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Brutal
With her martyr-doctor mother gone to save lives in some South American country, Poe Holly suddenly finds herself on the suburban doorstep of the father she never knew, who also happens to be a counselor at her new high school. She misses Los Angeles. She misses the guys in her punk band. Weirdly, she even misses the shouting matches she used to have with her mom.
But Poe manages to find a few friends: Theo, the cute guy in the anarchy Tshirt, and Velveeta, her oddly likeable neighbor—and a born victim who’s the butt of every prank at Benders High. But when the pranks turn deadly at the hands of invincible football star Colby Morris, Poe knows she’s got to fix the system and take down the hero.
With insightfulness, spot-on dialogue, and a swiftly paced plot, Michael Harmon tells the story of a displaced girl grappling with a truly dangerous bully.
From the Hardcover edition.
But Poe manages to find a few friends: Theo, the cute guy in the anarchy Tshirt, and Velveeta, her oddly likeable neighbor—and a born victim who’s the butt of every prank at Benders High. But when the pranks turn deadly at the hands of invincible football star Colby Morris, Poe knows she’s got to fix the system and take down the hero.
With insightfulness, spot-on dialogue, and a swiftly paced plot, Michael Harmon tells the story of a displaced girl grappling with a truly dangerous bully.
From the Hardcover edition.
256 pages, Library Binding
First published March 10, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
November 11, 2012
Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com
When sixteen-year-old Poe Holly's doctor mother decides to take her practice to the jungles of South America for a year, Poe finds herself living with the father she has never really known. She was a baby the last time her parents were in the same room together, and now she's moving into his house.
Since her mother is usually busy 24/7, Poe is used to living on her own. It's a welcome relief to find out her father is willing to allow her a fair amount of freedom, but his neat and tidy house soon becomes her home, and she is surprised how much she enjoys it. The shared meals and conversation aren't nearly as dreadful as she anticipated. The major weird thing about the arrangement is that when Poe starts school at the local high school, she's not sure how to handle the fact that David Holly, her newly inherited dad, is the school counselor.
Life in Benders Hollow is way different than the punk rocker life Poe is used to. Music is her life, and leaving her band was one of the hardest things she had to do. When her father suggests she could join the school choir and maybe even be one of their soloists, she rejects the idea as too lame to even consider. But after some contemplation, Poe stops in to visit the music teacher.
After hearing Poe's incredible voice, Mrs. Baird promises her a spot as the principal soloist. The result of that offer is one of Poe's first experiences with just exactly how the town of Benders Hollow works.
Poe soon learns that at Benders Hollow High School a select few have all the power. Although the school brags about its tolerance and its dedication to keeping its halls bully-free, Poe soon learns that the select few can do and say anything they want - and those in authority will look the other way.
Her father's odd neighbor, Velveeta, is a target for the rampant cruelty of Benders Hollow, and he provides just the reason Poe needs to stir things up a bit at her new school.
If you haven't had the pleasure of reading Michael Harmon, BRUTAL is a book you won't want to miss. His previous books, SKATE and THE LAST EXIT TO NORMAL, are excellent, but BRUTAL takes the prize in my opinion.
Poe is an independent thinker, and the way she champions the underdog should be an example to us all. She is a terrific combination of the two people who have parented her in such different ways. Our world would be a better place if more of us reacted to injustice like Poe did.
When sixteen-year-old Poe Holly's doctor mother decides to take her practice to the jungles of South America for a year, Poe finds herself living with the father she has never really known. She was a baby the last time her parents were in the same room together, and now she's moving into his house.
Since her mother is usually busy 24/7, Poe is used to living on her own. It's a welcome relief to find out her father is willing to allow her a fair amount of freedom, but his neat and tidy house soon becomes her home, and she is surprised how much she enjoys it. The shared meals and conversation aren't nearly as dreadful as she anticipated. The major weird thing about the arrangement is that when Poe starts school at the local high school, she's not sure how to handle the fact that David Holly, her newly inherited dad, is the school counselor.
Life in Benders Hollow is way different than the punk rocker life Poe is used to. Music is her life, and leaving her band was one of the hardest things she had to do. When her father suggests she could join the school choir and maybe even be one of their soloists, she rejects the idea as too lame to even consider. But after some contemplation, Poe stops in to visit the music teacher.
After hearing Poe's incredible voice, Mrs. Baird promises her a spot as the principal soloist. The result of that offer is one of Poe's first experiences with just exactly how the town of Benders Hollow works.
Poe soon learns that at Benders Hollow High School a select few have all the power. Although the school brags about its tolerance and its dedication to keeping its halls bully-free, Poe soon learns that the select few can do and say anything they want - and those in authority will look the other way.
Her father's odd neighbor, Velveeta, is a target for the rampant cruelty of Benders Hollow, and he provides just the reason Poe needs to stir things up a bit at her new school.
If you haven't had the pleasure of reading Michael Harmon, BRUTAL is a book you won't want to miss. His previous books, SKATE and THE LAST EXIT TO NORMAL, are excellent, but BRUTAL takes the prize in my opinion.
