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A review by megelizabeth
Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.5
"The place didn’t call to her, not the way Texas felt ever at hand for Michael - the way the land, or the memory of it, pulled at him. It was as if some part of him had never left the red dirt of East Texas, which Randie didn’t understand."
For me, the strengths of this book are its vivid depictions of Texan social, cultural, and natural life, its layered, messy characters, and its necessary commentary. Darren's perspective is certainly an interesting one, and I largely found his personal story and the wider events happening to be compelling in an understated way.
As a mystery, this was for me a bit mediocre, and I wasn't a fan of the way some of the 'relationships' (i.e. grooming of underage or at best barely legal girls) are talked about. I also didn't love the ending, though that's more of a personal gripe; it's very much an ending that's setting up the next book rather than giving closure to this one, and I don't tend to enjoy that in series'.
Attica Locke can certainly write, and I'm glad I picked this up even if overall it ended up being just okay. I'd recommend if you're looking for a thriller that's dark but in a quiet way, with a plot that's decent enough but where there's much more emphasis on atmosphere and commentary.
For me, the strengths of this book are its vivid depictions of Texan social, cultural, and natural life, its layered, messy characters, and its necessary commentary. Darren's perspective is certainly an interesting one, and I largely found his personal story and the wider events happening to be compelling in an understated way.
As a mystery, this was for me a bit mediocre, and I wasn't a fan of the way some of the 'relationships' (i.e. grooming of underage or at best barely legal girls) are talked about. I also didn't love the ending, though that's more of a personal gripe; it's very much an ending that's setting up the next book rather than giving closure to this one, and I don't tend to enjoy that in series'.
Attica Locke can certainly write, and I'm glad I picked this up even if overall it ended up being just okay. I'd recommend if you're looking for a thriller that's dark but in a quiet way, with a plot that's decent enough but where there's much more emphasis on atmosphere and commentary.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Alcoholism, Racial slurs, Blood, Violence, Death, Murder, and Animal death
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship