Ring Shout

Súper guay, historia concisa que te atrapa hasta el final.

Habla sobre racismo utilizando la fantasía como medio y logra transmitir muchísimo

This was PHENOMENAL!!!!!!!! The writing was Beautifully fast paced but not too fast!!!!!!! The banter between the characters was my FAVORITE!!!!!!! And I grew so SO attached to the characters in such a short time!!!!!!! Also the whole concept was just So original that it hooked me Instantly!!!!!!!! Highly recommend!!!!!!!

This is great. Despite being a novella, this manages to feel more weighty than some books twice its size. It uses its fantasy well to deliver both a powerful message and a well-needed history lesson (speaking as someone who knew little about the real events from which this draws inspiration). Highly recommended.

Loved the idea, not so sure about the execution

Amazingly written. I loved the historical aspects and old stories used to make this story. Felt like a whole story instead of a novella, I got so much from it.

Good writing, but the book just isn't for me.

Ring Shout by P. Djeli Clark is one of those books that I have been meaning to get to for a long time.

In all honesty, I have not seen a bad review of the book and it has had whole heaps of praise heaped on it.I can see why! It is thoroughly brilliant from the opening to the final lines.

Now, I am quite familiar with P. Djeli Clark's writing having read Dead Djinn in Cairo and The Haunting of Tram Car 015 and was totally enthralled by his story telling abilities. However, Ring Shout is a completely different animal.

The story starts with our hero Maryse Bodreaux and her team watching from on high a Ku Klux Klan march in 1920's America. Immediately from the proclamation of “I hunt monsters” I was utterly transfixed by this book.

The story itself centres around inter dimensional creatures that feed on hate and hide themselves in human form amongst the Klan where they can satiate their hunger on the finest caviar of hate. However, Maryse and her accomplices can spot the shifting faced demons and are able to fight them.

We learn through the eyes of Maryse of these creatures called Ku kluxes, who also gives us the history of the current situation. Telling us that the Klan were actually involved in sorcery and made a pact with these demons in order to further the monstrous cause of the Klan, and not only have they made a deal with these demons, but with the advent of technology, they have managed to embed a virus in a film called The Birth of a Nation, a piece of Klan propaganda made by D.W. Griffiths, that lets the demons have entry and take over a human host and become white, pointy headed monsters.

However, not only do they have Ku Kluxes to deal with, but there is a storm coming and worse is about to break through from the other side that make the Ku Kluxes look like whimpering dogs.

Ring Shout is simply an amazing book in so many ways. P.Djeli Clark is a master of the novella. He is able to pack so much in this form of fiction it's unbelievable.

He writes some of the strongest characters that I have read in fiction. Maryse is so multi faceted and she is supported by a cast of characters that are of just as much import as her. In addition to this, he does not hide from the anger that Maryse feels in relation to the Klan.

For me, Sadie is a stand out character that had me howling with laughter. She is brash and will discuss sensitive subjects with impunity that had me chuckling away.

Now, as you will have probably read in other reviews there is a prominent Lovecraftian edge to Ring Shout. However, I felt that there was so much more and I was thoroughly impressed by the horror chops that P. Deli Clark had on show here. There seemed to be elements of Cronenberg' s Videodrome, especially with the element of film influencing others. Not only that, there seemed to be nods to Brian Yuzna and Clive Barker in there too.

However, whilst there is a veritable feast for the horror fan, the historical elements to the story are solid and there were factual elements that I wasn't aware of. So not only did Ring Shout entertain me, it also educated me too.

Now, I know I have gone kinda gushy on this book, but I can't help it, it's brilliant and I think one of the best books I have read this year, and if you want a more levelled review of the book, I am sure there are some, but you are not going to find it here.

If you read one book in what remains of this year or even in the next, make sure it's Ring Shout, it is utterly stunning

This is one of those rare novellas where I'm in awe of what an author has done in a short amount of pages. I'm not surprised that Clark has done it though (since I felt the same about A Dead Djinn in Cairo), but here in 180-pages, the monsters, the alternative history, the powerful story, wow!

This fantasy historical novella is a retelling of the brutal reign of the Ku Klux Klan. In this retelling, the Klan are actual monsters, and they're able to spread and grow immensely after the creation of the film “Birth of a Nation”. Maryse, a woman who has experienced a lot of violence in her life time, has a magic sword that she uses to defeat these monsters. What follows is a dark, dangerous story about hate and terror.