Poe is an independent thinker, and the way she champions the underdog should be an example to us all. She is a terrific combination of the two people who have parented her in such different ways. Our world would be a better place if more of us reacted to injustice like Poe did.
December 3, 2009
Only got 13 pages into this. Stopped shortly after the appearance of the overly clownish hick (complete with detailed announcements of his defecation plans). I found the protagonist overly-aware of her otherness (she describes herself as a "counterculture being") and thus, not believable. The snark was too contrived. I was thinking it might be a fun remix of by , but just read that instead.
June 1, 2015
I've read over 1000 books and this is probably the worst book I have ever read. I can't give a review without it turning into a raging rant about the depth of my ire, so I will leave it at that.
If you want a book about bullying, please look elsewhere. This one is Pulitzer-worthy compared to Brutal: .
If you want a book about bullying, please look elsewhere. This one is Pulitzer-worthy compared to Brutal: .
February 21, 2018
In Greek Mythology, a siren is a beautiful creature that lures sailors in with its enchanting voice, only to murder them. This is one of many examples of how appearances can be deceiving, another example being Brutal by Michael Harmon. Brutal is a teen fiction/realistic fiction centered around a troubled teenager named Poe as she moves to a new neighborhood where everything seems perfect on the surface.
Poe Holly is a teenager who is enraged by her mother’s lack of presence in her life, along with the mystery surrounding her absentee father. When Poe’s mother goes on yet another trip across the world, she is left to move in with her father David, the school guidance counselor in a quiet seemingly perfect suburb. In this new town she meets Velveeta, the strange yet kind next door neighbor, Theo, a student that shares Poe’s rebellious mindset, and Colby, the school’s stereotypical jock character. Through these three characters, conflict between her father, and problems at school, Poe realizes that not all is as it seems and everyone has their own dark secrets.
I give this book one star. In my opinion, a good book has dynamic characters, a unique plot, and actual dialogue instead of arguments that last six pages long and end in the protagonist storming out of the room. Poe Holly’s character seemed a bit forced, especially in the sense that she always had to live up to her stereotypical punk character. Nearly every conversation she had turned into a debate, and a very frustrating one that did not change or resolve anything. The ending seemed rushed, and the resolution was more of a temporary setback than an actual conclusion. I would not recommend this book to many people, except for those who enjoy reading nothing but arguments for three chapters straight, or those who love the stereotypical “outcast vs. jock� story line.
Poe Holly is a teenager who is enraged by her mother’s lack of presence in her life, along with the mystery surrounding her absentee father. When Poe’s mother goes on yet another trip across the world, she is left to move in with her father David, the school guidance counselor in a quiet seemingly perfect suburb. In this new town she meets Velveeta, the strange yet kind next door neighbor, Theo, a student that shares Poe’s rebellious mindset, and Colby, the school’s stereotypical jock character. Through these three characters, conflict between her father, and problems at school, Poe realizes that not all is as it seems and everyone has their own dark secrets.
I give this book one star. In my opinion, a good book has dynamic characters, a unique plot, and actual dialogue instead of arguments that last six pages long and end in the protagonist storming out of the room. Poe Holly’s character seemed a bit forced, especially in the sense that she always had to live up to her stereotypical punk character. Nearly every conversation she had turned into a debate, and a very frustrating one that did not change or resolve anything. The ending seemed rushed, and the resolution was more of a temporary setback than an actual conclusion. I would not recommend this book to many people, except for those who enjoy reading nothing but arguments for three chapters straight, or those who love the stereotypical “outcast vs. jock� story line.
April 18, 2009
I found this book funny, chuckle worthy, but in the ha-ha ironic type of way. Why? Because Poe really does represent everything she hates and fights against. Normally I would not dwell on this but the book goes into great lengths to talk and re-talk about this topic. We are talking cliques.
Poe mentions about the injustice in cliques and how certain groups receives special favors. She tries all she can to go against it and speak up to the “Man� about it. But what I found truly ironic was that, she herself separates into a clique. When she first attended the school, who does she sit by with in class? The outsider of course. The boy in the back row looking outcaste from the group looking, how should we say, punkish. Dun dun dun…just like her! With her Salvation Army shirts, ripped fishnet stocking, and a Mohawk of course Poe would not dream of following her group of people! That will completely go against everything she stands her! And let’s not forget the music. Only hard rockers are allowed to listen to Motley Crue, the Sex Pistol and Metallica (but God forbid you listen to the newer version). Anything mainstream? Pshhh you’re a poser!
But Poe can do no wrong. If fact she joins the choir! Well with a slight biased attitude. She berates the music teacher for judging her before her tryouts and when she does well she quits right there and then. Here’s the irony. She expected it; she probably wanted it just to prove her point. She later rejoins the team to piss someone off and going against the “Man�. Anyone seeing a pattern.
