Reviews with content warning for Death - Bluebird, Bluebird

Reviews tagging 'Death'

Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke

8 reviews

megelizabeth's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.5

"The place didn’t call to her, not the way Texas felt ever at hand for Michael - the way the land, or the memory of it, pulled at him. It was as if some part of him had never left the red dirt of East Texas, which Randie didn’t understand."

For me, the strengths of this book are its vivid depictions of Texan social, cultural, and natural life, its layered, messy characters, and its necessary commentary. Darren's perspective is certainly an interesting one, and I largely found his personal story and the wider events happening to be compelling in an understated way.

As a mystery, this was for me a bit mediocre, and I wasn't a fan of the way some of the 'relationships' (i.e. grooming of underage or at best barely legal girls) are talked about. I also didn't love the ending, though that's more of a personal gripe; it's very much an ending that's setting up the next book rather than giving closure to this one, and I don't tend to enjoy that in series'.

Attica Locke can certainly write, and I'm glad I picked this up even if overall it ended up being just okay. I'd recommend if you're looking for a thriller that's dark but in a quiet way, with a plot that's decent enough but where there's much more emphasis on atmosphere and commentary.

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emmajewish's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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emilineopines's review against another edition

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mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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hazelgirl21's review

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dark emotional reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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sarahaf712's review against another edition

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dark slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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questingnotcoasting's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I found this really compelling. I liked the writing and found myself immediately immersed in the small town setting. The atmosphere is bleak and gritty and there's a lot more to the murder investigations than it first seems - past secrets, white supremacists and racial hatred all play a part. I liked that the story focused on the characters as much as the plot. The web of relationships between the people in the town was so interesting to untangle. Darren is a complicated character, with personal baggage to deal with as well as his cases but I was rooting for him and I'm looking forward to reading the next book. I don't read much crime which isn't Agatha Christie and this has reminded me that I'd enjoy it.

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jourdanicus's review against another edition

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mysterious reflective medium-paced

Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

An absorbing thriller. I especially enjoyed that the author made use of cowboy/Ranger/cop drama tropes but still included important considerations about race and racism. This is a good read for anyone who enjoys police procedurals and the like but is tired of the racism and sexism in much of the media that falls into such such a genre.

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abbie_'s review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

I was feeling slumpy towards the end of October, and I have this book to thank for pulling me out of that dreaded state! I spent 3 days reading it, which is a long time for me to take over a 300-page book, but it was good for me. I enjoyed diving headfirst into the mystery alongside Texas Ranger Darren Matthews - Locke paints such a vivid picture of Eastern Texas, I felt transported into the story.

These days when I read a crime or thriller novel, I prefer it when the author tackles something other than just the crime, such as gender violence or motherhood or what have you. With Bluebird, Bluebird, Locke seamlessly weaves in the racial tensions that run rampant in Eastern Texas alongside the double murder Matthews is investigating. The presence of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas in the small town and their grip on it is terrifying. If that weren't enough, she also includes some tantalising family secrets and drama in the story too. It sounds like a lot, but I think she wields all of the strands of the story deftly.

At no point did I have any idea where the story was headed or how it might be resolved. Every guess I had at a murderer or motive was quickly ground to dust under Locke's heel. I'm never particularly good at guessing the culprit anyway, but Locke was always at least two steps ahead of me - I had no chance. I was happy just to be along for the ride! Locke surprised and shocked me many times over.

I found Matthews such a compelling character. As a Black Texas Ranger, he faces challenges at work to put it mildly. His superiors actively warn him against getting involved in race crimes, yet don't hesitate to trundle him out at press conferences to prove they're taking matters of race seriously. Locke depicts his many battles of conscious and allegiances so convincingly that I forgave her for giving him a drinking problem. (I do realise it's a genuine issue for many, but I find it a tired crime fiction trope.)

That's my only gripe, this book kept me hooked at a time when my motivation to read was at a yearly low! I'm looking forward to getting my hands on Heaven, My Home!

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