' marriage, but even worse trouble is coming ahead for Brewster and his brother as their uncle grows increasingly disgruntled by the amount of time that Brewster spends away from home with his new friends. Brewster's mere presence is a natural anesthesia that one grows accustomed to having around at all times, and the absence of pain and negative feelings can prove quite addictive. Brewster's uncle isn't the only one that it affects this way, either; soon Tennyson and Brontë will have to face the full effects of Brewster's ever-present ability themselves, and see what friendship really means to them in the face of a painkiller so strong and absolute.
Bruiser largely defies straightforward synopsis. Neal Shusterman builds word upon word, paragraph upon paragraph, chapter upon chapter and idea upon mind-bending idea with such ingenious complexity that it all fits together like a 3-D puzzle, individual pieces meaning very little without the rest of the story to support them. It's a book filled with explosive concepts of understanding the human mind and what it means to be happy, incorporating new and innovative philosophies that will leave anyone dumbfounded by the intrinsic experiential wisdom that is so stunningly and consistently revealed. What does it mean to take away another person's pain in real life? In what ways does agreeing to be in a friendship automatically result in absorbing the discomforts and hurts of that other person, so that we feel their wounds as if they were our own, and how can we decide whether or not it's worth it to give ourselves away in such a wholehearted manner? Can a prolonged state of no pain ever move a person completely toward ultimate joy, or do we always have to be moving away from despair and hurt to be moving toward happiness, fighting against the movement itself in our belief that we don't want things in our life to change, yet nonetheless needing that constant change to feel happy at all? Bruiser is loaded with sharp observances fleshed out in its incredible lineup of characters, and neither the observances or characters will ever let go once they have fastened onto your heart and mind.
On the back of this book, there's a quote about Bruiser from renowned author Laurie Halse Anderson that I think describes the novel perfectly: "The English language needs another noun: 'a shusterman.' It means a book that is guaranteed to grip you from beginning to end and leave you thinking about the characters for years, just like BRUISER will. Buckle up and prepare for a great ride!" I'm sure that I cannot say it any better than that. I promise that you will never read another book like Bruiser, and after reading it you will never look at the world in quite the same way as you did before. That's the type of impact that Neal Shusterman is capable of leaving through the potency of his writing, and it is a true wonder that I marvel at to no end.
—Bruiser, P. 194
Neal Shusterman's writing is otherworldly. Prepare to be blown away by his powers of storytelling when reading any of his books; he is a master at pushing just the right buttons to elicit emotional responses one might never dream could be tripped so powerfully by a novel. Then again, there are few authors like Neal Shusterman out there today. Truly, there are few like him in the history of American literature.
From the first page, reading Bruiser is like being plunged beneath the ocean's waters to an exotic world that one has been ignorant of up until that moment, seeing all sorts of fascinating new life forms that would go unnoticed if one's sightline never went below the surface. The story is told from four alternating first-person perspectives: that of Tennyson, his twin sister Brontë, Brewster, and his younger brother Cody. It all starts when sixteen-year-old Brontë begins dating Brewster (commonly called "Bruiser"), who is mocked around their school as a dangerous and unpredictable guy because of his massive physicality and constant brooding. Tennyson doesn't like the look of their relationship right from the beginning; he knows that his sister has sort of a soft spot for creatures in need of rescue, and he figures that Brewster is her latest reclamation project. This isn't an innocent puppy that Brontë has become involved with this time, though. Tennyson believes that she could get hurt by going out with Brewster, and so he aims to put a stop to it before anything goes too far.
Brewster's life is explosive, and indeed dangerous, but not at all in the way Tennyson imagined. When Tennyson allows himself a closer look at the real Brewster and his eight-year-old brother, Cody, living at home with their uncle without the negative influence of the unkind peers at school to alter Brewster's natural behavior, Tennyson realizes that he had totally misjudged Brewster. There are some mysterious things going on with Brontë's troubled new boyfriend that don't bode well for the future, but Brewster himself appears to pose no legitimate threat.
"I'll never understand how a man can live his life
With his finger on the self-destruct button,
Holding it there day after day,
Blinded by an obsession to press it
But lacking the conviction to do even that."
—Brewster, Bruiser, P. 199
The mystical, almost supernatural secret that Brewster is holding on to can't be kept forever, given the closeness that he now has to both Tennyson and Brontë. Brewster has a certain power to aid those he cares about by taking on the burdens they experience in a most tangible and all-inclusive way. He is capable of quite literally absorbing the ailments of his friends and family, a power that has continuous consequences and will not release him from its grip even if he wanted to be spared the suffering. But he doesn't want to be spared, most of the time. Brewster doesn't seek to be exempted from the ramifications of his strange ability, because he wants to be able to take on the hurt of the people he cares about; he wants to be able to do something that will make their lives better, even if it means sacrificing the quality of his own life to be able to do it.
