Bruiser

Content Ratings

Mild Romance

Brontë's developing feelings for Bruiser are tender and emotionally honest; the relationship is sweet and appropriate for the age group.

Moderate Themes

The novel confronts domestic abuse through Bruiser's backstory, the psychological cost of being someone who takes others' pain into themselves, and the meaning of true friendship when it requires genuine sacrifice.

Mild Violence

The bruises that indicate Bruiser's pain-absorption, his home situation, and the revelation of domestic abuse in his background are depicted with emotional honesty.

Synopsis

Told in alternating perspectives, the novel follows twins Brontë and Tennyson who befriend the mysterious Bruiser—a boy covered in bruises who seems to absorb the pain of those around him—and must confront the dark reality of what his supernatural ability actually requires. A poignant, formally inventive novel about empathy, sacrifice, and the damage of absorbing others' suffering.