Scan barcode
overbooked_va's review against another edition
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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.
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.
ponch22's review against another edition
4.0
Two down, ten to go on my 2018 Reading Challenge. [b:Bluebird, Bluebird|34219838|Bluebird, Bluebird|Attica Locke|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1494608126s/34219838.jpg|55271375] was "a book nominated for an award in 2018" and it actually won the Edgar Award for Best Novel!
[a:Attica Locke|2829019|Attica Locke|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1332466009p2/2829019.jpg] tells the story of Darren Matthews, a black Texas Ranger who doesn't always get the respect his five-pointed star deserves because of the color of his skin. Set in present day, the novel oftentimes feels like it's set in the Jim Crow days (or even pre-Civil War). The KKK has morphed into the ABT (Aryan Brotherhood of Texas) and racism is bubbling beneath the surface of every page.
The novel features several murders all of which hold a bit of mystery—Darren's friend, Mack, is accused of killing an ABT member who's been terrorizing his family; a black Chicago lawyer, Michael Wright, is found in the bayou behind a small Texas eatery owned by Geneva Sweet; a young, local white woman, Missy, washes up on Geneva's shore a few days later; even the 20-year-old murder of Geneva's husband, Joe plays a role.
A local bar is an ABT hangout and Darren's possible connection to Mack's case is leaving his position with the Rangers at risk. Which might be a good thing, because his wife, Lisa, is upset with his long weekends away with the Rangers; she'd prefer he go back to law school.
There are a good dozen or so other characters, which was my main problem with the novel. It only took me a few weeks to read the book (really sort of done in two large chunks two weeks apart) but I had trouble keeping all the names and relations straight. Darren's own family tree is something I can't quite keep straight, what with his birth mom who he's ashamed of, and two uncles one of who might have been his father—I'm not sure I really remember... And then there are the three men named Wallace Jefferson (original, Jr., and III) who all play a role. It was all a little too much for me to follow.
But the story itself is a pretty neat mystery with maybe one piece of the puzzle left a little too open-ended for me (the final pages of the last chapter). I think I enjoyed last year's Reading Challenge nominee—[b:The Ex|25817395|The Ex|Alafair Burke|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1440168296s/25817395.jpg|45264431]—which didn't win the Edgar over this year's novel that did!
[a:Attica Locke|2829019|Attica Locke|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1332466009p2/2829019.jpg] tells the story of Darren Matthews, a black Texas Ranger who doesn't always get the respect his five-pointed star deserves because of the color of his skin. Set in present day, the novel oftentimes feels like it's set in the Jim Crow days (or even pre-Civil War). The KKK has morphed into the ABT (Aryan Brotherhood of Texas) and racism is bubbling beneath the surface of every page.
The novel features several murders all of which hold a bit of mystery—Darren's friend, Mack, is accused of killing an ABT member who's been terrorizing his family; a black Chicago lawyer, Michael Wright, is found in the bayou behind a small Texas eatery owned by Geneva Sweet; a young, local white woman, Missy, washes up on Geneva's shore a few days later; even the 20-year-old murder of Geneva's husband, Joe plays a role.
A local bar is an ABT hangout and Darren's possible connection to Mack's case is leaving his position with the Rangers at risk. Which might be a good thing, because his wife, Lisa, is upset with his long weekends away with the Rangers; she'd prefer he go back to law school.
There are a good dozen or so other characters, which was my main problem with the novel. It only took me a few weeks to read the book (really sort of done in two large chunks two weeks apart) but I had trouble keeping all the names and relations straight. Darren's own family tree is something I can't quite keep straight, what with his birth mom who he's ashamed of, and two uncles one of who might have been his father—I'm not sure I really remember... And then there are the three men named Wallace Jefferson (original, Jr., and III) who all play a role. It was all a little too much for me to follow.
But the story itself is a pretty neat mystery with maybe one piece of the puzzle left a little too open-ended for me (the final pages of the last chapter). I think I enjoyed last year's Reading Challenge nominee—[b:The Ex|25817395|The Ex|Alafair Burke|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1440168296s/25817395.jpg|45264431]—which didn't win the Edgar over this year's novel that did!