Razorblade Tears is a rare gem of a thriller that packs equal heart and punch in a very relevant story for today’s social climate. S.A Cosby is admired for his ultra-realistic narratives with lifelike characters and dark situations that are just grim enough to be happening in our world as we read his books. Highlighting the social injustice faced by the LGBTQA community along with the racism felt among the black community, the story hits hard and true without pulling any punches.
The narrative puts two fathers on a mission of vengeance when their sons are murdered. The police investigation yields no concrete leads and the trail leads cold. With a heavy heart full of guilt for both fathers who had shunned their sons for being gay, they vow to use their violent histories for good this one time and seek out their sons’ killer. Through the characters, one father being black and one white, S.A Cosby brilliantly highlights the social differences due to race. There is a strong bond between the two leads as I would liken to a good old fashioned cop buddy duo, starting off rocky but eventually finding a sure footing with great laughs and emotional bonding along the way. Even for readers without children, the mournful grief and regret the fathers feel for their kids flow out of the pages for a total immersive reading experience.
As the fathers look for their sons’ killer, they leave a trail of bloody corpses and bullet holes with fast-paced shootouts and vicious fisticuffs along with some very creative uses of machetes and tampers. Keeping true to the gritty and grounded feel of the story, the action is hard-hitting, and sweet and simple where the only rule is to punch first and punch hard.
The heart of the story lies with the characters. The character developments are spectacular and speak to all readers in an encouraging voice to be the best versions of themselves. It is a thriller but it is so much more than that. It has been a while since a story had me misty-eyed at the end, but there is a reason this book is called Razorblade Tears. Hours blurred together as the pages kept flying until the final page and I could not help but stay stunned for a good few minutes. Transcending genres, this is a mind-blowing book that simply must be read by all.
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