Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by sdsmith80
Beasts of 42nd Street by Preston Fassel
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
<strong>Grimy, Gritty and Depraved!</strong>
If you're looking for loveable characters and a light-hearted romp, turn away! If, on the other hand, you're looking for something dark, dirty, and straight out of the exploitation films of the 1970's, this is the book for you!
I'm not going to sugarcoat it, the characters are truly awful. They are racist, misogynistic, homophobic, and every other horrible thing you can think of, giving an authentic period feel. Even the seemingly well meaning characters are at least mildly racist. The main character, Andy Lew, is a sexual deviant, and others commit all sorts of horrors.
Even with all of that, the author does a masterful job of making Andy Lew strangely sympathetic. Almost against my will, I found myself cheering him on in his quest. I was fully invested as I learned more about his backstory. I liked that while it gave a little context to his actions, it doesn't excuse them at all.
In the end, this book isn't for the faint of heart, or stomach. That being said, I truly enjoyed it and am glad I chose to give it a chance.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
If you're looking for loveable characters and a light-hearted romp, turn away! If, on the other hand, you're looking for something dark, dirty, and straight out of the exploitation films of the 1970's, this is the book for you!
I'm not going to sugarcoat it, the characters are truly awful. They are racist, misogynistic, homophobic, and every other horrible thing you can think of, giving an authentic period feel. Even the seemingly well meaning characters are at least mildly racist. The main character, Andy Lew, is a sexual deviant, and others commit all sorts of horrors.
Even with all of that, the author does a masterful job of making Andy Lew strangely sympathetic. Almost against my will, I found myself cheering him on in his quest. I was fully invested as I learned more about his backstory. I liked that while it gave a little context to his actions, it doesn't excuse them at all.
In the end, this book isn't for the faint of heart, or stomach. That being said, I truly enjoyed it and am glad I chose to give it a chance.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Car accident, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Hate crime, Homophobia, Sexual harassment
Minor: Hate crime, Incest, Rape
Heed the warnings, but enjoy the ride! This book contains a snuff film, and the characters are very dark and depraved.