Real LifeReal Life
Score Modern
What it's about
Brandon Taylor's debut is a novel of startling intimacy, violence and mercy among friends in a Midwestern university town.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Booker Prize finalist. It's a quiet, piercing campus novel.
You'll love it if you liked
Giovanni's Room
A Little Life
Normal PeopleGood to know
It's quiet and intense, and deals with difficult subjects.
By the numbers
- Readers33 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics32 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller22 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz14 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #250 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #1164 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #2146 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
If you like this, read next
All the Light We Cannot See
Americanah
The Help
Pachinko
Shuggie Bain
The Nickel BoysExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Real Life worth reading?
Yes. It was a Booker Prize finalist. It ranks #2,146 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 62.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Real Life about?
Brandon Taylor's debut is a novel of startling intimacy, violence and mercy among friends in a Midwestern university town.
How long does it take to read Real Life?
About 8 hours (329 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Real Life?
If you liked it, try Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin, A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara or Normal People by Sally Rooney.