Title:  Bruiser

Author:  Neal Shusterman

Genre:  Young Adult Fantasy

Rating:  

I just read a fantasy book for young adults titled Bruiser, by Neal Shusterman, that made me feel tremendous sympathy and empathy for the characters. Bruiser is about a kid everyone calls The Bruiser, who wants to have friends, but shuts them out at the same time. When Tennyson’s twin sister, Brontë, becomes The Bruiser’s girlfriend, Tennyson is bothered by it and investigates. He discovers that the Bruiser steals pain from everyone he cares about. When someone breaks an arm, for example, The Bruiser’s arm breaks instead.

What I like most about this book is that Shusterman is a master at switching perspectives between multiple protagonists. Bruiser shows the power of emotions to their fullest extent when the twins’ parents are affected by his “gift” in a strange way. I would rate this book 5 stars!

Reviewer:  Untrustworthy Doofus

Age:  14