Real Life

Brandon Taylor

Save:

Who Would Like This Book:

If you love beautifully crafted, introspective novels that peel back the layers of identity, alienation, and the complexities of academia, then 'Real Life' will hook you. Brandon Taylor’s prose is truly stunning - lyrical, precise, and often breathtaking in its ability to capture both the minutiae and the emotional largeness of everyday life. The story follows Wallace, a Black, gay grad student navigating an almost entirely white Midwestern university, making it especially resonant for readers interested in themes of race, sexuality, outsider-ness, and academic pressure. Fans of literary fiction, campus novels, and character-driven narratives will find a lot to ponder (and underline!) here.

Who May Not Like This Book:

Some readers found the book oppressively bleak, struggling with its heavy tone and emotionally withdrawn characters - particularly Wallace, who many felt was difficult to connect with or root for. The relentless introspection and repetition, combined with dialogue that can sometimes feel artificial or stilted, left others cold. If you prefer upbeat reads, action-driven plots, or novels where the characters are instantly likeable or the story offers clear hope or resolution, this might not be your cup of tea.

Exquisitely written and emotionally raw, 'Real Life' is a powerful but heavy campus novel, best for those who appreciate deep dives into alienation, identity, and the messiness of relationships. Bring your highlighter - and maybe a box of tissues.

About:

"Real Life" by Brandon Taylor is a novel that delves into the life of Wallace, a young black man navigating the challenges of being a graduate student in a predominantly white academic environment. The book explores themes of loneliness, racial discrimination, and the struggle for intimacy, all while portraying the inner turmoil of the protagonist. Through vivid descriptions and meticulous attention to detail, the author paints a poignant picture of Wallace's emotional journey as he grapples with his past, present, and uncertain future.

The narrative of "Real Life" unfolds over a few days in Wallace's life, capturing his experiences with microaggressions, hostilities, and his own depression. The writing style is characterized by its beauty, emotional depth, and the ability to evoke realistic social moments and raw emotions. The novel skillfully addresses complex topics such as racism, sexuality, and personal trauma, while also highlighting the challenges of academic life and the search for connection amidst isolation.

Characters:

The characters, particularly Wallace, are complex and flawed, reflecting their inner struggles and the inherent tensions within their social circle.

Writing/Prose:

The author's style is marked by stunning prose that captures nuanced emotions and complex social dynamics with remarkable lyricism.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative centers on a young black man's intense weekend, exploring his feelings of alienation, trauma, and the challenges of navigating a white academic environment.

Setting:

The setting combines academic institutions with the nuances of a racially and socially charged environment, central to the characters' experiences.

Pacing:

The pacing is methodical, effectively emphasizing the weight of the emotional challenges faced by the characters.

It was a cool evening in late summer when Wallace, his father dead for several weeks, decided that he would meet his friends at the pier after all. The lake was dimpled with white waves. People covete...

Notes:

The main character, Wallace, is a black gay man studying biochemistry at a predominantly white university in the Midwest.

The story takes place over a single weekend, focusing on intense emotional and social dynamics among graduate students.

Wallace grapples with feelings of isolation due to his background and identity, which is further complicated by the recent death of his father.

The novel explores themes of racism, homophobia, and the pressures of academia, portraying the microaggressions Wallace faces.

Brandon Taylor's writing is noted for its beautiful prose, with some comparing it to the works of Tolstoy and Morrison.

The book has received critical acclaim, making it to the Booker Prize shortlist in 2020.

Wallace's experiences highlight the challenges of being a minority in a competitive academic environment, often feeling like an outsider among his mostly white friends.

The narrative shifts from past to present tense, symbolizing a transition in Wallace's life and his struggle to separate from his painful past.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings for Real Life include discussions of racism, homophobia, childhood trauma, sexual violence, and emotional distress, reflecting the serious and often heavy themes present in the narrative.

Has Romance?

While there are romantic elements between Wallace and Miller, the romance is complicated and serves more as a backdrop for character exploration than a primary focus.

From The Publisher:

A FINALIST for the Booker Prize, the National Book Critics Circle John Leonard Prize, the VCU/Cabell First Novelist Prize, the Lambda Literary Award, the NYPL Young Lions Award, and the Edmund White Debut Fiction Award

"A blistering coming of age story" -O: The Oprah Magazine

Named a Best Book of the Year by The New York Times, The Washington Post, New York Public Library, Vanity Fair, Elle, NPR, The Guardian, The Paris Review, Harper's Bazaar, Financial Times, Huffington Post, BBC, Shondaland, Barnes & Noble, Vulture, Thrillist, Vice, Self, Electric Literature, and Shelf Awareness

A novel of startling intimacy, violence, and mercy among friends in a Midwestern university town, from an electric new voice.

Almost everything about Wallace is at odds with the Midwestern university town where he is working uneasily toward a biochem degree. An introverted young man from Alabama, black and queer, he has left behind his family without escaping the long shadows of his childhood. For reasons of self-preservation, Wallace has enforced a wary distance even within his own circle of friends-some dating each other, some dating women, some feigning straightness. But over the course of a late-summer weekend, a series of confrontations with colleagues, and an unexpected encounter with an ostensibly straight, white classmate, conspire to fracture his defenses while exposing long-hidden currents of hostility and desire within their community.

Real Life is a novel of profound and lacerating power, a story that asks if it's ever really possible to overcome our private wounds, and at what cost.

February 2020

•

338 pages

Ratings (8)

Incredible (2)
Loved It (1)
Liked It (2)
It Was OK (2)
Hated It (1)

Reader Stats (55):

Read It (7)
Want To Read (41)
Did Not Finish (1)
Not Interested (6)

What can you read after
Real Life?

See the list (100 books)

About the Author:

Brandon Taylor is the author of the acclaimed novel Real Life, which has been shortlisted for the Booker Prize, longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, and named a New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice. He holds graduate…

Meet New Books is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products and services on amazon.com and its subsidiaries.
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.