silkyyy's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Cursing, Mass/school shootings, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Grief, Hate crime, Murder, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Racism, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Racial slurs, Drug use, Animal cruelty, and Drug abuse
Minor: Vomit
bex4dayz's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Pedophilia, Mass/school shootings, Racism, Violence, Hate crime, Child abuse, and Gun violence
kshertz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Kidnapping, Murder, Stalking, Torture, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Classism, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Violence, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Drug abuse, Gore, Grief, Racism, Misogyny, Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Sexual assault
alireads's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Murder, Gun violence, Body horror, Cursing, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Pedophilia, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Death of parent, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Child death, Torture, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
bibliophileroxy's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty
theinstabookworm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Mass/school shootings, Gore, and Murder
Moderate: Suicide, Racism, Suicide attempt, and Child abuse
Minor: Death of parent and Alcoholism
corpoto's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Child abuse, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, and Grief
Moderate: Alcohol, Gun violence, Hate crime, Slavery, Sexual violence, Mass/school shootings, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Chronic illness, Confinement, and Addiction
poetsofsweetpea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Racism, Torture, Domestic abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mass/school shootings, and Violence
mikepalumbo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Torture, Animal death, Child abuse, Cursing, Racism, Murder, Racial slurs, Child death, Chronic illness, Violence, Blood, Gun violence, Death, Kidnapping, Gore, Animal cruelty, and Death of parent
literaryintersections's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
I picked up Blacktop Wasteland earlier this year - I had it on my shelf for a minute and was in a book slump. Lord. Lord. Lord. I finished it in 2 days, reeling with visions of car chases, people catching on fire, and small southern towns complexly created with racism, community, poverty, booze, and car grease.
The second I saw ATSB I preordered it. Then waited too many days for B&N to deliver it (lol). And was once again blown away. Cosby’s use of language is unmatched: descriptive and clear, vividly crafting a story that is lush and inventive. The characters jump off the page and feel like real life - Titus especially felt 3D. Racism and misogyny, homophobia and poverty, the bastardization of religion, all intertwined with love and family, Black man vulnerability and community. The violence is horrible but you can’t look away, turning page after page to try to get a glimpse of the antagonist - to understand what would make a person do such horrible things.
No one comes out unscathed in this book. And it left me thinking about these complexities far longer after I closed the cover. Do yourself a favor. Read ATSB. Then read Blacktop Wasteland. And join me on this journey as an absolute fan of Cosby’s work.
Graphic: Police brutality, Sexual violence, Child abuse, and Child death
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death of parent, and Death