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We the Animals
We the Animals | Justin Torres
An exquisite, blistering debut novel Three brothers tear their way through childhood smashing tomatoes all over each other, building kites from trash, hiding out when their parents do battle, tiptoeing around the house as their mother sleeps off her graveyard shift. Paps and Ma are from Brooklynhes Puerto Rican, shes whiteand their love is a serious, dangerous thing that makes and unmakes a family many times. Life in this family is fierce and absorbing, full of chaos and heartbreak and the euphoria of belonging completely to one another. From the intense familial unity felt by a child to the profound alienation he endures as he begins to see the world, this beautiful novel reinvents the coming-of-age story in a way that is sly and punch-in-the-stomach powerful. Written in magical language with unforgettable images, this is a stunning exploration of the viscerally charged landscape of growing up, how deeply we are formed by our earliest bonds, and how we are ultimately propelled at escape velocity toward our futures.
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Kenyazero
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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Pickpick

An interesting look at childhoods packed with trauma. Not a particularly uplifting read, but interesting (I think this is a novel in verse, but am not sure since I listened to the audio). Content warnings for domestic abuse, child abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, sexual acts performed in front of children, homophobia, and forced institutionalization. #LGBTQ #Trauma

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BittersweetBooks
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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…telling me how he dreamt of kites — a whole sky full of kites, and he was holding all the strings. He told me how the good kites and wicked kites got all mixed up, how he tried to hold on to the good and let the rest float away, but after a while he couldn‘t tell them apart 🪁

12 likes1 stack add
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Minervasbutler
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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Pickpick


The unnamed narrator recounts his life growing up in upstate New York with his older brothers, his Puerto Rican father and white mother, in what is more a series of vignettes than a novel proper. The writing is vivid and conveys brilliantly the feeling of being seven years old, dirt-poor, scrambling around for food and emotional sustenance in a family where the father's moods always bear watching and periodically explode into brutal violence.

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readordierachel
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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Pickpick

I'm so torn. There is some truly beautiful writing in this novel, some moments that will stay with me for a long time. Through short chapters, Torres introduces us to 3 brothers and their lives with their Puerto Rican father and white mother. There is no plot to speak of, just connected vignettes, snapshots of a family. The first two-thirds of the novel are something special, but... 👇🏼

readordierachel ... Torres makes some decisions in the last act, introduces some subject matter that feels out of place, like he felt he needed more drama. I don't mind a sad book, but it began to feel forced. Still a pick but with caveats. 4y
Chelsea.Poole Have you watched the film adaptation? I read the book first and then watched it and I found it to be true to the book, and well done. 4y
readordierachel @Chelsea.Poole I haven't, but I definitely will. Glad to hear it's well done. 4y
84 likes3 comments
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Smrloomis
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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Kindle deal 🥳

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canbku
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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May #bookspin ready to go. Will i get to all of them? Ehhhhh...i expect I'll have at least some issue with access, but i have half of them checked out already. If i can get the others as ebooks, I'll have a good chance!

@TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks I have a couple I ordered from eBay & Paperback Swap that still haven't appeared, so we'll see what happens!! Good luck!! 5y
49 likes1 comment
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Kazzie
We the Animals | Justin Torres
Pickpick

Wow! Great stories. Very well written and told. Coming of age story of three mixed race brothers

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Nute
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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Pickpick

Three boys with wild rambunctious energy employing all survivalist skills to outlast their childhood in a home where the parents are consumed by that crazy dangerous messed-up kind of love that makes childhood feel like something to hurry up and get over with, but in this home, family unity and the strength of brotherhood has a precedence and is expected to outweigh or hoped that it can outweigh all of the chaos contained in this family.👇🏽

