Blacktop Wasteland

You know, I really wanted this book to be different. I had high expectations, and it just didn't hit the mark for me. I thought when it came down to it:

1. there were too many characters
2. relationships were not explicitly called out all the time
3. the story would have been totally different if Bug didn't decide to pay his mom's burden when she didn't deserve it

Perhaps unpopular opinion, but it really would have been the same old life for them if that didn't change. What did I like about this novel? It was very raw, there was nothing alluded to. The author was very black and white about the way things were (which was why some character relationships ended up being confusing because they were much murkier than the storyline). I kind of wish it ended differently. I wish that men weren't always like “oh it's just the way men are in my family so that's now I am”. BOY STOP YOUR TOXIC MASCULINITY and literally think through your choices!!!! There was quite a bit of sexism in this book. Meaning the women were just supposed to sit there and take whatever decisions that the men made. I was glad for what happened at the end with Kia, but it was still too soft for all the shit this dude did. In the end, just disappointed in such a highly talked up novel.