I don't want to explain too much about the story (and I appreciated that the jacket flap doesn't give anything away). Tennyson and Bronte are twins. (Their parents are English Lit professors--can you tell?) Tennyson is the athletic tough brother. Bronte begins to date Brewster (whose nickname is Bruiser) and Tennyson doesn't approve. Brewster is one of those kids whose clothes don't fit; he's a loner and lives in a run-down house. He's quiet at school and doesn't have many friends.
Tennyson tries to find out more about Brewster, so he can get Bronte to drop him, but the plan backfires. What he figures out is quite surprising and not at all what he expected. He's still worried about Bronte, but doesn't want to tell her his suspicions. Soon, Bronte understands Brewster's special abilities and the difficulties he faces. But no one can understand how Brewster's life will be affected as his relationships with Bronte, Tennyson, their parents, and their friends develop.
Shusterman, as usual, delivers a quick, fast-paced, tightly written teen story that is easy to read and appropriate for boys or girls. It is interesting how our first impressions of Brewster turn out to be so wrong. I did see the implications of Brewster's ability long before the characters in the book, but it was still interesting to watch them proceed through the plot, which seems like it can only end in disaster. And I grew to care enough about the characters, well, especially Brewster, enough that I didn't want bad things to happen!
Brewster's little brother, Cody, and their Uncle Hoyt are the only side characters that really add anything. Yes, the professorial parents are in the story, but they aren't very well-developed.
Bruiser defies classification. Yes, there is a bit of a paranormal ability, but it reads like a contemporary teen problem novel. Bruiser should appeal to a wide variety of teens, including reluctant readers and those who like books with a unique premise. If you are a fan of Shusterman, Bruiser is a must.
Published by HarperTeen, 2010
Copy obtained from the library
328 pages (qualifies for my Books You Can Read in a Day Challenge!)
Rating: 3.5/5
I've go this in my pile to read this summer and am looking forward to it
ReplyDeleteI have only read Unwind by Shusterman, and I loved it. I should try another one of his books instead of sitting around anxiously awaiting the second in the Unwind series. Thank you for your informative review, Annette.
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by my blog. I knew your daughter was getting married soon, but I thought it was in July. I can't imagine doing school AND wedding at the same time. My youngest daughter just left for a month in Italy two days after the wedding, so we had to make a quick pivot to get her ready and out the door on time. Today I stepped into her room to put something away and couldn't believe the state of it. Like a bomb went off or something. Guess you know what I will be doing this summer...readjusting my life and cleaning up after kids, even though they aren't here anymore. My oldest is here right now moving her clothes out of her room. She doesn't have a very big car so I am sure that she'll be back soon for more loads.
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