"How can you do the right thing when you can't figure out what that is? When all you have before you are choices in various shades of wrong?"
—Bruiser, P. 285
Trouble lurks in Tennyson and Brontë's family by way of big conflict in their parents' marriage, but even worse trouble is coming ahead for Brewster and his brother as their uncle grows increasingly disgruntled by the amount of time that Brewster spends away from home with his new friends. Brewster's mere presence is a natural anesthesia that one grows accustomed to having around at all times, and the absence of pain and negative feelings can prove quite addictive. Brewster's uncle isn't the only one that it affects this way, either; soon Tennyson and Brontë will have to face the full effects of Brewster's ever-present ability themselves, and see what friendship really means to them in the face of a painkiller so strong and absolute.
Bruiser largely defies straightforward synopsis. Neal Shusterman builds word upon word, paragraph upon paragraph, chapter upon chapter and idea upon mind-bending idea with such ingenious complexity that it all fits together like a 3-D puzzle, individual pieces meaning very little without the rest of the story to support them. It's a book filled with explosive concepts of understanding the human mind and what it means to be happy, incorporating new and innovative philosophies that will leave anyone dumbfounded by the intrinsic experiential wisdom that is so stunningly and consistently revealed. What does it mean to take away another person's pain in real life? In what ways does agreeing to be in a friendship automatically result in absorbing the discomforts and hurts of that other person, so that we feel their wounds as if they were our own, and how can we decide whether or not it's worth it to give ourselves away in such a wholehearted manner? Can a prolonged state of no pain ever move a person completely toward ultimate joy, or do we always have to be moving away from despair and hurt to be moving toward happiness, fighting against the movement itself in our belief that we don't want things in our life to change, yet nonetheless needing that constant change to feel happy at all? Bruiser is loaded with sharp observances fleshed out in its incredible lineup of characters, and neither the observances or characters will ever let go once they have fastened onto your heart and mind.
On the back of this book, there's a quote about Bruiser from renowned author Laurie Halse Anderson that I think describes the novel perfectly: "The English language needs another noun: 'a shusterman.' It means a book that is guaranteed to grip you from beginning to end and leave you thinking about the characters for years, just like BRUISER will. Buckle up and prepare for a great ride!" I'm sure that I cannot say it any better than that. I promise that you will never read another book like Bruiser, and after reading it you will never look at the world in quite the same way as you did before. That's the type of impact that Neal Shusterman is capable of leaving through the potency of his writing, and it is a true wonder that I marvel at to no end.
September 24, 2018
As I have probably said for every Neal Shusterman book I have reviewed, I love that his stories make me think. Bruiser was no exception.
This story takes the idea of an empathy (both physical and emotional) and shows how someone might react if they took on the pains of those they cared about. It can be confusing, but it was also fascinating to see Shusterman tackle how this might play out.
I liked all of the characters and appreciated that each of them annoyed me at various points. None of them were perfect. And Bronte and Tennyson are excellent names! Loved that.
There were some excellent friendship moments in this, including a nice bromance between two of our main characters. Hard topics were tackled, like abuse and bullying, but done very well. Another solid book from Neal Shusterman.
This story takes the idea of an empathy (both physical and emotional) and shows how someone might react if they took on the pains of those they cared about. It can be confusing, but it was also fascinating to see Shusterman tackle how this might play out.
I liked all of the characters and appreciated that each of them annoyed me at various points. None of them were perfect. And Bronte and Tennyson are excellent names! Loved that.
There were some excellent friendship moments in this, including a nice bromance between two of our main characters. Hard topics were tackled, like abuse and bullying, but done very well. Another solid book from Neal Shusterman.
October 18, 2021
Well, I definitely did not open this book anticipating to finish it tonight.
4.3 stars
“What's the point of living if you're going to hate the world? Guard your heart if you have to, but don't shut it away.”
I really really loved the concept in this book, it was so unique and made me think deep about pain and emotions.
The characters were so 3 dimensional, and I was intrigued enough to keep flipping the pages. This book was super deep but also super light-hearted at the same time. This is my first Neal Shusterman book, and I was pretty pleasantly surprised.
That being said, I can't pin the nail on why I didn't die-hard love this novel, but it was an interesting and super fantastic read. Would for sure recommend!
Have a wonderful evening 😎.
4.3 stars
“What's the point of living if you're going to hate the world? Guard your heart if you have to, but don't shut it away.”
I really really loved the concept in this book, it was so unique and made me think deep about pain and emotions.
The characters were so 3 dimensional, and I was intrigued enough to keep flipping the pages. This book was super deep but also super light-hearted at the same time. This is my first Neal Shusterman book, and I was pretty pleasantly surprised.
That being said, I can't pin the nail on why I didn't die-hard love this novel, but it was an interesting and super fantastic read. Would for sure recommend!
Have a wonderful evening 😎.
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