A review by fepope
Brutes by Dizz Tate

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was beautiful and haunting. I usually read e-books but decided to get a physical copy and I am so glad I did. This book is marked up with highlighted lines that read like straight poetry. Dizz Tate did such an impactful and delicate job with the heavy topics (Content Warning for Brutes: CSA, mentions of animal (insect, technically) cruelty, and drug/alcohol abuse. There are likely more that I am not mentioning, so please look for a more detailed warning and take care of yourself.) This book is definitely meant to be read in a slow and purposeful way, and I'd argue that it will take me multiple reads to explore everything I wish within these girls' lives. Expect to be confused to most of the book, have a light-bulb moment towards the end, and to sit back after the last page confused again. I think those who disliked it because they didn't "get it" should retry with the understanding that THAT is the point. A gang of 13-year-old girls will only ever truly make sense to other 13-year-old girls, even when they don't even know themselves yet. Reading this book is like having minuscule, insignificant fragments of my young self come alive again.
 TL;DR: Weird Girlhood at It's Greatest, Proceed Slowly!
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