Reviews

Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke

brenna's review against another edition

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challenging mysterious medium-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

jadom's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.0

overbooked_va's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

4.25

A atmospheric thriller with flawed protagonists and a finely drawn setting, Bluebird, Bluebird follows disgraced Texas Ranger Darren Mathews as he investigates two murders in rural Texas. His suspicions point to local white supremacists, but the truth is knottier as the town’s lore and family ties are slowly uncovered. Darren’s own complex past and weight of expectations as a black Texan haunt his every action as he pursues the truth. Excellent novel with beautiful prose, believable characters, and richly detailed atmosphere. Will definitely be reading more of Locke’s work. 

twhittie's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes

4.25

mtnest's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

mhspiller's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

cydneydaniel's review against another edition

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mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

baileyclick's review against another edition

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mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

The ending was a bit anticlimactic to me, but I enjoyed the process of seeing what would happen next. I felt that there were a fair amount of instances in the book where I had to stretch my imagination to believe that certain events could happen; particularly around the police/law scenes. 
To me, this book felt a bit shallow in that I couldn't get a good read on the motivations of most of the characters (was this on purpose? I don't know, I could not tell).
BUT I did read the whole thing because I wanted to see where it would go, so that is saying something.

mmariericker's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I enjoyed this but didn’t love it. Not sure that I’ll read the second. I also was fairly distracted through parts of it, which surely didn’t help. Very different from my usual reads though! 

The red dirt of East Texas ran in both their veins. Darren knew the power of home, knew what it meant to stand on the land where your forefathers had forged your future out of dirt, knew the power of what could be loved up by hand, how a harvest could change a fate. He knew what it felt like to stand on the back porch of his family homestead in Camilla and feel the breath of his ancestors in the trees, feel the power of gratitude in every stray breeze. 

For Black folks, injustice came from both sides of the law, a double-edged sword of heartache and pain. 

kkellz19's review

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medium-paced

5.0