So yes, Poe aggravates me. Even so I could help but like the book. The humor was crude, and the actual plotline was done fair—though the ending could use a bit more of a touch up. I just wanted to mess with this idea because Michael Harmon emphasized on this topic.
Overall: Weird, righteous, but still downright entertaining. Especially when writing this review.
Poe mentions about the injustice in cliques and how certain groups receives special favors. She tries all she can to go against it and speak up to the “Man� about it. But what I found truly ironic was that, she herself separates into a clique. When she first attended the school, who does she sit by with in class? The outsider of course. The boy in the back row looking outcaste from the group looking, how should we say, punkish. Dun dun dun…just like her! With her Salvation Army shirts, ripped fishnet stocking, and a Mohawk of course Poe would not dream of following her group of people! That will completely go against everything she stands her! And let’s not forget the music. Only hard rockers are allowed to listen to Motley Crue, the Sex Pistol and Metallica (but God forbid you listen to the newer version). Anything mainstream? Pshhh you’re a poser!
But Poe can do no wrong. If fact she joins the choir! Well with a slight biased attitude. She berates the music teacher for judging her before her tryouts and when she does well she quits right there and then. Here’s the irony. She expected it; she probably wanted it just to prove her point. She later rejoins the team to piss someone off and going against the “Man�. Anyone seeing a pattern.
So yes, Poe aggravates me. Even so I could help but like the book. The humor was crude, and the actual plotline was done fair—though the ending could use a bit more of a touch up. I just wanted to mess with this idea because Michael Harmon emphasized on this topic.
Overall: Weird, righteous, but still downright entertaining. Especially when writing this review.
June 11, 2009
I have to say, I really, really enjoyed reading this novel probably because it exceeded my expectations.
I highly enjoyed the witty humor and the very interesting point of view, Poe.
The characters, Poe, Theo and Velveeta are highly personified and are developed nicely. I enjoyed Poe immensely because she's just so funny. I admire her courage to go against the school and its authorities to point out their errors. And even though she herself is the definition of the things she wants to get rid of, I love her approach because it's extremely ironic.
Theo is the typical sidekick and I absolutely adore him. He's funny and he's very easygoing. And despite the fact that he isn't as outspoken as Poe and the fact that he doesn't do anything to help Velveeta, he is still very against the school, their policy, in general.
Velveeta is the typical victim of school bullying. He's afraid of saying anything for fear of getting more hurt and more bullied. So instead, he keeps quiet about everything. He's a very quirky fellow and even though he's being bullied, I still find him courageous. He's not outwardly courageous but he has more of an inner courage. :) I love how Poe befriended him despite his weirdness and I personally find him as a very interesting person.
Overall, Brutal was a very entertaining read. It dwells in the idea of cliques and the idea of who fits in and who doesn't. The writing style made the book seem very worthwhile.
I highly enjoyed the witty humor and the very interesting point of view, Poe.
The characters, Poe, Theo and Velveeta are highly personified and are developed nicely. I enjoyed Poe immensely because she's just so funny. I admire her courage to go against the school and its authorities to point out their errors. And even though she herself is the definition of the things she wants to get rid of, I love her approach because it's extremely ironic.
Theo is the typical sidekick and I absolutely adore him. He's funny and he's very easygoing. And despite the fact that he isn't as outspoken as Poe and the fact that he doesn't do anything to help Velveeta, he is still very against the school, their policy, in general.
Velveeta is the typical victim of school bullying. He's afraid of saying anything for fear of getting more hurt and more bullied. So instead, he keeps quiet about everything. He's a very quirky fellow and even though he's being bullied, I still find him courageous. He's not outwardly courageous but he has more of an inner courage. :) I love how Poe befriended him despite his weirdness and I personally find him as a very interesting person.
Overall, Brutal was a very entertaining read. It dwells in the idea of cliques and the idea of who fits in and who doesn't. The writing style made the book seem very worthwhile.
December 12, 2018
The book is named Brutal. The author’s name is Michael Harmon. This book is about a school year of a very rebellious sophomore named Poe Holly who is living with her dad because her mom is in South America. She is in South America because she is doing surgery on “needy� people and the person who needs her the most is her very troubled daughter, Poe. Though Poe is able to find new friends in Bender’s Hollow California, she has to deal with horrible yet very popular football stars who are bullies. Her new high school “demotes� cliques but there are many cliques and the worst is the jock clique. The jock clique basically controls the school. Her friends land her in some trouble when she tries to help her best friend not get killed by the leader of the the jock clique, Colby Morris. In the end, some people leave and some stay at Bender’s Hollow but Poe now has a proper father.
I liked this book up until the end but I can’t say what happened because of spoilers. The author did not put much effort into ending the book and it seemed like he wanted it just to be done. I rate this book a 3 out of 5 because of the end.
I liked this book up until the end but I can’t say what happened because of spoilers. The author did not put much effort into ending the book and it seemed like he wanted it just to be done. I rate this book a 3 out of 5 because of the end.
