Mateo Askaripour's debut novel surprised me, especially as I don't often read satire. But I was immediately drawn in by Darren's story and the tight prose. The critiques on race, class, and gentrification throughout the novel are powerful and explicit, and I look forward to reading future work by this author.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the review copy.

Darren is “discovered” while working at the Park Avenue Starbucks by the CEO of an exciting start-up, Sumwun. Rhett sees a raw talent in Darren is unlike his other staff members. The valedictorian of his high school, Darren didn’t go to college, rather he has worked at Starbucks for 4 years. He joins Sumwun, a seemingly shady business and his success is rapid. Of course this all comes at a cost.

Darren, aka Buck, unsurprisingly becomes a different person than the nice boy from Bed-Stuy he has always been. He goes off the rails, and becomes a pretty awful person in his success. While waiting for him to return to Darren, the book goes in a surprising direction in the last quarter. The acknowledgments section at the end of this satirical, debut novel states: “The next book I publish won’t be anything like this one and I hope you still support.” I am here for it.

Thanks NetGalley for the arc of this book.

Quite simply the best Urban Fiction I’ve read. I have a million thoughts running through my brain and organizing them without spoilers is tough. This book is genius and Mateo has managed to write a novel sprinkled with a bit of self help if you will as well. Chock full of insight into what POC have encountered throughout time. It is engrossing from the first page with a twist at the end reminding us things and people are not always what they seem or are they? I connected with the development of the characters and their intertwined relationships. There was one part in the story that hit my heart about our dreams as children and what happens to them as we grow up. Mateo’s acknowledgements shows it takes a village to write a liters masterpiece. #BkackBuck #NetGalley

I'm hardly sure where to begin with this one! It's a rollercoaster for sure. It's heavy on the satire; I really enjoyed the first half, but the 'spinning out of control' sensation of the latter parts didn't always feel intentional, and I wish the restraint of the first part had persisted.

I also felt the sentimentality of the plotting was at odds with the style of satire - perhaps that is simply because it's quite difficult to write about love (familial, romantic or otherwise) in a satire?

All that said, I'm glad I read this. I liked the self-awareness of the 'sales pitch' structure, the wryness (when it's at its best) of the narrative voice - and the surprise of the ending.

My thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and NetGalley for the ARC.

THIS BOOK! The hype is real. What a debut. Black Buck is a wild ride indeed. Askaripour delivers a razor-sharp satirical novel about a young man’s shot at a tech startup. It’s brilliance sneaks up on you... Yes, it’s infuriating. Yes, it’s cringey. Yes, it’s hilarious but also not so hilarious at the same time. I can see why it can be polarising and easily misunderstood. I don’t think everyone will “get it”.

The returning question for me is ‘Who is Buck’? Is he StarBUCKs Buck? The content and somewhat directionless Darren. Is he big BUCKs Buck? Code switching to fit into his new role. Is he BLACK BUCK Buck? The “threat”? Askaripour skilfully depicts how Darren deals with micro-aggressions and racism in the office. It does go over the top, but it is satire, that is the point. Go into this one with an open mind and be prepared to get uncomfortable.

I highly recommend this equally entertaining and infuriating read! It’s a page turner! I got the ARC a while ago (thanks Net Galley) and this is a book I will definitely be buying. I need a physical copy! Disclaimer: READ THE AUTHOR’S NOTE. That is important. So excited to read more by Askaripour!

Black Buck is a difficult book to review, it was most definitely a thought provoking read but due to the satirical element it's written almost as a memoir or self-help guide for a starting sales person rather than a fictional story which makes is tricky to judge as novel. However I would recommend this book as it really shines a light on the racism in the corporate world and how Darren was used as the only Black employee to tick the box of diversity within the company. Darren's character progression rises and falls continuously throughout the story, he gains confidence in himself when he's hired as a sales guy but he quickly becomes too immersed in the world he hated and he takes on the persona of 'Buck' which is the nickname given to him when he started his new job. The ending of Black Buck took me by surprise so I can't say I was fully satisfied with how it ended, however the writing is sharp and the story is unique and original.

Black Buck, pitched as being for fans of The Wolf of Wall Street, feels like a roller coaster ride! It is reckless, absurd, and over-the-top. It is original, compulsively readable, and had me hooked from the beginning. Through all of this, it maintained moments of tenderness and humor.

