Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby

21 reviews

albernikolauras's review

adventurous dark funny tense 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

This book was a ride of a book following two fathers bent on avenging their murdered sons - the sons happening to be married to each other. It was an interesting mix of gratuitous violence and men reconciling their treatment of their sons as gay, and can never take it back. I think that it went on a bit too long and they were both a bit too eager to resort straight to violence - especially in the beginning. But this isn't a book full of wholesome characters and they don't act or do as they should. It wasn't realistic in terms of its action, but S. A. Cosby covered the issues he wanted to cover very well - entrained homophobia, the criminal justice system, and racism (systemic and not) - and weaved them very well into the plot.

In summary - read if you want a rip roaring good time that discusses some very prominent issues. Avoid if you like wholesome characters or realistic plots. Or just recommend it to your dad because it seems exactly like a 'Dad' kind of book (in a not negative way). Four stars but five dads.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Homophobia, Cursing, Alcoholism, Blood, Murder, Racism, Transphobia, and Alcohol

Moderate: Vomit, Racial slurs, Torture, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Grief, and Death

thebi_brarian's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

An entertaining enough read but I found the narrative style really jarring. I'm not sure if it was intentional but it felt like it could do with a really thorough edit.

The plot was fairly cliche and very predictable. 

I did, however, enjoy it well enough. It would have scored higher but for the writing quality.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Homophobia, Racism, Transphobia, and Violence

Moderate: Addiction and Sexism

raynaaskiverr's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Murder, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Racism, and Violence

effinalice's review against another edition

3.5

3.5 / 5 

Razorblade Tears is an action packed redemptive story of two ex-con flawed fathers seeking retribution for the death of their two sons. 

It was well written and engrossing. The male characters were fully fleshed out. I highly enjoyed my reading experience of the book. 

That being said, there are a few problematic events that I didn’t quite enjoy and need to talked out. 

• tons of male-centric language 
• female characters were not as developed as their male counterparts 
• TW: racism, homophobia, transphobia and sexism 
• I also have to point out that in this book we have two gay sons whose deaths were used as plot devices for their homophobic cis fathers to “learn” that everyone deserves kindness and love. Their queer bodies became collateral damage for the realization of the story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexism, Transphobia, and Homophobia

tinytrashqueen's review

dark 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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Hate crime, Murder, Gun violence, Violence, Gore, Transphobia, Torture, Sexism, Racism, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief

Moderate: Vomit, Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Infidelity, Alcoholism, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Deadnaming

cpoole's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Gun violence, Violence, Death, Child death, Blood, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Kidnapping, and Cancer

curatedsymposium's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful sad tense fast-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Violence, Transphobia, Torture, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexism, Racism, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Hate crime, Gun violence, Grief, Emotional abuse, Death, Deadnaming, Bullying, Alcoholism, and Alcohol

v171's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• 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

5.0

A riveting, heart wrenching story of vengeance, justice, INjustice, and redemption. This book was everything I was hoping for and more. I am generally very critical of the 'bury your gays' trope, but I absolutely don't think this book falls into that category. Rather than using queer people as a device that pushes the story forward, the queer experience is central to the plot and is handled with both realism and graceful compassion. In addition, this book explored themes of racism, classism, corruption, and police brutality. Each of these were explored fully and expertly. In addition to the flawless structure of the book, the emotions this book put me through.... white hot rage, grief, compassion, love... the author was fantastic at eliciting these feelings from cover to cover. If you like books, read this. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Car accident, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Outing, Police brutality, Racism, Sexism, Terminal illness, Torture, Transphobia, and Violence

Moderate: Cancer

Minor: Abandonment and Excrement

yasmineyacut's review

adventurous dark hopeful inspiring mysterious sad medium-paced

• 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

5.0

”Tears for who they were and what they all had lost. Each drop felt like it was slicing his face open like a razorblade.”

Wow, when I tell you S.A. Cosby can tell a STORY. I didn’t know what I was missing in a book until I read this! This was the action packed mystery and character driven revenge thriller that I needed. With his phenomenal writing, he brings you right into the scene, fully invested in their lives. You can feel the grief and regret for these fathers right off the pages. I can’t even tell you how connected I felt with these characters. Buddy Lee and Ike. These bad @ss mother f*ckers (excuse my language but you’ve got to read this for yourself to understand the high) weren’t messing around and they saw it to the end — a journey you’re taken on. Seeing their relationship grow too? Into a brotherhood. They taught each other so much.

I took away so many lines from this book. So well written and absorbing. The development and personal growth within these characters! The meaning behind this book, the personal message, the sensitive topics, the depth. I felt it. Felt it so much for these fathers and their sons. I was a crying, emotional mess at the end.

…Little bit 🥺

This story confronts homophobia, racism, prejudice, sexism, violence - and has redemption and love.

“It’s easier to keep your head in the sand than it is to try and see things from somebody else’s point of view. There’s a reason why they say ignorance is bliss.”

“Time makes loyalty thin. People shed it like snakeskin.”

“Folks like to talk about revenge like it’s a righteous thing but it’s just hate in a nicer suit.”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Homophobia, Racism, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Sexism and Addiction

jennifer_bush_73's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad fast-paced

• 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Car accident, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Transphobia, Violence, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Blood, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Medical trauma, and Terminal illness

Minor: Cancer, Confinement, Deadnaming, Hate crime, Transphobia, Torture, Sexism, and Sexual content