This book was chilling and masterfully crafted. The characters are so well rounded and fleshed out for so short of a book. Every one has their own inner demons and motivations, while all being united in one singular goal. The historical ties in this book are what make the book especially dark. References to real life events as told through this tale of monsters makes the reader really grasp how disgusting these moments in history were. The use of dreams to explore further the demons was expertly created. Everything felt so rich and dark and real, no matter how fantastical the story got.

This book isn't for the feint of heart, but I would recommend to anyone. It is dark, scary, hopeful, and gripping. Please check the content warnings before hand.

TW: arson, body horror, death, dismemberment, gore, KKK, lynching, murder, n-word, oppression, racism, torture (implied), violence, whipping

English
As a Mexican who has always lived in Mexico, this novel taught me several historical elements and facts that I was honestly unaware of. I think that most of the people in my country identify the clan and know in a general way the horrors to which they are related, but we do not have more details or at least I did not. I think this short novel has a lot of current relevance and is worth reading, it makes a good combination of fantasy, historical elements, sci-fi and adventure all under 200 pages.

Español
Como una mexicana que siempre ha vivido en México esta novela me hizo conocer varios elementos y hechos históricos que sinceramente desconocía. Creo que la mayoría de las personas en mi país identificamos el clan y sabemos de forma general los horrores a los cuales se les relaciona, pero no tenemos más detalles o al menos yo no los tenía. Creo que esta novela corta tiene mucha relevancia actual y vale la pena leerla, tiene una gran combinación de fantasía, elementos históricos, ciencia ficción y aventura todo dentro de 200 páginas.

That's a damn good book!

Ring Shout is an outstanding dark fantasy/alternative history/horror book. At times this book reminded me of Matt Ruff's Lovecraft Country. Yet this work truly stands on its own. Ring Shout weaves together a fantastical alternative history with incredible heart, magic, and more! 5 stars!

This taut novella starts strong and blazes to a climactic finish pulling from a rich vein of Black History. Makes sense considering P. Djeli Clark is in fact Dexter Gabriel who holds a doctorate in History and teaches at the University of Connecticut. Like TV's Lovecraft Country or Watchmen, this tells a fantastical story grounded in recent history.

Our troupe of fighters features sharpshooter Sadie and her trusted Winchester, explosives expert Chef who served in WWI with the Harlem Hellfighters, and Maryse Boudreaux holder of a mystic sword that sings to the long dead and enslaved, to the chiefs and kings that sold these men to slavery, and ancient African gods.

They find themselves pitted against the clan, newly empowered by pale, pointy headed and powerful beasts with fearsome claws that appear to most as human. Known as Ku Kluxes they are a terrifying force to be reckoned with. And yet there are bigger dangers in store in the form of Butcher Clyde, a climactic showing of The Birth of a Nation and a faustian bargain.

It's a tight piece of work that builds a world, inhabits it with memorable characters, and gets the job done in under 200 pages. Not too shabby.

Surprisingly good. Recommended for fans of Lovecraft Country.

This story was absolutely fantastic. I loved the action right from the get-go, and the ‘sight' that had woven this fantasy elements into real-world events. The demons at play here were perfectly disturbing and gruesome. The touch of the flashbacks that give the weapon it's ‘power' added layers to the bit of magic at play. Although it played upon the chosen-one trope with Maryse, I was totally there for it. I also loved the ‘offer' at the end and the perspective of who held the ‘real' power.

I had listened to the audio and the narration by Channie Waites absolutely sold this. From the Georgia accents, singing in the shouts, to the screechy eerie voices from the ‘mouths', to the accent, sing songs, and Gullah speak of the ‘Aunties'. Bravo!

Review to come.

We hate willingly
all it takes is charisma
then it's politics.

Ring Shout is a unique and visceral read. It is scarily relevant to our times and filled with incredible strong female leads.

I loved the concept and how dang weird this was. I also loved the point of view from African American women dealing with the mundane horrors of racism, as well as supernatural forces linked to the Klan. The monsters were admirably disturbing and Lovecraftian as well. Shudder

My complaints can be mostly boiled down to: I wanted more. This is a short read, and while it can be good not to overstay one's welcome, I felt like I wasn't super engaged with the characters because I saw so little of them outside the strictly quest/battle-related activities. Most of the characters get only a blurb of development - this one is sassy and loves to shoot; that one learned explosives in the war and is gay. The individuals aren't fleshed out, and there's almost no development of relationships between them.

