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A review by no_more_shelf_control
All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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? It's complicated
4.5
ALL THE SINNERS BLEED by S.A. Cosby and read by Adam Lazarre-White is the gritty and fantastic story I was expecting from this auto-read author.
⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
I have found that S.A. Cosby is in a genre of his own. Is "Grit. Lit." a thing? If it is, Cosby is King. This goes beyond a gritty tale of sordid activity in a smaller town dealing with ghosts of racists past and present, but goes deep into areas of power, safety, and trust.
Titus is the first Black sheriff in Charon County and when a school shooting ends with his officers killing the shooter, it seems like the narrative should be easy. When it is discovered that the victim of the shooter was involved in heinous activities and bodies are found, a much deeper thread is pulled.
I felt like this story, while horrific and did have graphic details, could have been more graphic and I am glad it was not. I felt like this struck a perfect balance of enough but not over the top. I get a bit nervous with audiobooks knowing it will get gritty as I don't necessarily have the ability to skim over if I need to! I was prepared for this one and felt like the narration was superb. There was the audible disdain and horror presented, as well as the steely determination of Titus to solve this case and not cave to pressures of various sides. I did listen at 2x speed which was just right.
I really love the way Cosby takes a whole trove of interconnected issues, combines them all and with precision, crafts a highly entertaining narrative that makes me cringe, think, gasp, and applaud. The take-downs are obvious, calling out the charlatans in our society.
I clearly enjoyed this most recent offering of Cosby's. While my favorite is still probably Blacktop Wasteland, this one is a close contender for top.
Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for @flatiron_books for this ALC and having me share my thoughts. This will be a perfect, hot, summer read and it comes out June 6!
⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
I have found that S.A. Cosby is in a genre of his own. Is "Grit. Lit." a thing? If it is, Cosby is King. This goes beyond a gritty tale of sordid activity in a smaller town dealing with ghosts of racists past and present, but goes deep into areas of power, safety, and trust.
Titus is the first Black sheriff in Charon County and when a school shooting ends with his officers killing the shooter, it seems like the narrative should be easy. When it is discovered that the victim of the shooter was involved in heinous activities and bodies are found, a much deeper thread is pulled.
I felt like this story, while horrific and did have graphic details, could have been more graphic and I am glad it was not. I felt like this struck a perfect balance of enough but not over the top. I get a bit nervous with audiobooks knowing it will get gritty as I don't necessarily have the ability to skim over if I need to! I was prepared for this one and felt like the narration was superb. There was the audible disdain and horror presented, as well as the steely determination of Titus to solve this case and not cave to pressures of various sides. I did listen at 2x speed which was just right.
I really love the way Cosby takes a whole trove of interconnected issues, combines them all and with precision, crafts a highly entertaining narrative that makes me cringe, think, gasp, and applaud. The take-downs are obvious, calling out the charlatans in our society.
I clearly enjoyed this most recent offering of Cosby's. While my favorite is still probably Blacktop Wasteland, this one is a close contender for top.
Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for @flatiron_books for this ALC and having me share my thoughts. This will be a perfect, hot, summer read and it comes out June 6!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Hate crime, Murder, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Death, and Racial slurs