The story follows Darren “Buck” as he becomes the only black guy working for a tech startup when the CEO gives him the opportunity of a lifetime after a chance encounter. Buck’s life begins to change for the better as he earns more money and starts making a name for himself. But he also becomes distant from his family, community and friends. Buck’s character is smart, driven, and dealing with the pressures from life, love and family.

"... I realized it was freedom that had motivated me from the very beginning. Not money, power, the need to prove myself, or even to make Ma proud, but the freedom to breathe where I want, when I want, how I want, and with whom I want in my beautiful brown skin."

On the final page, Buck asks the reader to decide if it was all worth it.

I loved this book! It is fast paced with witty advice sprinkled in to address the reader. The satire was perfectly done and touched on many topics relevant in today’s society such as racism, gentrification, homelessness and economic issues.

It is exciting to read a novel that leads me into new territory. I could definitely see this adapted into a TV series or a movie. Highly recommend!

Wow, what a book. Black Buck , Mateo Askaripour's debut novel, is powerful, satirical, poignant, and so relevant.

A deeply reflective journey with a plethora of curveballs along the way. This story is part memoir

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for a honest review!

Black Buck is about Darren that works at Starbucks. One day a man comes in and with some type of sales-persona, Darren makes him buy another beverage than the man was set out to do. That spins Darrens whole world, and he becomes Buck in a tech start-up company, slowly losing himself and the ones near him when he more and more get invested in the company.

This story is satire, so go in with it with the right mindset. For me, I haven't read a lot of satire in my life and got pleasantly surprised over how much I enjoyed it. This is like Wolf of Wall Street, but with so many more layers to the story, 1000% more depth and with a widely more diverse cast - and a lot of microaggresive racism. The main character Buck has his flaws, but also his strength, which makes him such a humanized character that feels real. The story got a bit over the top at the end, and I was sad at how the ending was, but it felt kind of real. It is always the rich persons who get away. Some scenes almost made me cry, some scenes made me want to throw my phone cause I got so upset (I didn't, cause' it's new and I don't want to break it) and sometimes a laughed out load over how fun it was.

It was a very tough read at some points, but it also was so damn fun that you just laughed out load. Mateo is for sure one of those authors that you need to look out for in for the upcoming books, I'm sure will!

I dare you to read this book and not cringe. It is literally impossible. The amount of overt racism that Darren/Buck faces when he starts the sales job at Sumwun is disgusting. Right off the bat, Darren is given a nickname with deep rooted racial ties: Buck. Clyde (he's absolutely horrendous and the epitome of a racist, white supremacist) gives him this nickname because of his previous job at Starbucks. The name "Black Buck" goes back centuries and is a racial slur for a Black man who won't bend to the will of a white man, or a Black man who is seen as violent, outspoken, and rude. In a way, this does describe Darren, as he makes his way in a predominately white corporate setting, being used as the token Black men. The elements of race and class when it comes to working the way up the corporate later was over the top, but also not far from reality.


Darren/Buck falls under the glamour of the cult-like start up and his boss with a God complex, Rhett. It was hard to read at times, as you rooted for his character so much, but end up hating him when he turns his back on his family, friends, and community. I loved the redeeming quality in Darren/Buck when he takes his mom's advice to help other people of color succeed. It is so true in life that success really means nothing, unless you uplift others. This book is an absolute rollercoaster and I was along for the ride. I could not put this one down and ended up falling asleep several nights in a row with my kindle in my hand, determined to find out what happened.


I felt like the authors intention was to drive the point home that racism and white supremacy is alive and well in, not only the world, but in the corporate world. Especially when it comes to white men succeeding in the corporate world, while BIPOC barely get a cut at the pie. Clyde's antics were so over the top disgusting, but it made me self reflect that what he was doing was no better than the microaggressions and unconscious bias that so many of us display towards BIPOC, especially Black people. To me, it seemed the author wanted to use satire to tell white people like myself that this hatred exists, we all contribute to it, and we need to do better. It is easy for white people to dismiss racism and pretend it doesn't exist because they don't witness or experience it. It is also easy for white people to believe they don't contribute to it, but just because your racism isn't on blast like it was in Black Buck, doesn't mean you are innocent from being part of the problem. That was a huge takeaway I got from this book.


I highly recommend this one! Brilliant, witty, and razor sharp, I could easily see Black Buck being made into a movie.

Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour is a fascinating satirical book written in a unique self-help/sales training style that works so well for the story. I was gifted the ebook from NetGalley, then went and bought the hardcover and THEN went and bought the Audible audiobook. I usually prefer reading physical copies but this is a book that works really, really well as an audiobook. The narrator, Zeno Robinson, was fantastic. He WAS Buck. His reading was perfection. I could vividly imagine Buck in real life and there were times I had to remind myself that this wasn’t actually a self-help book narrated by the author but rather it was a work of fiction. The narrator was THAT good!

The story is compelling and interesting. There are some funny parts but it is definitely on the darker side of satire. There are heartbreaking experiences and all of the characters aren't always their "best selves" but that made it relatable and real. The characters felt like real people, people you could know in your own life. It deals with race in a really unique way. There are quite a few parts that really made me uncomfortable and things don’t necessarily end in the way I was hoping. However, all of that is what made this book so powerful.

Also, if you've ever worked in sales or even received a sales call, there is so much in this book to which you'll be able to relate - the tips, the tricks and the training.... Black Buck is a mix of Wolf of Wall Street with a sales training manual and a self-help book while dealing with racial issues in a satirical way.

I loved it. This is a book I would definitely reread. There’s so much to process and discuss. Mateo Askaripour’s next book? I want it. I need it. I don’t know when it comes out or what it’s about but I will be buying a copy.

When I saw the comparison of this book to Sorry to Bother you, one of my favourite movies, I absolutely had to read it! This is the #OwnVoices story of Darren, who seems perfectly content with his job at a Starbucks outlet in New York, but is he really? The catalyst of the story is when Darren decides to, uncharacterically, offer his opinion on the coffee choices of the CEO of a buzzy new start-up, located in the same building as the Starbucks outlet. The CEO's impressed, and offers Darren an opportunity to work on the sales team of the start-up, and we strap in for the ride. Darren is the first, and up until then, only Black employee (an experience that the author faced at the tech startup he worked at). Part of the book focuses on the racism-casual and otherwise, that he faces in the workplace, and a lot of the discrimination he puts up with and laughs off, just to keep that opportunity and realise the American Dream of Having It All. It's particularly harrowing to read, since Askaripour is terribly matter-of-fact about it.
The book could have devolved into a stereotypical Rags-to-Riches with the usual cocaine and hookers montages, but Askaripour has too unique a perspective, and is too insightful for that ( which makes the comparison to Wolf of Wall Street particularly galling-thisis far too intelligent a book for that comparison). Askaripour made me realise that most of us work in very homogeneous workplaces and most of the time we aren't even cognizant of the huge advantages class bestows on us, and caste in India, and race in America. Nearly all of Darren's colleagues have had far more opportunities to even get a foot in the door, while he's had to rely on an absolute stroke of luck. The book explores this, and the lengths to which the beneficiaries of the status quo will go, to protect and further entrench their privileges. It's fascinating to read Darren's quietly revolutionary methods of making capitalism, that thrives on exploiting inequities, a little bit more of a level playing field.
Apart from skewering capitalism, the book brilliantly sends up start-up culture, and hard-charging tech mumbo-jumbo. Askaripour peppers the book with satirical self-help advice-like a how-to sales manual written by Armando Ianucci. I don't want quote things from it here, because they're hysterically funny in context! I'll constantly laugh at how he describes his teeth (read the book to find out!)
This satire manages to be hilariously funny, and moving in equal measure, with something for everyone. Askaripour is definitely a writer whose books will be an auto-buy for me!
Hugely grateful I was given this ARC!!

This book has its moments. The story starts off being engaging and I was curious to see where Darren would end up. I was interested in the startup scene and even laughed a few times at the ridiculousness of it all. But as the story went on I realised the characters are so two-dimensional that if they turned to the side they would disappear. There is very little character development. Even Darren and his metamorphosis into Buck seems to happen overnight. He goes from mild-mannered, self-doubting Darren to megalomaniacal and uncaring Buck in a couple of chapters. Also, is it just me or is this book pretty sexist? I get that it’s supposed to be satirical and so there are no women CEOs or whatever, but the female characters (aside from Darren’s Mom) seemed mostly to be sex objects or bitchy caricatures. As a female reader I have to say that the sexist jokes and tropes were quite alienating. I won’t keep going on, listing all the negatives, but let’s just say Darren didn’t sell me on himself. This was a really interesting story told from a fresh and unique perspective, with some fantastically important messages, but the delivery was off. Something nice to finish off, I think I did learn a few things about sales that I could use in my non-sales career. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free copy.

