This was a fairly heavy story revolving around friendships, marriage, family, and politics. While I found the way politics affected everyone to be interesting, I found the writing style and structure of plot choppy. It felt confusing at times, especially since there were flashbacks which arent something I typically enjoy. I thought the way the author portrayed middle-aged couples dealing with traumatic pasts was thought provoking in many way. Overall, I think the structure and writing style weren't for me

Brian Platzer does it again: THE BODY POLITIC is a masterful work of stunning prose that I devoured in just about one sitting.

The Body Politic
Brian Platzer

This is a special book that I had to hug after finishing. I absolutely was intrigued right from the start with the characters that warmed to me immediately. This is a powerful book and deeply saddened me for the circumstances they were all facing. This is definitely not a light read, but it did punch me in the gut - loved the connections it made through our body and the modern politics surrounding us now. What a perfect time for this book. Brian Platzer is a truly gifted writer that is able to write about the human psyche, relationships, and the constant battle of just being human.

Amazing book and I highly recommend.

I was looking forward to reading The Body Politic for months and was thrilled to be approved for a copy. I'm a huge fan of literary fiction and love character driven novels. However, I could not get into this book. Maybe the timing wasn't right or the book was too political. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

The emotional impact of this novel is so striking. Brian Platzer manages to make his readers truly feel that hopelessness that the characters experience. 2016 was a very difficult year for me on a personal level and I know that it was for many of my peers as well. I had to grow up a lot that year and I felt many similar feelings that the characters in this novel went through. One of the main themes of this book is that of trauma and the effects that it can have on memory and with PTSD. I highly recommend this book for people in my generation, especially. So many themes are so relatable for us. A lot of the feelings that we experienced over the last twenty years were captured here through the events of the lives of Tess, David, Tazio, and Angelica. I found myself cheering, crying, and feeling all of their emotions right alongside them.

This book was too character driven for my tastes. I also prefer books as an escape from my day to day life and there was too much political talk in this one for my liking. I can't imagine it will age well.

Published by Atria Books on March 3, 2020

The Body Politic is more about the body than politics, although a key character works for John Edwards and Hillary Clinton before joining the Trump administration. The two primary characters, Tess and David, each have health issues that are scrambling their lives and testing their marriage. David’s problems began when he fell from a height. Since then he has dealt with dizziness, headaches, blurred vision, nausea, and other problems that are amplified when he does anything more strenuous than sleeping. The problems are likely neurological but no doctor has made a definitive diagnosis or provided an effective treatment, so David has tried every alternative he can find, from herbal remedies to meditation.

Tess was physically healthy until she became depressed and, like David, started spending all day in bed, rendering both David and Tess ineffective parents of their two children. Tess is determined to stay with David and help him recover. He is devoted to her despite her infidelity. Tess has a distressing personal history that includes the violent death of her mother at the hands of her father when she was young. She has been disturbed by her memories of her mother’s murder but begins to question the accuracy of those memories when she reconnects with her father after years of estrangement.

The side-switching political consultant, Tazio, is David’s best friend, although he is also close to Tess and to another mutual friend named Angelica. By the novel’s end, having praised Trump lavishly on Fox News, he’s scored a job in the Trump administration, perhaps with the intention of influencing its policies as an infiltrator from the left. By the novel’s end, however, it is unclear whether Tazio has any political philosophy or just enjoys being recognized.

The story is driven largely by David’s medical issues and Tess’s struggle to cope with David’s infirmity, her own depression, her feelings about Tazio, and her potentially unreliable memories about her childhood trauma. Eventual confrontations with Tess’s father and his new wife add to the domestic drama. While the novel has all the ingredients of a soap opera, it avoids sensationalism and the tear-jerking moments that often make domestic dramas unendurable. In fact, when Tess has an epiphany during a confrontation with David that redefines her understanding of their marriage, it is a moment of sheer and brutal honesty, the kind that most domestic stories try without success to achieve.

Abused women give the plot a unifying theme. Tess, her mother, Angelica, and the current wife of Tess’s father have all experienced harm, directly or indirectly, that was inflicted by men. Yet at this point, while Tess’s father clearly has an anger management problem, he seems to control his urges to be physically violent. Whether his wife and children should stay with him is a question that — to the author’s credit — encourages subtle analysis rather than knee-jerk reactions.

There are moments when it seems as if David is taking advantage of Tess by not pulling his weight in their marriage, a failing that could arguably be a form of psychological abuse, but it seems clear that David is doing his best to cope with a disease that is real despite the medical industry’s inability to give it a name. Brian Platzer builds sympathy for David slowly as the novel progresses. The depression from which Tess suffers is just as real and her struggle to fight against it also earns the reader’s respect. Equally compelling is her struggle to come to terms with her past and to deal responsibly with her feelings about her father and Tazio. Finding the strength to move on is closely related to the theme of abuse.

