Reviews with content warning for Gore - Razorblade Tears

Reviews tagging 'Gore'

Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby

133 reviews

nimeneth's review

dark fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

Warning: do not read this book unless your stomach is iron-clad, or you're okay with skipping big chunks of pages. Seriously, pay attention to the tags.

I wanted to be kind to this book. I wanted to accept that this was going to be a difficult book club read that was gritty and uncomfortable and dark. The blurb was amazing, had a great hook, interesting title, the whole nine yards. Objectively the dialogue was a little flat and the characters felt a little wooden at the beginning, but it would get better, right? I would get through this even if I had to skim or skip scenes, it would be fine, right? Right??? I was optimistic. I was open-minded.

I did not like this book. I did not enjoy this book. The first 100ish pages were fine, mostly. I could accept the racism and homophobia as just part of what it's like in parts of Virginia. The middle is where it started to sour. I especially did not like the last 100 pages of it where it turned into full-on revenge porn. It's graphic, folks. There's no art, just blood. No redemption arc, just death. I think Cosby wanted the final scene to be profound or something, but by that point there's no tying it up into a near little package and calling it hunky-dory.

Content Warnings

bl_6210's review

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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

5.0

Content Warnings

nneka23's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional 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

4.25

This was a really enjoyable fast-paced read. The narration in the audiobook is really well done and helped me become fully immersed in the story. An exploration of grief, fatherhood, and masculinity all enveloped in a story of vengeance (but really, redemption). There were some points where I wasn’t sure if things would end the way I expected, and I love that I couldn’t predict every single plot point! Very emotional at times while funny at others, I definitely felt like I knew the characters by the end. And speaking of the end, those last few lines were so poignant. The final line is especially impeccable writing. Crosby certainly knows how to hook a reader and keep them engaged with the way he uses words. This story is so steeped in a southern atmosphere, you’d think you were actually there. Truly enjoyed this audiobook - hats off to Crosby and the narrator!

Content Warnings