August 14, 2009
Poe feels spurned when her mother sets her on a plane to go live with the dad she's never met. Poe is sarcastic and witty, cutting and strong. She sees the wrongness in the school- that the school preaches equality, but that's never true. Teachers and adults turn a blind eye on the bullying, the fact that the athletes etc. have more rights and privileges than the other students. Poe sees all that- and she strives to change it. She fights, verbally, for a lot of different things. She fights just because she can. She fights to help Velveeta, a messed up boy being physically harassed by the big popular athletes. She fights against any prejudices anyone has against her.
All of the secondary characters are also wonderful, interesting, and unique. Theo speaks in metaphors a lot of the time, and actually, is hard to understand at times. I pride myself on being intelligent, but it took a real brain workout at times to sift through all that he talked of. He dislikes the school hierarchy also, but doesn't believe he can do much until Poe comes around. Velveeta is a very strange boy that has many problems. Poe's dad is the school counsellor, and therefore speaks very coldly and clipped. Colby, the school bully, is a mean and vicious boy. Anna, cheerleader and head soloist in the amazing school choir, is probably my favourite character. She seems like a typical annoying cheerleader, but she has a good heart and will stand up when needed.
The dialogue is hilarious. The humor is perfect and quirky. In some scenes, I could feel Poe's anger (she yells and swears a lot) bounce off the walls. The atmosphere would vibrate with Poe's intensity. Then there were scenes that were quite cute- I loved the relationship between Poe and Theo. Some scenes, I didn't really know what to make of. Mostly, those scenes were with Velveeta, who I honestly couldn't understand. But what the different scenes all had in common, was that they were all well done.
Brutal comments on many of the social aspects of life in a small, closed-minded town. While Poe sets out to change the ways of the school, in the process, she also changes. She has to realize things about herself.
Actually, in some ways, Brutal seemed like the small-town version of Genesis. There's a lot of discussions about the deeper things in life. A different type of deep in Brutal than in Genesis, but I feel it's deep all the same.
Overall, great great read. I recommend it. It's quirky, it's powerful, and it gets across the message. Great, fun characters in a book that reads quickly. It packs quite the punch for being only a little more than 200 pages.
May 3, 2011
Ok, the cover of the paperback edition has a blurb on the cover that makes it sound like the book is simply a case of bully vs. protagonist. Thing is, it's not really about the bully at all. Sure Colby's a complete jerk and definitely the catalyst for action, but the book is really about about fighting the establishment that allows bullying to take place. You see, Poe Holly has just moved to a small, upscale winery town on the California coast. She's been living in LA most of her life, singing in a punk band and generally being a pain in her mother's derriere. Now, living with her dad for the first time ever, she's not really sure about that, either. She meets a couple of the other notorious outcasts from school and forges an immediate bond with them as well as a healthy dislike for any and all elements of her new high school's regime. She spends a lot of time putting up a stink about rules that come across as unfair and rattles the cages of the faculty at Bender's High. Then she witnesses a severe beating, only to find it being covered up and glossed over by all authority figures. She's pissed. And she's going to do something about it.
So, Poe was an interesting enough character. She's a classic angst-filled teen, imbued with a heightened sense of justice. You love her and you hate her. Sometimes I was cheering for her; others, I was severely annoyed (particularly when it comes to her and her dad). But that's cool, her complexity is one of the few things keeping this book afloat. The target of the bullies, Velveeta and Poe's new bf, Theo are two of the other things working in favor of this novel. They're hilarious and multi-dimensional as well. The rest of the characters, however, are pretty much stock characters. The bully is the school's football star and his parents are well-connected. While the father character seems like a pretty nice guy, he constantly comes off as a therapist. Granted, he's a guidance counselor, but still...Absent mom is, well, absent. At least until the too-tidy ending. This book is more a vehicle for a message about questioning assumptions, rules and habits than a satisfying novel. The plot and writing are just a bit too messy and the conclusion far too predictable for this to have the impact that it could have.
So, Poe was an interesting enough character. She's a classic angst-filled teen, imbued with a heightened sense of justice. You love her and you hate her. Sometimes I was cheering for her; others, I was severely annoyed (particularly when it comes to her and her dad). But that's cool, her complexity is one of the few things keeping this book afloat. The target of the bullies, Velveeta and Poe's new bf, Theo are two of the other things working in favor of this novel. They're hilarious and multi-dimensional as well. The rest of the characters, however, are pretty much stock characters. The bully is the school's football star and his parents are well-connected. While the father character seems like a pretty nice guy, he constantly comes off as a therapist. Granted, he's a guidance counselor, but still...Absent mom is, well, absent. At least until the too-tidy ending. This book is more a vehicle for a message about questioning assumptions, rules and habits than a satisfying novel. The plot and writing are just a bit too messy and the conclusion far too predictable for this to have the impact that it could have.
April 29, 2013
When I first picked up this book, I thought that the premise of it could lead to something not completely predictable.
How wrong I was.
I dislike Poe. So much. I understand what she's trying to get at, but she feels so arrogant and has a 'I am always right how dare you defy me' sort of attitude. Rebellious characters are acceptable, but being excessively so is a bit much.