Dealing with pain is another theme. David is a good guy, but there is a difference between enduring pain and making a point of enduring pain. One of his healers eventually helps him understand that “constantly confronting everyone with his pain didn’t make him feel better, and it disturbed other people.” Sometimes it’s better to suffer in silence. The healer also suggests, albeit belatedly, that David should approach each day with the assumption that he will be in constant pain and take joy in the moments when he is not. That’s a gloomy way to live, but less gloomy than wallowing in misery.

None of the issues that Platzer explores have easy answers, nor does Platzer offer any. I admire that. People who crave easy answers are easy prey for the charlatans who peddle simplistic solutions to complex problems. People who spend their lives as self-defined victims create self-imposed barriers to happiness. Finding a way forward is often a process of trial and error. No single solution works for everyone, regardless of what spiritual advisors and social workers and snake oil salesmen tell us. The novel illustrates that point in many ways.

The Body Politic is a bit scattered and unfocused, as if it’s not quite sure whether it wants to be about Tess and David or Tess and her father or Tazio and Trump. Tazio drifts in and out, as if Platzer was uncertain of his role in the novel. But if the narrative moves in many different directions, that’s a reflection of life. The characters have unresolved issues and maybe those issues will never be resolved, but the novel reminds us that we need to make as much progress as we can, even if the path forward is unmarked.

RECOMMENDED

Thank you @atriabooks and @simonandschuster {partner} for my gifted copy of The Body Politic by @brian.platzer. Publication date 3/3/20. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It’s amazing how one moment can change the course of someone’s life. It was an accident, but knowing that does not make it any less horrible to process. Now, everything is different. But was it really so wonderful before? Or has it only exposed what was already there?

One fateful day, David fell and sustained an injury to his brain. Now, he struggles to function in his daily life. His wife, Tess, bares the brunt of the responsibilities now, but she is dealing with demons of her own. As their family tries to navigate through this challenge, emotions and feelings reveal themselves, proving to test their bond.

David searches through all traditional and non-traditional means to find something that will give him relief. As Tess sorts through the memories that haunt her, she falls into a deep and debilitating depression. When friends gather round to help and support, what starts out as a saving grace may be the final straw in David’s and Tess’ marriage.

Tazio has always been the free spirit of the group. He is complicated, unsure of what he wants, and what to do with his life. All he ever wanted was to be loved and accepted by his family, but their attentions continue to elude him, no matter how hard he tries. He loves his friends deeply, but is his love the catalyst that will destroy their bond completely.

The Body Politic by Brian Platzer is a story about friendship and family, and how the two build the construct of future relationships. It’s a story about love, the deep need for human connection, and figuring out your place in the world. It tells of desires unfulfilled, dreams left to fade, and promises impossible to keep.

Platzer builds the story from multiple points of view, giving a total and clear understanding of the relationships that are deeply interconnected. As this triangle of emotions reveals itself, the reader begins to see how each person has depended on the other, and how feelings of friendship crossed over into so much more.

I love how real this story is. Real situations, real problems, real fears, and real compromises. It has an underlying political theme that is synonymous to the challenges Americans face today. At times I was a bit confused as to the relevance it had on the story as a whole, but I appreciated each character’s passion for their beliefs and social morals.

So many times along the way, I wanted to hug these characters and reassure them that everything was going to be okay. It was hard to see them struggle and flounder through their obstacles, grasping for anything that would help ground them.

The ending truly broke my heart. I closed the book with a feeling of true sadness that, no matter what this character tried, he could not seem to find that place of peace. But isn’t that just like the story of so many of us out there in the world trying to get it right?

Brian Platzer is an author whose writing I enjoy but this particular novel did nothing for me because of the constant talk of the current president. I am so sick of everything about this current political age, especially now that we're in the middle of a pandemic. I was hoping for a little bit of relief from reality but this novel allows no escape from current troubles. But that's more about this reader than the novel. I'm sure there are many people out there who will take to the skewering like a duck to water.

**Thank you to Atria Books for the free copy!**

WOW! I had zero expectations going into this novel and I was completely blown away. If you’re a fan of novels set in NYC, filled with beautifully-flawed characters who have a lot of history with one another, this is your book. I could hardly put this down, y’all! The writing is so, so good.

The Body Politic deals with a lot of big issues–forgiveness, overcoming childhood traumas, the ups and downs of marriage, enduring friendships as people mature and change, our world and its politics–but what makes it sing is that fact that these issues surface the way they do in our own lives, through our own relationships and outlooks.

The novel revolves around 4 people. Tess and Tazio became friends in art school, at that age when they thought they’d change the world. Tazio introduced Tess to his best friend from high school, Dave, at a hip cocktail bar where they’ve gotten to know the waitress a bit, an Afro-Thai woman named Angelica. This was all just after 9/11, but the bulk of the novel takes place after Trump’s presidency began in 2016. Tazio, half-Mexican and half-Italian, tired of art and turned to politics. He rose to heights on first John Edwards’ failed campaign and then Hillary Clinton’s; now he’s jobless and disillusioned. He is the lodestar of the 4, and they all love him and revolve around him a bit.

