Recommended Age:
12
+
Ideal for readers who like immersive, character-driven narratives with suspense and emotional engagement.
About the Book
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.
Content Ratings
💡
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
Bruises and abusive home situations are depicted with emotional honesty.
Engagement:
Genre:
Fantasy
Published:
2010
Page Count:
304