Not to mention that nothing really goes badly for her. And we're talking about almost every single little thing. Even the parts where she experiences some sort of humiliation or frustration with the system and so forth end up with her succeeding in whatever she's doing.
I'm not even going to mention the plot. Basically, the underdog can apparently get away with essentially everything and wins in the end. That's it. There's no real depth or lesson involved, except for maybe that you should stand up for what you think is right. Even then, this book gives the misleading message that doing so will always result in a near-immediate (if not immediate) victory.
All in all, I felt that she didn't fail enough to have any real character development, the plot was ridiculously predictable, and that it sends out a distorted message.
How wrong I was.
I dislike Poe. So much. I understand what she's trying to get at, but she feels so arrogant and has a 'I am always right how dare you defy me' sort of attitude. Rebellious characters are acceptable, but being excessively so is a bit much.
Not to mention that nothing really goes badly for her. And we're talking about almost every single little thing. Even the parts where she experiences some sort of humiliation or frustration with the system and so forth end up with her succeeding in whatever she's doing.
I'm not even going to mention the plot. Basically, the underdog can apparently get away with essentially everything and wins in the end. That's it. There's no real depth or lesson involved, except for maybe that you should stand up for what you think is right. Even then, this book gives the misleading message that doing so will always result in a near-immediate (if not immediate) victory.
All in all, I felt that she didn't fail enough to have any real character development, the plot was ridiculously predictable, and that it sends out a distorted message.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2010
Hmm, with Brutal, I couldn't decide between two or three stars. The topic of bullying and a main character who tries to do something to reform the educational system that not only doesn't prevent it but may actually encourage it are worthwhile. But the execution is didactic in many spots, and Harmon seems to sacrifice narrative, character, and writing style to message.
Nonconformist Poe Holly's doctor-mother has shipped her off to a father she doesn't know so that she can go play humanitarian in South America. Poe finds herself in a wealthy wine country tourist town where the school prides itself on, well, lots of pride. She revels in being different, but not all who fall outside the lines of cliques and power structure are lucky enough to choose. She befriends one such square peg who goes by the name of Velveeta and has become the target of BMOC Colby Morris. Can taking the prized soloist spot away from one of the perfect girls and refusing to wear a gym uniform shirt when althletes can wear their jerseys make any difference when bullying violence turns serious?
Nonconformist Poe Holly's doctor-mother has shipped her off to a father she doesn't know so that she can go play humanitarian in South America. Poe finds herself in a wealthy wine country tourist town where the school prides itself on, well, lots of pride. She revels in being different, but not all who fall outside the lines of cliques and power structure are lucky enough to choose. She befriends one such square peg who goes by the name of Velveeta and has become the target of BMOC Colby Morris. Can taking the prized soloist spot away from one of the perfect girls and refusing to wear a gym uniform shirt when althletes can wear their jerseys make any difference when bullying violence turns serious?
November 24, 2010
soo, i really enjoyed this one. Our main character Poe, was a character!! She was a little rebel. She makes me want to be more spunky.
In this book we are following Poe. Your run of the mill teenager, who is quite the rebel. She quickly becomes a school outcast, voicing her opinions and cutting her hair into a mohawk, befriending a social leper and defending the school's kick-around kid. Her quest for school equality and defense for the weak and picked on becomes quite the journey. How far will she go to stick up for others?
I'll just say the ending is happy... almost too happy.
I recommend this one, if you're not feeling it about half way through, it's not for you though. Try it out!
In this book we are following Poe. Your run of the mill teenager, who is quite the rebel. She quickly becomes a school outcast, voicing her opinions and cutting her hair into a mohawk, befriending a social leper and defending the school's kick-around kid. Her quest for school equality and defense for the weak and picked on becomes quite the journey. How far will she go to stick up for others?
I'll just say the ending is happy... almost too happy.
I recommend this one, if you're not feeling it about half way through, it's not for you though. Try it out!
June 22, 2009
Punkish type who resents her do-gooder mother goes to small town to live with previously unknown father. Long passages about school administrations' responsibility for creating culture of stratified cliques, and paying only lip-service to dealing with violence and bullying. Punkish type stands up to authority, makes a friend, gets a boyfriend, gets into dangerous situtation, solidifies relationship with previously unknown father, comes to terms with mother. Lots of dialogue, and plenty of sort of preachy monologue, in the sophisticated teen style - often funny.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 14, 2018
While I understand MANY of the points the main character, Poe advocates for, she has this tiresome, self-righteous attitude that makes it impossible to listen to her or give a crap about what she's saying. I seriously got so sick of her "I'm a non-conformist and so much better than everyone" attitude. She's a bully and uses violence JUST like the people she despises. I can't recommend that you read this.
June 23, 2012
The beginning was brutal to get through, but I enjoyed the ending.
