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david_brent's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- 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
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, Racism, Drug use, Violence, Torture, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Cancer, Death of parent, and Sexual content
peachani's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Hate crime, Bullying, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Racism, and Cursing
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cultural appropriation, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, and Grief
Minor: Blood, Chronic illness, Death, Confinement, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Ableism, Addiction, Classism, Death of parent, and Terminal illness
ecn's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
It felt like a more real life version of Sorry to Bother You - like almost exactly. It was a good story but because of how similar it was to the movie, I kept thinking or wishing for something big and crazy to happen. A fun read but probably would have been better if you didn’t see the movie.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Alcohol, Blood, Cancer, and Drug abuse
internationalreads's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship
nothingforpomegranted's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Because I didn't know this until I listened to an interview with author Mateo Askaripour (on The Stacks Podcast with Traci Thomas*), I want to start my review with an acknowledgement of the title of this book. Black Buck comes from a derogatory term used during the post-Reconstruction era in the United States to refer to a caricature of Black men who didn't abide by white authority and were excessively violent, sexual, and unintelligent. Askaripour plays with these false, horrific stereotypes throughout his novel, and I'm glad to be able to reflect on the storytelling with this understanding in mind. It hammers home Askaripour's intention to write this book for Black audiences (i.e., not me) without explaining all the inside jokes and information, and as I write my review, I am feeling extra conscious of the relationship between reader and writer.
The book begins with an "Author's Note," written from the perspective of the protagonist, who assures his readers that this book will tell the story of how to change your life through sales, referencing Black figures, including Martin Luther King Jr. and Oprah, who, perhaps to our surprise, are "salespeople," selling ideas that allowed them to succeed in a world that tends to push Black people down. Writing from a penthouse suite, the "author" assures us that this memoir/guidebook will be the key to succeeding, not only in sales, but also in life.
The rest of the book is the "author's" reflection on how he got here, writing this book with so much knowledge and confidence as a Black man living in the lap of luxury. We rewind by about a year to meet Darren Vender, a twenty-two year old Black man living in a Bed-Stuy brownstone with his mother and working as a manager at a midtown Starbucks. Darren graduated from Bronx Science as the valedictorian but elected not to go to college, waiting for the elusive "right time" and happily spending time with his girlfriend, Soraya, his best friend, Jason, and the rest of his neighborhood.
When, one day, Darren decides to recommend a new drink to a regular customer, this entire routine flips upside down. Rhett Daniels, CEO of Sumwun, is impressed by Darren's ability to change his mind and invites him for an interview. Thrown into an office full of white people, Darren is frustrated, skeptical, and overwhelmed, irritated by every instance of an employee telling him he looks like a famous Black man or calling him "brother." Eventually, though, Darren agrees to take the job, suffering through "Hell Week," joining his new colleagues out at a bar, and neglecting all the people he loves at home.
This is where the book started to lose me. I loved Darren, who hated coffee but loved and supported his baristas at Starbucks and who spent time with his mother and long-time girlfriend without any hesitation or shame. The Darren who transformed into Buck was exaggerated and infuriating. The utter disregard for the people he loved, even as they struggled, was so frustrating to read, and I couldn't sympathize with or root for Buck at all. With all this frustration, I felt that this second section of the book really dragged, and by the time we reached the dramatic climax in the third third of the book, I had a hard time embracing the more satirical, absurdist plot points (though, I must admit, I was surprised and excited by all the plot twists at the end. If you like twisty books, this one is worth holding out for.)
I listened to this on audio, and, honestly, the narration was perfect. I think I would have struggled so much more to enjoy the book if I had read it on paper, missing the funny moments and the satire and the depth of darkness that infused Askaripour's writing. Zeno Robinson did a phenomenal job of bringing life and voice to the page, and he read with a levity that seemed to match Buck's mindset even in the face of absolute horror and tragedy.
*Link to The Stacks interview: https://thestackspodcast.com/2021/02/17/ep-151-mateo-askaripour/
The book begins with an "Author's Note," written from the perspective of the protagonist, who assures his readers that this book will tell the story of how to change your life through sales, referencing Black figures, including Martin Luther King Jr. and Oprah, who, perhaps to our surprise, are "salespeople," selling ideas that allowed them to succeed in a world that tends to push Black people down. Writing from a penthouse suite, the "author" assures us that this memoir/guidebook will be the key to succeeding, not only in sales, but also in life.
The rest of the book is the "author's" reflection on how he got here, writing this book with so much knowledge and confidence as a Black man living in the lap of luxury. We rewind by about a year to meet Darren Vender, a twenty-two year old Black man living in a Bed-Stuy brownstone with his mother and working as a manager at a midtown Starbucks. Darren graduated from Bronx Science as the valedictorian but elected not to go to college, waiting for the elusive "right time" and happily spending time with his girlfriend, Soraya, his best friend, Jason, and the rest of his neighborhood.
When, one day, Darren decides to recommend a new drink to a regular customer, this entire routine flips upside down. Rhett Daniels, CEO of Sumwun, is impressed by Darren's ability to change his mind and invites him for an interview. Thrown into an office full of white people, Darren is frustrated, skeptical, and overwhelmed, irritated by every instance of an employee telling him he looks like a famous Black man or calling him "brother." Eventually, though, Darren agrees to take the job, suffering through "Hell Week," joining his new colleagues out at a bar, and neglecting all the people he loves at home.
This is where the book started to lose me. I loved Darren, who hated coffee but loved and supported his baristas at Starbucks and who spent time with his mother and long-time girlfriend without any hesitation or shame. The Darren who transformed into Buck was exaggerated and infuriating. The utter disregard for the people he loved, even as they struggled, was so frustrating to read, and I couldn't sympathize with or root for Buck at all. With all this frustration, I felt that this second section of the book really dragged, and by the time we reached the dramatic climax in the third third of the book, I had a hard time embracing the more satirical, absurdist plot points (though, I must admit, I was surprised and excited by all the plot twists at the end. If you like twisty books, this one is worth holding out for.)
I listened to this on audio, and, honestly, the narration was perfect. I think I would have struggled so much more to enjoy the book if I had read it on paper, missing the funny moments and the satire and the depth of darkness that infused Askaripour's writing. Zeno Robinson did a phenomenal job of bringing life and voice to the page, and he read with a levity that seemed to match Buck's mindset even in the face of absolute horror and tragedy.
*Link to The Stacks interview: https://thestackspodcast.com/2021/02/17/ep-151-mateo-askaripour/
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Toxic relationship
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