Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

Δάκρυα Ξυράφι by S.A. Cosby

37 reviews

halfass_reviewer's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

A story about two grieving fathers trying to get answers about the deaths of their sons is not a story I knew I needed until I had it. (Despite it still taking me days to finish this novel) I couldn't put the book down. This is the kind of novel you read when you want to read about grief and how one person's personal beliefs can ruin relationships. I loved that the fathers, Ike and Buddy Lee, were constantly working through their homophobic ideology and it wasn't like "oh, all of a sudden our sons are dead and I no longer have a homophobic bone in my body." Their views about their sons and their son's lifestyle were constantly changing and getting better until the last page. I'm also glad that other minor characters in the book (friends/associates of the sons) frequently called both fathers out on their bullshit when the fathers tried to pretend they weren't the reason they didn't have a relationship with their sons. It was nice to see these friends still have Derek and Isiah (the sons) back even after their death. This was a great book and the only reason it didn't get five stars is because I had to read through all the racists and homophobic slurs. Also, Billy Lee repeatedly calling Mya (Isiah's mother) and some other women sis made me cringe and I wanted Mya to cuss him out so badly. Lastly, I knew he was going to die anyway (not the sons but another character) but he could've got one more future chapter first. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Murder

Minor: Infidelity and Terminal illness

legsonline's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Gun violence, Homophobia, and Violence

Moderate: Deadnaming, Death, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Transphobia, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Terminal illness

narbine's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism and Death of parent

Minor: Deadnaming, Hate crime, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, and Outing

nebulasaurus's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

sarah984's review against another edition

dark sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I really wanted to like this novel about two ex-cons who team up to avenge their sons' murder but I just found it silly and kind of cheesy. Aside from the leads all of the characters felt like caricatures (the "anarchists" were genuinely embarrassing to read, I can't believe that made it to print) and the dialogue could get as preachy and didactic as the worst YA novels. Felt like a long unironic version of the "I love my dead gay son" monologue from Heathers.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Transphobia, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Car accident, Murder, and Classism

Minor: Deadnaming, Physical abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, and Outing

toofondofbooks_'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

There is so much for me to say. What an original work of art this book is. I was immediately intrigued by the premise and was excited at the prospect of reading main characters who in any other story would more than likely be characterized as villains. 

It was complicated for me at times, reading about how much hate these fathers held for their sons' queerness. Complicated and painful to watch them grieve and reflect on the ways that they failed. It was also rewarding to read as the two fathers learned to accept what they didn't understand and also accept each other. I think the way that the learning came about seemed realistic to me, and of course they weren't perfect at any point throughout the whole book, but I don't think that was the goal. The characters are morally grey, and everyone is going to have a different stance on them, but I thought that they were interesting and often painful to read. This book took me longer than most books do, I feel, in part because of the brutality within the pages. This book is SO violent, y'all. I knew that it would be going in - after all, it is a story about revenge, but that didn't stop me from having to put it down and take care of myself once in awhile. I recommend that if you decide to pick this up, that you do the same! 

BTW I found it so validating that I was picturing Buddy Lee as Sam Elliot and he is described as a Sam Elliot type more than once in the book!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Terminal illness, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Police brutality

chaosdemonmonster's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative reflective tense fast-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

4.5

I loved the way intolerance and learning went hand in hand for this book. It was written in a way that made it really believable that people were able to change their views on people unlike themselves. I found it very uplifting to see that given the current political climate in the USA. This book managed to take on a number of themes but still made them feel cohesive and like they belonged together in the story. I definitely would recommend this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, and Murder

Moderate: Alcoholism, Deadnaming, Terminal illness, Transphobia, Car accident, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Cursing, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Excrement, and Vomit

morganish's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cancer, Death, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Torture, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, and Fire/Fire injury

This book is about two blue-collar homophobic ex-con dads, one black and one white, whose gay sons have been murdered so the fathers decide to go on a high-octane quest for revenge. It's very graphic in terms of racial and homophobic slurs, depictions of violence against queer people, and positioning a lot of racism as just sort of part of the Southern landscape that must be dealt with. My personal interpretation is that the author is writing from a place of experience when it comes to the racism, and perhaps a desire to change the minds of people in his own actual community when it comes to views on queer people and queer issues. However, that is a bit undermined by the lackluster and sometimes unnecessarily sexist depiction of female characters. All in all, while the book seems to be getting great reviews, my big warning would be that though Razorblade Tears features homophobia as a major theme, it does not feel like it is made with queer people in mind. Again, I don't always think every book that challenges conventions needs to aimed at and comfortable for the people in question affected, but it is certainly A Choice, and one that people should understand before running out and picking up this book.

karachapp's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Cursing, Deadnaming, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol

v171's review against another edition

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

Moderate: Cancer

Minor: Excrement and Abandonment