Brutes by Dizz Tate is a beautifully written novel that follows a group of young girls in a lakeside community in Florida. The community these girls live in is currently navigating the disappearance of Sammy, an older girl adjacent to the girls' friend group. The narrative is written in a shifting first-person perspective, with past chapters told from a collective "we" voice and future chapters from an individual "I" voice. The unique format adds to the dream-like quality of the story, and when it worked, it worked soooo well. When it wasn't working though, I was lost.

To start with what I liked, the book is full of such vivid and nostalgic imagery and scenes that made the reading experience all the more immersive. The collective narrator of younger girls, referred to as "brutes," provides an interesting perspective on the story as well, really emphasizing them as a unit. However, while the writing is undoubtedly beautiful, the plot at times felt disjointed and fragmented, and I was left with more questions than answers. The mystery of Sammy's disappearance doesn't really get tied up at all by the end, and too many subplots and ideas are introduced but not fully explored. I really felt like I was having to go back and regroup a lot, trying to piece together the plot only to never revisit most of the things that were mentioned.

Overall, "Brutes" is a unique read that I truly believe will work for those who appreciate poetic prose and unconventional storytelling. I need things laid out for me a little more clearly and so, while I really loved certain aspects of the book, it wasn't a total slam dunk for me.

I did listen to an audio version of this book, and the narrator was absolutely fantastic. I really felt her voice lent to the dreamy vibes of this novel and that she was the perfect narrator for it.

Thanks so much to HighBridge Audio as well as NetGalley for an ALC of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts!