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A review by lklitup
Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Black Buck was truly unlike any novel I’ve ever read before... I’m still processing.
I found the starting off point for my review from this description: “Black Buck is a hilarious, razor-sharp skewering of America’s workforce; it is a propulsive, crackling debut that explores ambition and race, and makes way for a necessary new vision of the American dream.” Plus, I hope more readers enjoy this novel now in the lens of the GameStop/hedge fund/Wall Street story still unfolding.
“Hilarious” is not the adjective I’d used to describe this book. Uncomfortable. Poignant. Cutthroat. Maybe stretch it to all-too-real. Matteo Askaripour’s observations are certainly razor-sharp. The code switching, microaggressions, internalized behavior monitoring... Darren “Buck” Vender’s entire thought process was turned inside-out for the reader to know and learn from. It was harrowing. My heart broke and rebroke for Darren throughout this novel. I wouldn’t say that the skewering is limited to the workforce, either; that doesn’t give enough credit to this writing.
Rhett was keenly written as the color-blind “ally.” Mr. Rawlings and Wally-Cat as the local elders who are all too aware of the dangers lurking for Black men. Jason and Soraya as the friends who represent Darren from “Before Buck” times, from whom Darren must grow to embody “Buck.” Clyde as the personification of white selfishness and American (not just corporate) greed. He was honestly terrifying.
I kept thinking about the different ways in which “buck” could be used in this novel. Starbucks. Cash. Opposing the system. A stalwart, imposing figure. They all come to play and are incorporated within the overall storyline.
This novel is going to stick with me.
I found the starting off point for my review from this description: “Black Buck is a hilarious, razor-sharp skewering of America’s workforce; it is a propulsive, crackling debut that explores ambition and race, and makes way for a necessary new vision of the American dream.” Plus, I hope more readers enjoy this novel now in the lens of the GameStop/hedge fund/Wall Street story still unfolding.
“Hilarious” is not the adjective I’d used to describe this book. Uncomfortable. Poignant. Cutthroat. Maybe stretch it to all-too-real. Matteo Askaripour’s observations are certainly razor-sharp. The code switching, microaggressions, internalized behavior monitoring... Darren “Buck” Vender’s entire thought process was turned inside-out for the reader to know and learn from. It was harrowing. My heart broke and rebroke for Darren throughout this novel. I wouldn’t say that the skewering is limited to the workforce, either; that doesn’t give enough credit to this writing.
Rhett was keenly written as the color-blind “ally.” Mr. Rawlings and Wally-Cat as the local elders who are all too aware of the dangers lurking for Black men. Jason and Soraya as the friends who represent Darren from “Before Buck” times, from whom Darren must grow to embody “Buck.” Clyde as the personification of white selfishness and American (not just corporate) greed. He was honestly terrifying.
I kept thinking about the different ways in which “buck” could be used in this novel. Starbucks. Cash. Opposing the system. A stalwart, imposing figure. They all come to play and are incorporated within the overall storyline.
This novel is going to stick with me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Cancer
Minor: Drug use