The other thing is the story has an improbably cheerful conclusion that doesn't fit the tone of the setup and main conflict. I'm not against happy endings, but this felt a little forced and pat.

Still, this was well worth the read, and I would happily read a sequel!

This is a great horrific alternative history that does seem eerily relevant this year. And in all I say read it! It was not a fast read for me however, I blame my Yankee upbringing lol.

So heads up that some of the eye dialects are hard to figure out. I would love a non-dialect version of some of the sentences in fact. But I understand and respect the reasoning behind them being there. And culturally I fully agree with their use, but I still did struggle as a result. Most of these lines are at least somewhat explained via context clues. And I do wonder if the audiobook might be easier for someone that isn't familiar with deep south and ethnic black accents.

The premise and the delivery were unique and creative. I really do enjoy this book! And I think it toes the line of horror and emotional connection. You do very quickly connect with these people and feel for them! Well done!

*3.5 stars. I wish that this book would meld with Lovecraft Country. Where Lovecraft excels, Ring Shout falls flat. Where Lovecraft struggles, Ring sings. The two worlds together would be incredible. Still, the creativity alone here makes it worth the read.

Ooh this was soooo good! Badass Black women hunting monsters in 1920s Georgia!? And the monsters are the KKK and the otherworldly creatures using the KKK are gross meat things with too many mouths?! So creepy and so satisfying to read them being torn to shreds.

I'd read ten more of these books! Hopefully in the sequel they kill the “man in Providence RI” who is trying to bring more horrors from the other side. Love a book that's going to dunk on racist Lovecraft.

This was probably the most exciting book I have read in months. There is edge-of-your-seat action in every chapter and I think it was exactly what I needed at this moment in time. I enjoyed the hell out of it!!! I did a mix of reading the book and listening to it on my commute on audio and Channie Waites is awesome. Her version of the Butcher was about 3000 times scarier than I had in my head. I still get chills just thinking about it.
Fingers crossed for more adventures with Maryse and Chef (my not so secret favorite character).

This was awesome! More like 4.5 stars.

CW: Body horror, racism, lynching, lot of white supremacist and KKK language/imagery, animal death

I'm gonna be honest, if there has been something good in my life during this lockdown, it has been discovering the genius that is P. Djèlí Clark. I started with his short story when I was in a slump and couldn't focus and he has captivated me completely with everything of his I've read since. So, it was a no brainer that I was excited for this new novella, but I never expected I would get the ARC and that was a wonderful surprise. And wow was this spectacular.

I feel like I've already used up my bag of superlatives in the intro paragraph because I just don't have more words to describe this amazing story. The way the author manages to blend real historical events starting from slavery to Prohibition era America when this story is set, the deep rooted racism of the times, along with lovecraftian horror elements and some good old monster hunting - it's a carefully crafted masterpiece that packs a very big punch in less than 200 pages. The main character Maryse and her friends Sadie and Chef just jump off the page, with distinct personalities and backstories, and a deep abiding friendship that leaves a mark on you. There is also a very memorable supporting cast of characters, including the villains who all have such a distinct narrative voice despite very little page time. Added to all this are some very thrilling action sequences as well a couple of very creepy chilling ones, and this little novella is essentially perfect.

But what ultimately makes this book extra special are the underlying themes, and for something that's actually a historical novel, it's unfortunate that most of these themes resonate with us even after almost a hundred years. There is so much hate in these pages, in the hearts of the Klan members and the monster Ku Kluxes, and while that might not be the form it takes in our world today, there is still the same hate and politicians festering it even more to gain and keep their power. One of the characters makes a point about how the white Klan members have so much hate in their hearts against Black people even though they already have all the systemic power over them, and exert it to the fullest extent possible, and I think our current predicament gives answers - they don't even wanna contemplate the idea of losing that power and do everything possible to hold onto those racist power structures. But ultimately the message of the book is that despite facing all these oppressions for centuries, when Black people protest and fight for their rights, they are doing so not with the kind of hate they've been subjected to, but with sadness and pain and righteous anger and the need for justice.

To conclude, I don't wanna say much more except, just read this book because it is thrilling and horrific and impactful, and feels like something you've never read before. The writing, the characters, the history, and the horrors - every element comes together perfectly to form a tour de force of a book, and I promise you will be swept away in awe. This is must read fantasy and I can't wait to read whatever the author comes up with next.