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cadence99's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Terminal illness, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
midnightgremlin'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: Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Lesbophobia, and Outing
katrinarose's review
- 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: Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Cursing, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Xenophobia, Medical content, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Domestic abuse, Lesbophobia, and Outing
anastasia_raf's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I also think that people give Buddy Lee too much gredit when he rarely stops himself from being an asshole.
Ike, I think you need to start appreciating your wife more.
There was one of many sentences that rubbed me the wrong way... But this one? Not a fan. ''Buddy Lee leaned against the sink. His chest was as tight as virgin pussy." Huh.
I want to believe that this book is supposed to be a punch in toxic masculinity's throat since all this happened because Cis-het (especially white,) man are insecure in their own sexuality and very existence,
BUT, I felt like queer people were just there to serve the plot. I felt their presence was "over-exploited." I get how and why they were important to the plot but they were also used as an excuse for "character growth." This book goes out of its way to show how these fathers were educated on these topics by their gay sons and queer people in general and yet does nothing to educate its audience and to lift up queer voices. Another perspective on the plot is that these two homophobic fathers used revenge as a way of absolving themselves of the guilt (about the awful treatment towards their sons and their ignorant ass towards queerness.) And yet, was it intentional? Or just...there? I think that's where the book lacked in a way. It's not clear on where it stands.
"Still, some of Cosby's other choices render this novel something short of a triumph. Queer people are central to the investigation and the story, but not a one has a particularly strong, fully realized voice of their own..." "Cosby also has straight people talking about LGBTQIA+ marginalization in conversations that sometimes sound preachy rather than organic. It's a jarring juxtaposition — having straight characters gain this growing awareness of and sensitivity to discrimination when the queer characters are marginalized in the narrative." By Carole V. Bell, a cultural critic and communication scholar focusing on media, politics and identity.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Terminal illness, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Sexism, Car accident, Death of parent, and Lesbophobia
pollyhall's review
- 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
2.0
The story could have been shorter and some characters felt unnecessary to move the story along.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Cancer, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Murder, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
phippsmr's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Homophobia, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Biphobia, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Transphobia, Violence, Grief, Car accident, Murder, Lesbophobia, Outing, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
ldruckreier's review
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Tough read but captivating