Nute I like and hate stories like this where I spend my emotional energy just mad at the parents. Why did I stay in the story? It‘s a brief novel for one thing and Justin Torres is a gifted writer. And I wanted to see how the youngest son worked out his narrative.👇🏽 5y
Nute It‘s really his self-discovery story and his moment of bravery to stand before this intense family with the truth of who he is and how he needs to be seen by them and the level of acceptance that we should display when we call ourselves FAMILY. Highly recommended! (edited) 5y
squirrelbrain Sounds like a good one - if rather frustrating. Great review though! 5y
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Cinfhen Great review @Soubhiville just gave a review today/ yesterday 5y
Nute @squirrelbrain Thank you! It is a good story, but heart wrenching. 5y
Nute @Cinfhen Thank you! I just checked out the review by @Soubhiville. It‘s good to see older books come back around.🙂 5y
Soubhiville This is a great review! 5y
Nute @Soubhiville Thank you! 5y
82 likes3 stack adds8 comments
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Soubhiville
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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Mehso-so

This little book is full of stories of a family of three brothers. A lot of it is told from the “we” point of view, which I am never really comfortable with. That‘s the main reason I‘d call it a so-so for me.

There is a main character, the youngest of the brothers, and I preferred the parts that were from his specific point of view.

Torres describes the tribe mentality of the little boys well. Also, poverty and neglectful parents.

Cinfhen I can‘t remember where i recently saw this book mentioned ~ it sounded promising!! I‘m trying to stay away from heavy reads right now. It gets to be too much 😫 5y
Soubhiville @Cinfhen it‘s not a happy book, I‘d wait on it if you‘re looking for lighter fair. It‘s an interesting and very different book though, and worth reading when you‘re in the right mood. It‘s also very short and quick. 5y
Cinfhen I‘ll file that info away!! Thanks 🙏🏼 ❤️ 5y
Nute I was just pointed in the direction of your review by @Cinfhen. I don‘t usually like the use of ‘we‘ as a collective thought process either, but it didn‘t bother me in this book. I think that I was so fueled by anger related to parenting that everything else was decreased in magnitude. I agree that it‘s not a happy book...these type of stories never are. It was a compelling read. Did you think so? 5y
Soubhiville @Nute it was compelling, and I was also really upset with the parents through most of it. I‘m never sure how to review books like this, as it‘s well written, but the content is frustrating and I don‘t like the story. But that doesn‘t make it a bad book. 5y
52 likes1 stack add5 comments
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Soubhiville
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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I was all over the place this week! #bookreport
I finished Henry Sugar and Inexplicable Logic on audio, and I read We, the Animals.
Other than that, I bounced between All You Can Ever Know, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and Thunderhead. I‘m liking Thunderhead the best. 🙂

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AlexGeorge
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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Pickpick

Stunning. Wondering what took me so long to get to this.

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Chelsea.Poole
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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Pickpick

Snippets from a young boy's life as he grows up with his two older brothers and parents. Not exactly linear, but definitely all meaningful chapters show an intense, passionate, and stormy relationship between the boys' parents: a Puerto Rican father and white mother. They are poor, as only the mother works. The boys care for themselves and form a close bond. They are a ruffian Lost Boys type group. I listened to the #audiobook on #hoopla 🔊

TieDyeDude The movie was very intense! 6y
Chelsea.Poole @TieDyeDude I've got the movie on my hold list at the library. I'm scared now! lol 6y
73 likes1 stack add2 comments
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DyAnne
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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After a long afternoon of Christmas shopping (blech 😑), I deserved a stop at the bookstore.

Riveted_Reader_Melissa You deserve it! 6y
8 likes1 comment
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Zhoubot
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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Pickpick

Loved this. What a whirlwind read! Every chapter is such a strong scene.

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rachelk
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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Pickpick

This slim debut novel about three young brothers received massive critical acclaim in 2011-12. It seems to have cooled down a little on Goodreads, but I think it‘s thoughtful and well crafted — a great read and good example for aspiring writers. #novella #literaryfiction #culturalheritage

ManyWordsLater It‘s now a movie! 6y
rachelk @ManyWordsLater I‘ll have to look for it — thanks! 6y
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Notafraidofwords
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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Pickpick

I had to reread this book after watching the movie. It‘s just so good. There‘s so much packed into a slim book about three brothers growing up poor, wild and unhinged. There‘s so much about what it means to be Puerto Rican in a rural area in the US. What it means to be different from your sibling. Mostly, it‘s about love and how sometimes it‘s not enough to love your family. Sometimes it‘s that love that makes you incapable to do right.

saresmoore Stacked! 6y
Lindy @saresmoore @Notafraidofwords This was the first book I read in digital format, on the small screen of my iPod , 6 or 7 years ago. It was only available to me in that format, so I overcame my resistance to ebooks because I couldn‘t stop reading this. Love it SO MUCH. 6y
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Notafraidofwords @Lindy omg awesome!!!! will you watch the film?? 6y
Lindy @Notafraidofwords I didn‘t even realize there was a film until I saw your post. Yes, I want to see it. 😁 6y
saresmoore @Lindy That‘s a great endorsement! 6y
76 likes4 stack adds6 comments
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Notafraidofwords
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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Just saw the movie based on this book. I‘m speechless. I met Torres years ago at a reading and immediately read his book. I‘m Puerto Rican and so much of what that means in America is presented in the book. I‘m so happy that they kept it in the film. I urge everyone to pick up the book or see the movie. This movie examines boyhood, family toxicity, abuse, ethnicity and sexual awakening. @BooksForEmpathy @mauveandrosysky is this playing by y‘all?

MicheleinPhilly I had no idea they had made a film based on this! 😮 6y
Notafraidofwords @MicheleinPhilly oh it‘s absolutely beautiful. Are they playing in Philly ? 6y
BooksForEmpathy @Notafraidofwords Oh I love how you know I would love this movie ❤️. It is playing near us and on my agenda for either this week or next weekend. I can‘t wait. I love the actor who plays the father. 6y
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Notafraidofwords @BooksForEmpathy omg awesome! I just knew you would appreciate it. I know you like film like I do. Omg it‘s so heartbreaking. I can‘t even tell you how great the cinematography is. It‘s like a must see. 6y
MicheleinPhilly It is! 6y
BooksForEmpathy @Notafraidofwords It was so beautiful. Told through the son‘s perspective, I was just in awe and learned a lot about people I am different from, but also felt connected to the weight of having parents who don‘t get along and its impact on a child‘s life. I experienced this myself, and the movie pointedly captured it. 6y
Notafraidofwords @BooksForEmpathy I‘m so glad it resonated with you. I felt deeply touched by the film and haven‘t stopped thinking about it. I mostly felt like these parents loved In a way that didn‘t afford their kids a chance at safety and connection. 6y
61 likes5 stack adds7 comments
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tholmz
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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Pickpick

Left me speechless.

Reggie You have sold me. Stacked. 6y
Notafraidofwords Met him years ago and was so enamored by him. 6y
tholmz @Reggie, I hope you like it! 6y
tholmz @Notafraidofwords Ahh, that‘s amazing! 6y
4 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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AlizaApp
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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Pickpick

Novella told in anecdotes, about the youngest of three wild brothers realizing he is different from the rest of his family. Short but intense, and lovely writing.

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RachaelusGilkinius
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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Pickpick

Heart-wrenching read; required a stiff drink. A sometimes violent, sometimes beautiful coming of age story about the youngest of three sons born to a white mother and Puerto Rican father, living in poverty in upstate New York.

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Purrfectpages
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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Jess7 This is sooo funny and cute! Bahahahaha 7y
[DELETED] 3803335244 I love this! 7y
GripLitGrl 😂😂 7y
55 likes1 stack add3 comments
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thebluestocking
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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#spinepoetry #riotgrams
We the animals,
the plague of doves on the fence,
feed in the skin of a lion
eating animals, delicate edible birds.

When women were birds
the vegetarian lit
the innocent, tiny beautiful things,
into the water.

