Bruiser by Neal Shusterman

Bruiser is a novel about the boons and pains of love, both emotionally and physically. Brewster “Bruiser” Rawlins has a unique ability, the power to take other’s pain away. For this reason, he remains almost completely solitary until he meets Bronte. She makes him see that life doesn’t have to be so lonely. People try to take advantage of his power, some without even realizing its happening. The whole novel revolves around the balance of care for others, and care for yourself.
I personally found the book very fascinating. Bruiser says himself that he doesn’t know why he can take people’s pains away, but it does happen and for that reason he resolves to not make any friends. His life is like a teetor-totter, or a set of scales. On one end is his care for others and the other side is his care for himself. He cannot put too much on one side in fear of disrupting the other. We ourselves must make this type of decision daily, and his very easy to understand his predicament. His entire life has been a balancing act, and he’s been leaning towards caring for himself for most of the novel, and in the time before the novel takes place.
It takes the cliché of being used in a relationship to another level. It’s a gripping tale of self-preservation and social desires. I’m sure we’ve all had this sort of problem before. We feel like we’re only being used. For Bruiser it’s on a much grander scale because he can be literally used as an outlet for suffering. I can compare his dilemma to The Green Mile, where a comparable problem occurs.
Another thing I really like about the book is how it evolves. It starts just like any love story; the girl’s brother doesn’t like his sister’s choice of boyfriend. However it turns into a much deeper tale about how today’s society is really the epitome of greed. Everyone wants the best for themselves and they don’t care about who they kick into the dust. In the novel, Tennyson starts caring for Bruiser but eventually he uses him to take away his fatigue so he can become the MVP on his team.
The message Shusterman is trying to educate us is that sometimes, pain is necessary. Life is full of ups and downs; you can’t just have the ups. He also tells us that miracles can happen; we create them on a daily basis. He teaches us not as the abusive and forceful dictator, but as a firm but gentle mentor. I whole-heartily recommend this book to anyone who has also read The Green Mile, anyone who is interested in basic psychology, or just anyone who wants a feel-good story. A feel-good story is like a mint. It is pleasurable while being consumed, and leaves a fresh taste in your mouth.