Real Life

Real Life by Brandon Taylor offers a poignant and intense portrayal of a young black queer man's struggle for acceptance and identity in a predominantly white academic setting. Taylor's prose is both sharp and intimate, capturing the nuanced emotions and conflicts of his protagonist, Wallace, with precision. While the narrative occasionally feels disjointed, the raw honesty and depth of the character study make this novel a compelling read.

The early chapters have lengthy descriptions of the main character's work in the lab and a lot of science jargon. I don't think this would interest the average reader. Overall the book is sparse on dialogue between the characters. When they are speaking, there is a good amount of sarcasm, defensiveness, insecurity and lashing out. I suspect if these "friends" spent more time away from each other it would be healthier.Wallace, the main character, has a ton of baggage and poor social skills. I understood the isolation he felt due to his race, but he also created friction. As much as the story was about his experiences as a black man in a white environment, it was mostly explored in his mind. There was not a meaningful discussion with the other characters about how he felt. This would have made the story more interesting.Last, I kept waiting for him to stand up for himself more or make different choices in certain situations. In the end he was hard to root for.

I remember one of my grad-school professors saying that nobody could ever write a good novel about grad school -- it provides neither the drama of adolescence nor the realism of adulthood. I was hoping that _Real Life_ might prove that adage wrong. It didn't. I really wanted to like this novel, but I couldn't make it through. Just so much empty wheel-spinning by people who by all rights ought to be adults, but just aren't.

This is the best novel I have read in years. It is well written and intersectional in a unique way. Mr. Taylor has perfectly captured feelings of otherness and belonging through the protagonist. As I read this, I kept sending quotes to my friends and family. This would be a perfect selection for LGBT+ book clubs. Highly recommended!

A striking and surprising novel about a black, gay graduate student at a midwestern university who is as much at odds with himself as he is with his environment. He is the only black student in his program. The story is incredibly illuminating about the constant ways in which black people find themselves isolated by, pointed at, remarked upon, by seemingly clueless white folks.Wallace is a scientist whose research is struggling. One of his fellow grad students wonders whether he's reaching beyond his abilities. Of course, the speaker doesn't overtly intend the racism which Wallace senses acutely - and surely accurately. Wallace is deeply uncomfortable in his own skin, for any number of reasons, some of which are revealed as the novel progresses. Most surprisingly, he takes up with Miller, a seemingly straight fellow student, in a relationship more fraught than tender.At one remarkable moment, Wallace opens up to Miller about his past, in a section that is a virtuoso display of Taylor's gifts as a writer. In all honestly, it reminded me of Faulkner's THE BEAR, when that story took us on an extended divertissement of lyrical prose. I was breathless at the end of this lengthy chapter.Everyone struggles to connect throughout this multi-layered tale. Are these people friends out of proximity, or do some genuinely care about one another? So much is unclear in a novel where ambiguity is as essential as narrative.Taylor is the real deal, a striking and original voice.