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haf666ia's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Love Cosby’s unfolding of the story, and his writing in general. Story plot was really gripping until you find out Titus’ secret and who the serial killer is, I guess I felt like it was a lot of build up and then I was either guessing that the whole time or the answer was out of left field, like nobody could have guessed what the answer was. Overall it was good though. I liked the way racial tension and racism was talked about constantly and woven into the plot. My biggest issue with this book was how many characters there were, I couldn’t keep track and remember who was who, I’m bad with names so that was really challenging for me.
brie_reads_books's review
dark
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
ashleygrossreads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
suzanna_m's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
acehow's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
boltonmi's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.75
The violence is pretty dark in this novel, but it was a gripping read. For a thriller the prose was fantastic and emotionally compelling.
beachmom's review
dark
medium-paced
3.0
Anti-Christian, almost evil.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Murder
thespinedown's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
vikeiilee's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
bookph1le's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars
Hands down, the ending of this book is my favorite ending ever. Ever.
The thing about S.A. Cosby is he's just so, so good. His books are so visceral that they reach out from the page and grab you by the throat. They're impossible to look away from, no matter how disturbing they get--and this one gets pretty disturbing--because they feel so real. His stories are always rooted in a raw and unflinching view of America, so that they're both fictional and not fictional at the same time.
I will say, though, that I didn't connect with this book quite as much as I did with [b:Blacktop Wasteland|51182571|Blacktop Wasteland|S.A. Cosby|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1573874784l/51182571._SY75_.jpg|72729856], which is still my favorite of his books. Titus is an extremely well-drawn character, but something about him felt more remote to me, maybe because he keeps his emotions on such a tight leash. This isn't a critique or a flaw, it's just a facet of my personality that I connect more with characters who tend to wear their hearts on their sleeves.
The crime at the center of this book is so disturbing, but I don't think it's done in a negative way. There aren't more details than necessary to make concrete the horror visited upon the victims. And while this book is about a serial killer stalking Black boys and girls, it's also a commentary on America, on the violence committed against Black people, and the ways in which that violence is buried and rendered invisible by a country that refuses to reckon with its past. It's a searing indictment of the ways in which American institutions would prefer to gloss over or straight up rewrite our past rather than examine it honestly, and how that effort to whitewash our history perpetuates the institutionalized racism that not only plagues us to this day, but will continue to do so until we have an honest conversation about how this country was built on the backs of marginalized people.
This book also has some important critiques of religion. While there are religious characters whose intentions are pure, the book also examines the ways in which religion is all too often used as cover for the evils humans commit against one another. This critique has always been valid, but it feels especially pointed right now in light of the justifications a lot of politicians are reaching for in order to prop up and excuse legislation that causes actual harm to human beings solely because said politicians object to the books marginalized people write or the legal protections women, people of color, and lgbtq+ people are fighting for, just to give two examples. Depressingly, I could find many additional examples of how backlash to progress has led to an era in which people are using their purported religious beliefs as a shield in their quest to disenfranchise and sometimes outright eradicate marginalized people.
We need more books like this, not fewer. Cosby's books always make me think and they always stick with me long after I finish reading them. I think more Americans could do with exposure to books that make them question the foundations of their beliefs.
Hands down, the ending of this book is my favorite ending ever. Ever.
The thing about S.A. Cosby is he's just so, so good. His books are so visceral that they reach out from the page and grab you by the throat. They're impossible to look away from, no matter how disturbing they get--and this one gets pretty disturbing--because they feel so real. His stories are always rooted in a raw and unflinching view of America, so that they're both fictional and not fictional at the same time.
I will say, though, that I didn't connect with this book quite as much as I did with [b:Blacktop Wasteland|51182571|Blacktop Wasteland|S.A. Cosby|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1573874784l/51182571._SY75_.jpg|72729856], which is still my favorite of his books. Titus is an extremely well-drawn character, but something about him felt more remote to me, maybe because he keeps his emotions on such a tight leash. This isn't a critique or a flaw, it's just a facet of my personality that I connect more with characters who tend to wear their hearts on their sleeves.
The crime at the center of this book is so disturbing, but I don't think it's done in a negative way. There aren't more details than necessary to make concrete the horror visited upon the victims. And while this book is about a serial killer stalking Black boys and girls, it's also a commentary on America, on the violence committed against Black people, and the ways in which that violence is buried and rendered invisible by a country that refuses to reckon with its past. It's a searing indictment of the ways in which American institutions would prefer to gloss over or straight up rewrite our past rather than examine it honestly, and how that effort to whitewash our history perpetuates the institutionalized racism that not only plagues us to this day, but will continue to do so until we have an honest conversation about how this country was built on the backs of marginalized people.
This book also has some important critiques of religion. While there are religious characters whose intentions are pure, the book also examines the ways in which religion is all too often used as cover for the evils humans commit against one another. This critique has always been valid, but it feels especially pointed right now in light of the justifications a lot of politicians are reaching for in order to prop up and excuse legislation that causes actual harm to human beings solely because said politicians object to the books marginalized people write or the legal protections women, people of color, and lgbtq+ people are fighting for, just to give two examples. Depressingly, I could find many additional examples of how backlash to progress has led to an era in which people are using their purported religious beliefs as a shield in their quest to disenfranchise and sometimes outright eradicate marginalized people.
We need more books like this, not fewer. Cosby's books always make me think and they always stick with me long after I finish reading them. I think more Americans could do with exposure to books that make them question the foundations of their beliefs.