RealLifeReading Nice one! 7y
TobeyTheScavengerMonk Well done! 7y
Billypar 😮😮😮 this is amazing! 👏👏 7y
thebluestocking @Billypar Thanks! ☺️ 7y
32 likes5 comments
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Howardsimmons
We the Animals | Justin Torres
Pickpick

Beautiful, wrenching, and well worth your time.

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geekyjojo
We the Animals | Justin Torres
Mehso-so

A fantastically written book, but it's the darkness and uncomfortable reading experience which has meant I've given this a "so-so" rating. Making it difficult to recommend as it was hard to read all 128 pages, but that in itself says a lot about the writer.

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Robothugs
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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So I'm not going off of a book for this one. I just think it's a matter of time before cats and bunnies #RuleTheWorld. They've already taken places over in Japan. They're just biding their time... #JuneTunz

britt_brooke 🐱🐰💚 7y
tpixie My first horror movie was The Night of the Lepus-it was about giant mutant rabbits 🐰 now the weird thing - that movie came out in 1972 which means my girlfriend and I would've been 11 years old when we went to that movie by ourselves! 7y
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Robothugs @tpixie That sounds funny and scary at the same time. 11 years old! It's like seeing a swarm of birds and always thinking of the Alfred Hitchcock movie. 😳 Now I will always think of a giant mutant bunny when I see them. 7y
tpixie @Robothugs lol sorry for that image!! Lol 😝 🐰 7y
Cinfhen 🙀😼🙀😺 7y
51 likes6 comments
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Leelee.reads
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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Mehso-so

Dark, heartbreaking, disturbing, but beautifully written. I work with kids five days a week who come from mean homes with mean parents, so this book wasn't for me; I need to repair once I'm home not read more about it. But others may appreciate the brutal honesty and lyrical, raw writing.

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nanoauthor
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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Pickpick

#read

Finished this book yesterday. It was so much more heartbreaking than I thought it would be. Definitely enjoyed it.

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nanoauthor
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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A tiny bit of reading while waiting for the bus

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nanoauthor
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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Today's reading for my novel writing class

Notafraidofwords Oh man. I heard him speak a couple of years ago- he's brilliant. There's a podcast with him on it and he talks so much about how he wrote this novel. The name of the podcast is Between the Covers. You can search for his name trough the episodes. 8y
nanoauthor @Notafraidofwords I'll have to look that up! I'm enjoying it so far and looking forward to discussing it in class 8y
4 likes2 comments
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redheadreads
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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Pickpick

4 out of 5 stars. Lyrical, touching, and dark. My second book finished for the #24in48 #readathon.

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Janitor
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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Pickpick

👍🏻

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Lupita.Reads
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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Pickpick

"God's scattered all the clean among the dirty. You and me Joel, we're nothing more than a fistful of seed that God tossed into the mud and horseshit. We're on our own."

I realize I am so late to the game reading it, but better late than never. So much power in these words. I love the narrative and abstract nature of this novel! Need more from Justin Torres!!

CherylDeFranceschi This book was eviscerating. 8y
Notafraidofwords I met him in person at a reading and he was the kindest soul! 8y
63 likes13 stack adds2 comments
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TsahaiMakeda
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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This is a fantastic, well-written, heartbreaking book. A great read about finding yourself in a world where who you are is either shunned, misunderstood, or a combination of the two. It is dripping with what it means to be unconditionally loved. Definitely recommend.

Notafraidofwords I met him in person when the book first came out and he was so eloquent ! 8y
TsahaiMakeda #recommendsday is today @Shimacrema. What do you have? 8y
TsahaiMakeda @Notafraidofwords I start my MFA in the fall and he might be a guest lecturer. Fingers crossed. 8y
18 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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Zhanna
We the Animals | Justin Torres
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My daughter was given this book to read in class. She is a sophomore in high school. She asked me to read it because it is "bizarre and inappropriate". I read it in one evening. I thought the book was fantastic, but not for a 16 year old. Anyone read this? Thoughts? #24in48. #readathon. @Litsy

Smrloomis I thought this was amazing, but so dark. Personally I would say it's for an older group - just my two cents. 8y
4 likes1 comment