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A review by clotalksbooks
Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour
medium-paced
3.25
There were moments of brilliance in this. I felt a long list of emotions, including one part that made the tears drip down my face. I cared about the characters.
But it was also the characters that made my rating drop. I felt the journey and character development of some of the characters, especially the MC, confusing. Initially the way other characters were treating Buck I felt so unjust as they were saying he changed etc. but as we were in his head we couldn't see how he had changed so it came out of nowhere. Buck then seemed to flip a switch and act in such a way that didn't seem realistic to his character (can't say more without spoilers). Thoughts and actions just seemed to jarr. This made me feel doubtful of the story and lost me a bit.
It's certainly a journey this book. It was chaotic and felt almost like acceptance of the issues it was commenting on. The book ends by self-marketing itself in an indulgent way, I'd have thought it more important the message is consumed by people, whether that is in a shiny first edition or second-hand. Buck is, after all, about passing on the wisdom...
This is the lowest I have rated a book that made me feel such emotion, and I must admit I keep changing my mind. Some parts made me put it down and not want to pick it up again, whereas others had me devouring through the pages. Overall though, for me the glimmers of greatness got outweighed by the Wolf of Wall Street-like madness (not as well executed) and illegal antics that made it nonsensical, and so I can't give it more even though I at times wanted to. If you buy it (as I'm not allowed apparently to lend you my copy), brace yourself for the similes...
But it was also the characters that made my rating drop. I felt the journey and character development of some of the characters, especially the MC, confusing. Initially the way other characters were treating Buck I felt so unjust as they were saying he changed etc. but as we were in his head we couldn't see how he had changed so it came out of nowhere. Buck then seemed to flip a switch and act in such a way that didn't seem realistic to his character (can't say more without spoilers). Thoughts and actions just seemed to jarr. This made me feel doubtful of the story and lost me a bit.
It's certainly a journey this book. It was chaotic and felt almost like acceptance of the issues it was commenting on. The book ends by self-marketing itself in an indulgent way, I'd have thought it more important the message is consumed by people, whether that is in a shiny first edition or second-hand. Buck is, after all, about passing on the wisdom...
This is the lowest I have rated a book that made me feel such emotion, and I must admit I keep changing my mind. Some parts made me put it down and not want to pick it up again, whereas others had me devouring through the pages. Overall though, for me the glimmers of greatness got outweighed by the Wolf of Wall Street-like madness (not as well executed) and illegal antics that made it nonsensical, and so I can't give it more even though I at times wanted to. If you buy it (as I'm not allowed apparently to lend you my copy), brace yourself for the similes...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence