Scan barcode
raenbow's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Ableism, Death of parent, Child abuse, Body shaming, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Cursing, Gun violence, Car accident, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Fatphobia, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Body horror
emco_0's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Torture, Car accident, Vomit, Racial slurs, Drug use, Murder, Violence, Sexism, Fatphobia, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Grief, Gore, and Death
Moderate: Addiction, Trafficking, Ableism, and Death of parent
jaylee_books's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder, Blood, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Cursing
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Sexual content
d0505's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Blood, Gun violence, Violence, Car accident, and Murder
aharper's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Torture, Abandonment, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Gore, Racial slurs, Racism, and Gun violence
Moderate: Drug use, Alcohol, Drug abuse, and Death
Minor: Sexual content
wirt's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Gun violence, and Racism
Moderate: Cursing, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, Fatphobia, Medical content, Racial slurs, and Drug use
amcghig's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Car accident, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Cursing, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racial slurs, Torture, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Vomit and Sexual content
courtnoodles's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Violence, Vomit, Blood, Death, Gore, Torture, Body horror, Alcohol, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Abandonment, Cursing, Drug use, Misogyny, and Racism
Minor: Sexual content
kshertz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Death, Classism, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Torture, Racism, Racial slurs, and Gun violence
starrysteph's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
This is a story about inescapable poverty & racism. It's a story about family - about generational violence and struggling with identity and our MC's deep desire to be a good father. At its core, it's a story about one man yearning for freedom. Throw in a heist (where things rapidly funnel out of control) and a lot of action-packed getaway drives, and you've got me hooked.
We follow Beauregard ("Bug") as he attempts to create an honest life for himself and his family, leaving his exploits as a getaway driver in the past. But a lot of things go wrong all at once, and Bug is tempted by an old acquaintance to lean back into the Life he so desperately wanted to bury for one final heist. (Though is it ever one final heist?)
Bug is a deeply compelling protagonist - he makes some pretty nasty choices, but you still find yourself rooting for him. That's not easy to pull off.
The prose is overall strong, but at moments Cosby leans into the similes so much that it got a little distracting. There's also a lot of detailed car talk, but even as a reader with 0 expertise in this area I felt like I was able to follow along (it just took a little extra effort at times, and led to some descriptions that felt quite dry).
It's a gritty read with a lot of depth. It's intense. It's violent. It's heavy on the heart. But in my opinion? It's worth it.
CW: murder, violence, gore, body horror, gun violence, drug use, racial slurs, torture, fatphobia, cancer, sexual content, car accident, animal death, fire, vomit
Graphic: Blood, Death, Fatphobia, Excrement, Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, Body horror, Car accident, Cursing, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Torture, Toxic friendship, Violence, Vomit, Drug abuse, Murder, and Sexual content