As the story opens, Tess and David are married with 2 young boys. Tess is an actress trying to make it on Broadway. David is dealing with a brain injury caused by a fall off a high ladder. Tess blames herself, because he was dealing with the aftermath of a brief affair she’d had with a fellow actor. Tazio is looking after David and essentially keeping their house running. He and Angelica are engaged, and she has become a dentist.

As Tess and David work to rebuild a marriage that has been shattered by infidelity and illness, Tazio and Angelica interpret their own times, dealing with a post-Trump world. The story contains unexpected twists and turns rather like real life does, with characters coming on stage and changing the story line through their own existence. It’s the kind of book where I keep wanting to discuss the ending with you, so I’ll stop before I begin to give spoilers.

I loved this book. The Body Politic blends pathos and humor. It gives a clear-eyed, sober look at such diverse issues as politics, childhood trauma and how its processed, commitment and failure, and a conquering love. The characters are complex, flawed, and all too believable. Read this book with a friend so you’ll have someone to talk about it with. It’s the best book I’ve read in ages! Very highly recommended.

This book follows Tess and her husband David and their friend Tazio through post-9/11 New York. Their marriage has seen better days as David struggles living with a brain injury and Tess' past is dredged up and she has to face the ghosts in her closet. Tazio is engaged to Angelica, but he is nowhere to be found. This brings Tess and Angelica together. There is a lot of clear cut emotion through this book and people that reach out to others for help and solace. I thought that this was a solid read and tied in well with our current political climate. Thanks for the ARC, Net Galley.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of The Body Politic by Brian Platzer. I read some early reviews comparing this to A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. I would agree to the extent that it revolves around a group of twenty-something friends. Tess, David, Tazio, and Angelica meet in a bar soon after 9/11 and quickly become a tight-knit foursome. Fast-forward to several years later. Tess and David are married and Tazio and Angelica are engaged. As life experiences have changed them, secrets come to the surface. Their long term friendships are put to the test when a long-ago betrayal is brought forward. This story is well-written and I do recommend it to anyone who likes books in the contemporary domestic genre.

The Body Politic is a character driven novel. There is little plot, and the book seems to be mostly about bashing the current President.

I don’t think I was in the right headspace for this book and I really should’ve thought about that before I picked it up. With all the uncertainty in the world I’ve been gravitating to lighter reads and this one was pretty heavy and depressing which is just not what I need right now. It’s not a bad book, in fact the writing was strong, but between the heavy subject matter and the feeling that the storyline was a bit scattered, I just couldn’t get into this one. I will say that while the characters weren’t very likable or enjoyable they were well developed and complex, but I didn’t like them all that much so it was hard to care about them. It also focused heavily on politics, specifically in 2016 and I get enough of that in real life and look to reading for a total escape. Not much more for me to say except I really wish I would’ve liked this one more because I thought I would.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this. I will be posting a full review to Goodreads, Amazon, and Instagram.

A very interesting character study about a group of four friends whose personal lives intertwine with the state of politics in different ways. Platzer is a great writer and his style made the book more captivating.

I have read all of the author'ssbooks and find them to be a good escape. This was no exception. A fun diversion for an afternoon read when the rest of the world seems to be coming apart, more every day. The book was some what predictable but always enjoy the writing and the occasional surprise.

I shelved this book to read on August 7, 2019 and couldn't wait to read it. It's hard to express properly, but I knew this book was going to be something special, although a tough read. The publication date for The Body Politic was 03/03/2020 and that was my 38th birthday. I mention this because TBP is a story of us older millennial/young Gen Xer's who are struggling in the climate we live in today to find our place. 9/11 knocked everything off balance and while things won't ever be the same, it seemed the world was starting to right itself again. Then came the 2016 election and the illness, depression and addiction that these characters battled in their lives mirrored the turmoil the country they lived in had as well. It's almost as if all the issues these characters struggled with was a sort of symbolism for the sickness of the country. So even though I'm not these particular characters; this very much is my story.

The author has a gift for writing in a way that illuminates the complexity of our everyday lives. Even if you don't share the exact pain one of the characters is going through, you can definitely relate on some level. In absence of a plot, you follow the characters as they recognize their challenges and figure out how to fight them. Four interconnected people, figure out that fighting something alone is much harder than when they leaned on one another and worked together. My only hope is that the lesson these characters learn is one that our country can learn as well. We need to work together to repair the fabric of what connects us all.

Thank you to Netgalley, Atria Books and Brian Platzer for the opportunity to provide an honest review of this book.

Review Date: 03/10/2020
Publication Date: 03/03/2020

This was a satisfying and cleverly constructed story. It was a very interesting read. Many thanks to Atria Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion