A review by fiskestreetlittlelibrary
Brutes by Dizz Tate

slow-paced

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

2.5

When I was a teenager, David Lynch movies were all the rage. They had a definite vibe and the music was good. But they also gave me a certain kind of stress headache because I never really understood what was happening. 

Let’s just say this book has that vibe: It’s got everything it needs to be a thrilling - albeit weird - coming of age story focused on a missing teen girl from a gated community adjacent to a Florida theme park. 

Unfortunately, I never really knew what was happening and when I occasionally found my footing it was pulled out from me again on the next page. The collective “we” narration was uncomfortable (I don’t trust collective storytelling) and the intertwining first person time shifts threw me off. 

And yet here and there were pieces of writing that made me gasp at their poignancy.