June 6, 2017
Gutsy and extremely profane are the two words best describing Poe Holly. Dumped by her 'save-the-world mother, a doctor, she's sent from Los Angeles to live with her father in a small town in northern California. She's barely spoken to him and living with this strange adult who is the antithesis of her ultra-critical and strident mother is unsettling, to say the least. After making friends with an awkward neighbor nicknamed Velveeta and the mayor's goth-dressing son, Theo. Poe discovers how awful Velveeta's treated by school bullies and how cynical Theo has become as a result of watching his dad in politics. Add in that her dad is the school counselor and you have the perfect storm brewing. It makes for a very satisfying read, watching Poe take on the 'rules' at school, as well as forcing her dad to grow a pair by constantly forcing the issue of how hypocritical the way different kids are treated. Sure, there's an abundance of profanity, but it feels perfectly natural, given Poe's outrage at the unfairness. All in all, a very satisfying read.
December 4, 2019
This book was overall pretty mesmerizing. The author characterizes a young girl that is going through difficult times by moving to a new city and having to find new friends. She is very lost and confused because her mother left her and she had to move in with her father who she hasn't seen in 16 years. He often demonstrates Poe's life as a typical teenager with differing personalities and opinions. Her mindset is much different than others, which causes much trouble around her. She develops friends and enemies in her conquest to find a new life and constantly sticks up for them when she believes that they are being mistreated. As the story progresses, she overcomes her differences and difficult situations in certain dilemmas with the help of people around her. Towards the end of the story, Poe brings together her mother and father by showing both of them how important they are to each other and that they just didn't realize it. This shows Poe's effect on their relationship and her commitment to helping them, even though they haven't done much for her. “She looked at me, and something I’d never seen in her eyes shined like tiny diamonds floating in blue pools. Sadness. She glanced at Dad, then back at me. “I thought it would be a good time to begin repairing what should have been repaired a long time ago�(Pg 223). So, this book was very inspiring and it was hard to put down at certain points because I wanted to know what was going to happen, which is exactly how a book should be portrayed. The author made it very engaging and easy to connect to even if you don't relate to Poe's situation. It demonstrates a perfect happy ending as well and shapes together a broken family through bonds of love and desire, which is why this book is tremendous.
May 19, 2017
This book by itself wasn't all that bad. It does have an interesting plot and it's plenty enough by itself to entertain anyone. However, this book contained too many details in my opinion. It helps readers to visualize, but I don't think it was necessary to get to all of the nitty gritty details. This book also talks about family and bullying, but it is approached in a very odd way. Everything else in this book is very exaggerated and basic overall, including the plot. Overall, while entertaining, I felt like this book was very mainstream and doesn't have much character.
November 19, 2020
I'm super torn with this one ... *so* much bullying (and some of it super graphic) balanced with a protagonist who is struggling so hard to find herself that she is in danger of going overboard with her own actions in response to this.
I think you just have to work out for yourself where you sit with this one - I'm a bit uncomfortable with it all BUT it did make me think and reflect on wider issues, and for that it gets a 3 star rating.
I think you just have to work out for yourself where you sit with this one - I'm a bit uncomfortable with it all BUT it did make me think and reflect on wider issues, and for that it gets a 3 star rating.
August 20, 2020
Young people in conflict with their parents, other young people, and institutions like school are the main characters of this story. Brutal describes growing up pains, judgements, expectations and rules. Life is not easy if you want to have your own way all the time, a hard truth at the heart of this book.
May 18, 2021
I read this in one sitting. It took me a little while to get into it, but I'm glad I stuck with it!! This book was strange and weird, and at times didn't make sense, but was entertaining and made me think. Although I don't agree with some of the actions of the main characters, this book gave me a lot to think about society today. I really enjoyed this book and for sure recommend it!!
December 17, 2021
I have never connected with a book like I did with this one. I could not stop reading, I laughed, smiled, and cried as the book brought problems I was to afraid to solve. I was forced to deal with childhood trauma in the best way. This book mentally drained me but in the most magical way.
January 18, 2023
The pessimism and cruelty of the main character had me eternally cringing- but the counselor dad! Finally some emotional complexity! Some depth! A character who had the capacity to show some change and regret the ways he'd hurt others! That's what I'm talking about!
May 29, 2023
if you want to read a book where the narrator un-ironically acts and thinks like the “non conformist� kids on south park and never learns her lesson go ahead and read this cliche dumpster fire of a book
February 2, 2019
Finished this book about 3:00 AM this morning.
Exceptional read and characters. You will love Poe.
Exceptional read and characters. You will love Poe.
May 31, 2019
I enjoyed this book for the most part, however their wasn't a very interesting climax. The book kept repeating itself throughout.
March 6, 2023
dnf on like third page
March 11, 2023
The writing style wasn't my favorite, and it's like 80% dialogue, but, other than that, it's a decent story about abuse of power and social status.