We’re not even halfway through February, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this turns out to be one of the best books I listen to/read all year. (I had the audiobook version of this as well.)

If a book leaves you to audibly gasp more than once throughout, I’d say they’ve got you good. and OH MY did Mateo Askaripour and Buck get me good.

The narration of this book is so compelling. There are parts in here that have a lot of anger, or passion, or just sheer volume behind them. You can definitely feel the intensity and discomfort of Darren's environment.

This book was funny, outrageous, and extremely creative. I especially love the name Darren Vendor - a punny tidbit that fits our main character perfectly!

Darren Buck Vender says that everyday is deals day, so I will make you a deal that you need to read this book. I don't know if I am as good a salesman as Buck, but hopefully my love of it can help.

Black Buck is the story of a smart young black man who is waiting for his opportunity to make it in the world. But when he gets a chance to work at an all white tech startup his life changes in ways he didn't imagine.

I had so many feelings while reading Black Buck. I laughed out loud. I cringed a lot. I was embarrassed. I was ashamed that there were probably times I didn't notice discrimination. I've worked at mostly white startups before who have creepy chants, make people cry and have one black employee. I know Buck's world.

I think this is such an interesting way to tell a uniquely black story and perspective. The story did escalate from zero to what the hell very quickly, which will likely upset some people. It's not a 100% happy ending. But I think the scenario buck finds himself in are unfortunately all too possible in today's America. It's just putting the spotlight on it to show through a satrical lens.

I will be recommending this book to everyone looking for a book that is a challenge and a delight. Thanks so much to Netgalley, Mateo Askaripour and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the free review copy.

Happy Pub Day to this OUTSTANDING novel!

Gang. I stayed up way too late finishing this last night and I am absolutely FLOORED. This book is setting the bar VERY HIGH for everything else I read this year.

This was fast-paced and felt like a thriller in the sense that every chapter I was like, "ah! wtf is gonna happen next!?", sitting at the edge of my seat, biting my nails. It was WILD.

This is a story about Darren (buck), a Starbucks barista who gets an opportunity to work at a tech startup in sales. And he is VERY good at his job.

What follows is a satirical look at systemic racism, privilege, and corporate greed.

The writing was smart, sharp, and witty (as all us New Yorkers are ::insert hair flip emoji::). It's powerful, it's heartbreaking, it's - it's amazing ok? I don't know what else to say!

Grab your copy and go read it already so we can discuss it more!

Thanks NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin for the advanced copy!

Black buck is whip-smart and hilarious.

As someone who has also trudged the path in a 'weird cult-like' start up, I knew this was going to be something I loved. While the subject matter certainly made the chuckle, the wider narrative did not. Commenting on the corporate world, racism, micro aggressions and more.

The characters are masterfully created and will take you through the whole human spectrum of emotion.

After this, I will be buying anything by Askipour immediately.

The authors note at the beginning of this book had the passion I love to see in a writer. Addressing the corporate world, death, racism, white supremacy, intimate relationships, and etc. I found a lull in the middle of the book, but the ending just left me unsatisfied. I enjoyed the rhetoric of Buck and his way of giving back. I would have liked more into him mended those relationships he threw to the wayside other than his mission to make his mom proud. Just them seeing him give back and be a part of the happy campers made everything ok. I liked the book, but wanted more. Thanks Netgalley & Meteo Askaripour for the fun read!

Phenomenal satire! Rarely do books make me laugh out loud - but this one did. I know it's not the big takeaway from the book, but I would LOVE a book about the cannibalistic Bieber cult. Can't wait to see what Arkaripour puts out next.

“If you’re not black but have this book in your hands, I want you to think of yourself as an honorary black person.”

Although I am a white woman I was initially hooked. This book is unlike anything you will read and you have to keep in mind it is extreme because that is satire. It took me saying that a few times to get that in my head but once you get past that and look at the overall meaning behind the book, it's a fantastic read. This book is Wolf of Wall Street for salespeople. I've worked in sales and although again extreme, there is the relatability there.

Go into Black Buck with an open mind and ready to learn about racism in corporate America.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest opinion!