"Three Brumes. Three versions of myself. Three lives. All real. Something that cannot exist” (Brewer 271). Into the Real is a captivating book written by Z Brewer. This novel was published recently, in October 2020, as a stand-alone addition to Brewer’s works. The main character of the book, Quinn, questions both their gender identity and sexuality in each of three separate realities. Each reality, called Brumes, faces Quinn with a different challenge. In the first existence, Quinn lives in an inescapable post-apocalyptic city where every day is a face-off with death. In the second Brume, Quinn comes out to their family and gets sent to a conversion camp, where they find more questions than answers. In the last reality, Quinn is the face of a Resistance who's fighting a losing battle for freedom. Eventually, Quinn begins to realize that they exist in all these realities, and have to wonder which world is real; or if any of them are real? This book is probably one of my favorites for a few reasons. First, the characters and character development were very special because they all grew as different people in each Brume. My favorite difference in character was Lloyd’s because he varied so drastically in each reality. I also loved that while there were very fictional realities, the second Brume could be very real. The applicability to real life was engaging and eye-opening because Quinn experiences something both harmful and often life-changing. My favorite point, and the reason I choose this book in the first place, is because I could relate to Quinn’s struggle with gender identity and sexuality. There were many parts of the book where I could vividly relate to Quinn’s thoughts. Before reading Into the Real, I think it is important to know that it contains a lot of described violence, multiple kinds of humor, and sensitive topics. If you prefer not to read books with those themes, I would suggest avoiding it. However if you, like me, don’t mind those themes and enjoy books that are just a little bit out there, I’d definitely recommend Into the Real! It covers important topics while also giving the reader fiction everyone loves.
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