April 27, 2015
I think books like these are important to keep awareness and dialogue about bullying open. That being said, while I think the issues in the book are important, the execution wasn't there. Poe, the protagonist, isn't always the most likeable person. (Not in and of itself a bad thing) She's extremely confrontational, and in many ways ends up being a bully herself, although she tends to point this towards figures of authority and power (i.e., parental figures, teachers, and "popular" kids). Poe brings up many valid points about bullying. Most conversations about bullies don't involve dealing the bullies themselves (at least in my experience) - they instead tell the victims how to try and avoid the situation. I agree with Poe that this doesn't solve the problem and often makes the victims feel like it is their fault. I thought her views on teachers and school rules promoting continued differences in popularity were very interesting. I had never thought of the role of adults in school bullying, and in some cases I can understand her point (although as a potential school teacher I disagreed in many cases and find her examples out of the norm). Despite her many valid points, I thought her solutions were too extreme (and the other characters don't support Poe's solutions and also point out Poe's tendency to bully, so I am in no way suggesting that these views are what the book is promoting). After all this however, no potential solution to bullying was ever posed! It's the point of the whole book! Or at least that's what I thought the point was...
I did like that in her own way, Poe is a bully, but of course doesn't think of herself that way. It also shows the popular girl..Anna maybe? I can't remember her name. There's a scene where Anna? gives a note saying she's interested in Velveeta (the kid who gets the brunt of bullying), or that she wants to meet him. Instead he gets beaten up by a couple kids off the football team. While Anna? had no idea that was what was going to happen, she didn't see what she did as wrong (at first). I think it's important to show that bullies don't see themselves as villains. They're everyday people, and they don't see what they are doing as hurtful or wrong (or at least not most people and not always). After all, Poe is a bully at times, and she's the main character (hero) of the story!
There were a couple of inconsistencies throughout the story that really bothered me. For example, it's implied that Velveeta fights back against the bullies by unconventional means, but every scene we deal with involving Velveeta show him as being helpless. He's described by the adults as manipulative and unsafe, but again there are no examples of him acting as either. It's like Harmon tried to make him a more complex character instead of just quirky, but the sinister aspect really doesn't fit (and is never more than mentioned). And I REALLY didn't understand the ending. I can't really say anything without spoiling, but everything wraps up really neatly and it just feels really, really weird. I also thought it was really weird that the book really centers around Poe's parental issues, and while she works on things with her dad and that is an active and growing process, her relationship with her mother is really toxic, and there's not a lot of resolution there. Or rather process of resolution. (For said spoilers click the view spoilers button)
sums up my feelings on the book so, so well: It [Brutal as a book dealing with bullying issues] was realistic even if Poe wasn't.
I did like that in her own way, Poe is a bully, but of course doesn't think of herself that way. It also shows the popular girl..Anna maybe? I can't remember her name. There's a scene where Anna? gives a note saying she's interested in Velveeta (the kid who gets the brunt of bullying), or that she wants to meet him. Instead he gets beaten up by a couple kids off the football team. While Anna? had no idea that was what was going to happen, she didn't see what she did as wrong (at first). I think it's important to show that bullies don't see themselves as villains. They're everyday people, and they don't see what they are doing as hurtful or wrong (or at least not most people and not always). After all, Poe is a bully at times, and she's the main character (hero) of the story!
There were a couple of inconsistencies throughout the story that really bothered me. For example, it's implied that Velveeta fights back against the bullies by unconventional means, but every scene we deal with involving Velveeta show him as being helpless. He's described by the adults as manipulative and unsafe, but again there are no examples of him acting as either. It's like Harmon tried to make him a more complex character instead of just quirky, but the sinister aspect really doesn't fit (and is never more than mentioned). And I REALLY didn't understand the ending. I can't really say anything without spoiling, but everything wraps up really neatly and it just feels really, really weird. I also thought it was really weird that the book really centers around Poe's parental issues, and while she works on things with her dad and that is an active and growing process, her relationship with her mother is really toxic, and there's not a lot of resolution there. Or rather process of resolution. (For said spoilers click the view spoilers button)
sums up my feelings on the book so, so well: It [Brutal as a book dealing with bullying issues] was realistic even if Poe wasn't.
September 4, 2016
This book was in our New Books Preview section, awaiting a read by an adult before putting it out in the student stacks. All books are previewed this way to see if they are generally suitable or not, and if they need to be flagged for more mature readers (grades 11 & 12). I don't know if this is ever done in public schools, but it is here at my Christian school. This is not done in a puritanical way. Plenty of books with a range of more mature content make the shelves; we just flag them for older kids if they fit that category.
Generally, I liked the book. It was compelling enough to keep me reading and I finished it in just a few days. Bullying is its central theme and our heroine is a goth-punk girl forced to move from cool LA to lame suburb/small town in wine country to live with the father she has never known. In addition to her negativity toward how square the town and nearly all of its people are, her dad is the school counselor, so you know that can't be good. Along the way, she makes a couple of counter-culture friends and bumps up against The Man pretty aggressively whenever she can. As things progress, bullying –Ìýeven quite violent bullying –Ìýis glossed over due to the fact that the A-listers are the perps.
