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A review by n_asyikin_
Real Life by Brandon Taylor
5.0
TW: graphic depiction of violence & rape; racism; homophobia; eating disorder; body issues
It's been awhile since I read something that stunned me into deeper contemplation. The uncertainty about one's life & what to do with it, was so universal & completely relatable, I can't help but feel settled by the similarities between some aspects of Wallace's experience & my own (especially since we're both navigating grad school).
Also, Taylor's writing, its perceptiveness, has to be one of the most beautiful I've encountered. I could get lost in Taylor's rhethoric, but still find myself firmly rooted to the ground. Taylor made me see the world in a new light. But what I liked most about it is that there was solace to be found in the acceptance of all the ugliness & beauties we encountered along with Wallace. The bittersweetness of it all, makes me connect to him in ways I haven't for awhile with anyone (fictional or not).
When I think about Wallace, I think about a man who has been dealt with many injustices. I see a man who thought the traumas, all cruelties he was subjected to, was something deserved. It boils my blood for the mistreatment he was subjected to; many manifestations of microaggression were highlighted within this story - and also, forms of abuses. It was not easy to read through, but the raw honesty must be reflected upon especially in terms of how these traumas impacted the victims' lives. For example, aside from explicit racism, consider the impact of complicity in racism, e.g., Wallace's "friends", & how the onus to address it often fall on the victims. Also, how Wallace processed sexual abuses in a way that made him thought those were punishments for his supposed inadequacy; highlighting the normalization on how we dehumanized victims, in a way, that unfortunately, may contribute to self-blame. (This can be seen towards how he sought abusive partners during childhood; his interactions & subsequent justification of Miller's abuses).
'Real Life' is a powerful read. Uncomfortably graphic. Infuriatingly raw. But incredibly insightful, and heartbreaking wrapped in a beautiful narrative.
It's been awhile since I read something that stunned me into deeper contemplation. The uncertainty about one's life & what to do with it, was so universal & completely relatable, I can't help but feel settled by the similarities between some aspects of Wallace's experience & my own (especially since we're both navigating grad school).
Also, Taylor's writing, its perceptiveness, has to be one of the most beautiful I've encountered. I could get lost in Taylor's rhethoric, but still find myself firmly rooted to the ground. Taylor made me see the world in a new light. But what I liked most about it is that there was solace to be found in the acceptance of all the ugliness & beauties we encountered along with Wallace. The bittersweetness of it all, makes me connect to him in ways I haven't for awhile with anyone (fictional or not).
When I think about Wallace, I think about a man who has been dealt with many injustices. I see a man who thought the traumas, all cruelties he was subjected to, was something deserved. It boils my blood for the mistreatment he was subjected to; many manifestations of microaggression were highlighted within this story - and also, forms of abuses. It was not easy to read through, but the raw honesty must be reflected upon especially in terms of how these traumas impacted the victims' lives. For example, aside from explicit racism, consider the impact of complicity in racism, e.g., Wallace's "friends", & how the onus to address it often fall on the victims. Also, how Wallace processed sexual abuses in a way that made him thought those were punishments for his supposed inadequacy; highlighting the normalization on how we dehumanized victims, in a way, that unfortunately, may contribute to self-blame. (This can be seen towards how he sought abusive partners during childhood; his interactions & subsequent justification of Miller's abuses).
'Real Life' is a powerful read. Uncomfortably graphic. Infuriatingly raw. But incredibly insightful, and heartbreaking wrapped in a beautiful narrative.