I had a couple of minor problems with the book. First, her name: Poe Holly. She was evidently named after her mom's favorite poet, Edgar Allen Poe. I don't care how much her mom liked Edgar Allen, she wouldn't name her baby girl Poe unless she was a goth chick herself, not a driven type-A med student. It is just an ugly name. It would have made more sense if she was named something girly, Pollyanna, say, and she –Ìýas a goth middle school kid â€� started going by Poe to make a statement. Names in teen novels are notoriously interesting, and I just never bought this one. 2) Several of the teen characters pull out certain references that I just don't think teenagers would know today, making them appear widely well-read and knowledgeable. I don't know if these are editorial oversights or what, but I don't think, for example, that many teens would use the term "drink the kool-aid" and know who Jim Jones was. But I can overlook a few of these things.
More generally, "Brutal" contains/suffers from some of the same things I love/hate about John Green's books. His central characters have a good dose of that distinctive hyper-articulate banter, or in the case of Poe, the ability to get up in a number of The Man's grills to tell them off in a both profane and incredibly compelling manner. We kind of love characters who can do this, don't we? But Poe does it quite a lot, one soap box after another, and a reader starts to wonder if she could really manage that kind of Matrix-level sustained firepower.
Given how arrogant she is, absolutely certain of her ability to read everyone's thoughts and motives, I would have hated this book had it not been for the learning she at least begins to gain along the way. At first, she is just insufferable, but to Harmon's credit, several characters speak truth to her in ways that takes some of the venom from her heart. We come to see her recognize some of her own imperfection, even some of the bad relational habits she has picked up from her mother and can't seem to shake. It isn't absolute redemption, but without this, I would have given up on her. I didn't want her to end up as the hero who stuck it to The Man and we were supposed to admire or see as righteous. That would have been pandering to teens. Instead, she is messier and more flawed, which I really appreciated in the end.
Note: some have reviewed this favorably for kids 13+. As a middle school English teacher, I cannot do that with a book that would be R-rated if it were a movie. I just think that would be irresponsible. The language is pretty relentless, with maybe 30 f-bombs among lots of other words; the bullying violence that occurs is pretty brutal; and there is a bit of sexuality. I personally would recommend it for older teens and 20-somethings.
Generally, I liked the book. It was compelling enough to keep me reading and I finished it in just a few days. Bullying is its central theme and our heroine is a goth-punk girl forced to move from cool LA to lame suburb/small town in wine country to live with the father she has never known. In addition to her negativity toward how square the town and nearly all of its people are, her dad is the school counselor, so you know that can't be good. Along the way, she makes a couple of counter-culture friends and bumps up against The Man pretty aggressively whenever she can. As things progress, bullying –Ìýeven quite violent bullying –Ìýis glossed over due to the fact that the A-listers are the perps.
I had a couple of minor problems with the book. First, her name: Poe Holly. She was evidently named after her mom's favorite poet, Edgar Allen Poe. I don't care how much her mom liked Edgar Allen, she wouldn't name her baby girl Poe unless she was a goth chick herself, not a driven type-A med student. It is just an ugly name. It would have made more sense if she was named something girly, Pollyanna, say, and she –Ìýas a goth middle school kid â€� started going by Poe to make a statement. Names in teen novels are notoriously interesting, and I just never bought this one. 2) Several of the teen characters pull out certain references that I just don't think teenagers would know today, making them appear widely well-read and knowledgeable. I don't know if these are editorial oversights or what, but I don't think, for example, that many teens would use the term "drink the kool-aid" and know who Jim Jones was. But I can overlook a few of these things.
More generally, "Brutal" contains/suffers from some of the same things I love/hate about John Green's books. His central characters have a good dose of that distinctive hyper-articulate banter, or in the case of Poe, the ability to get up in a number of The Man's grills to tell them off in a both profane and incredibly compelling manner. We kind of love characters who can do this, don't we? But Poe does it quite a lot, one soap box after another, and a reader starts to wonder if she could really manage that kind of Matrix-level sustained firepower.
Given how arrogant she is, absolutely certain of her ability to read everyone's thoughts and motives, I would have hated this book had it not been for the learning she at least begins to gain along the way. At first, she is just insufferable, but to Harmon's credit, several characters speak truth to her in ways that takes some of the venom from her heart. We come to see her recognize some of her own imperfection, even some of the bad relational habits she has picked up from her mother and can't seem to shake. It isn't absolute redemption, but without this, I would have given up on her. I didn't want her to end up as the hero who stuck it to The Man and we were supposed to admire or see as righteous. That would have been pandering to teens. Instead, she is messier and more flawed, which I really appreciated in the end.
Note: some have reviewed this favorably for kids 13+. As a middle school English teacher, I cannot do that with a book that would be R-rated if it were a movie. I just think that would be irresponsible. The language is pretty relentless, with maybe 30 f-bombs among lots of other words; the bullying violence that occurs is pretty brutal; and there is a bit of sexuality. I personally would recommend it for older teens and 20-somethings.
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