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aksmith92's review
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
What an innovative fantasy book! It also combined a dash of historical context about one of my favorite places: Washington, DC. Therefore, I just had a great time with this novel.
The setup: We follow Clara Johnson, a woman living and working in Washington DC, after dark moments when she was thrown in jail. She works as a typist for a pretty arrogant man but knows the work is essential to the Black community. However, on the side, she also meddles with spirits, or Enigmas, because she has the "second sight." People will come to her to get a Charm - something Enigmas will hand out to humans to help them - but only with a Trick, making their lives more challenging.
Soon, Clara notices some of her friends and neighbors are starting to go missing. When a concerned mother comes to her about her son, who looks absolutely in a daze and cannot speak, Clara is sure that the spirits are to blame. This novel works through Clara trying to figure out who is at fault and what can be done about these folks controlled by spirits. While figuring out the details, Clara is tasked with finding and stealing a magical ring, which may be the reason for the spirits and afflicted humans. Therefore, she and a team of lovely characters take on this heist. It was such a fun and exciting ride, and it had unique storytelling.
Integrated into the fantasy novel was also some incredible historical context about the Black community in Washington DC and some of the atrocities that went down during this period (1919-1925ish). Yet, it was also a fantastic display of the community's growth and perseverance to make a great life for themselves. Leslye Penelope's Author Note at the end of the novel was beautiful, and I highly encourage you to include that in the final reading chapters.
What I loved: I thoroughly enjoyed the characters - Clara was a tough-minded woman who always spoke her truth, which could not have been easy in the timeframe. This book also had a lovely found-family aspect - the wonderful characters of Aristotle, Jesse Lee, and Zelda. Plus, we had the lovely and charming Israel Lee. I was glad to see that Penelope was able to integrate a lot of these characters' backstories into the novel, as we were able to catch a glimpse into their personalities. Zelda was one of my favorite characters in this novel; she had such a layered personality and provided her friends great insight (and comedic relief).
I also thoroughly enjoyed this plot - while ghosts and the spirit world are not new themes, I thought Penelope did it justice with unique worldbuilding and exciting subplots, especially with the charms/tricks component. I also loved Clara's connection with her late grandmother and how that was integrated into the story. Penelope's integration with these fantastical elements alongside actual historical context in 1920s Washington, DC, was also phenomenal. I thought it was a nice touch to weave these historical components (like real historical people like DeBois!) into this novel.
Overall, I was deeply immersed - there is a bit of fantasy, a bit of a mystery, and even a splash of a love story. I had a lovely time with it and think Penelope is a fantastic writer!
What could've happened for a higher rating: I think the pacing fell a little short for me, and I'm trying to figure out why. I think it is because most of the book was about planning for the heist and then only briefly getting to it. The action was relatively minimal but still had very interesting components. It took me some time to finish this book, which is pretty abnormal for me, so maybe that's where I'm going when I say pacing issues.
Lastly, I was a bit confused at the end with some of the Engima...fighting? I won't go into detail about spoilers, but the end of the heist scene was thrown together quickly and was confusing with the rest of the mostly intriguing and organized plot around the spirits. Even though I had some questions about the heist scene, it was the most action-packed, which I appreciated. I was on the edge of my seat, wondering how it would all come together!
Overall, it was a great novel that I thoroughly enjoyed. In my opinion, heists are challenging to do, and Penelope did it well. I look forward to reading some of her other material in the future!
The setup: We follow Clara Johnson, a woman living and working in Washington DC, after dark moments when she was thrown in jail. She works as a typist for a pretty arrogant man but knows the work is essential to the Black community. However, on the side, she also meddles with spirits, or Enigmas, because she has the "second sight." People will come to her to get a Charm - something Enigmas will hand out to humans to help them - but only with a Trick, making their lives more challenging.
Soon, Clara notices some of her friends and neighbors are starting to go missing. When a concerned mother comes to her about her son, who looks absolutely in a daze and cannot speak, Clara is sure that the spirits are to blame. This novel works through Clara trying to figure out who is at fault and what can be done about these folks controlled by spirits. While figuring out the details, Clara is tasked with finding and stealing a magical ring, which may be the reason for the spirits and afflicted humans. Therefore, she and a team of lovely characters take on this heist. It was such a fun and exciting ride, and it had unique storytelling.
Integrated into the fantasy novel was also some incredible historical context about the Black community in Washington DC and some of the atrocities that went down during this period (1919-1925ish). Yet, it was also a fantastic display of the community's growth and perseverance to make a great life for themselves. Leslye Penelope's Author Note at the end of the novel was beautiful, and I highly encourage you to include that in the final reading chapters.
What I loved: I thoroughly enjoyed the characters - Clara was a tough-minded woman who always spoke her truth, which could not have been easy in the timeframe. This book also had a lovely found-family aspect - the wonderful characters of Aristotle, Jesse Lee, and Zelda. Plus, we had the lovely and charming Israel Lee. I was glad to see that Penelope was able to integrate a lot of these characters' backstories into the novel, as we were able to catch a glimpse into their personalities. Zelda was one of my favorite characters in this novel; she had such a layered personality and provided her friends great insight (and comedic relief).
I also thoroughly enjoyed this plot - while ghosts and the spirit world are not new themes, I thought Penelope did it justice with unique worldbuilding and exciting subplots, especially with the charms/tricks component. I also loved Clara's connection with her late grandmother and how that was integrated into the story. Penelope's integration with these fantastical elements alongside actual historical context in 1920s Washington, DC, was also phenomenal. I thought it was a nice touch to weave these historical components (like real historical people like DeBois!) into this novel.
Overall, I was deeply immersed - there is a bit of fantasy, a bit of a mystery, and even a splash of a love story. I had a lovely time with it and think Penelope is a fantastic writer!
What could've happened for a higher rating: I think the pacing fell a little short for me, and I'm trying to figure out why. I think it is because most of the book was about planning for the heist and then only briefly getting to it. The action was relatively minimal but still had very interesting components. It took me some time to finish this book, which is pretty abnormal for me, so maybe that's where I'm going when I say pacing issues.
Lastly, I was a bit confused at the end with some of the Engima...fighting? I won't go into detail about spoilers, but the end of the heist scene was thrown together quickly and was confusing with the rest of the mostly intriguing and organized plot around the spirits. Even though I had some questions about the heist scene, it was the most action-packed, which I appreciated. I was on the edge of my seat, wondering how it would all come together!
Overall, it was a great novel that I thoroughly enjoyed. In my opinion, heists are challenging to do, and Penelope did it well. I look forward to reading some of her other material in the future!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Kidnapping, Police brutality, Classism, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment, Death, Racial slurs, Death of parent, Grief, Hate crime, and Slavery
Minor: Alcohol, Confinement, and Pregnancy
carefulfearanddeaddevotion's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
OMG!!!! My fav book of the year so far! (sorry Seven Husbands)
Very very few issues, to the point where I can't even verbalize them.
Absolutely adore the characters. They're just the kind I like: a l(ot)ittle damaged, sassy, a little bitchy, magical, charismatic. Israel Lee, I wish you were real so I could kiss you on your mouth<3<3 Clara Johnson, you're cool too, don't get me wrong, but he's so so perfect <3 I love him and Clara together: confident, kind-hearted ladies man falling for the grumpy closed off girl? sign me the fuck up. The rest of the cast is really cool too, the villains aren't extremely fleshed out, but it works cause they're sprits.
The plot was also really up my alley, urban magic? a heist?? a ragtag group??? yes yes yes. I really loved exploring 1920s DC, and how the black people who lived there managed to carve out their own space despite Jim Crow. I also liked that besidesthe cop Clara killed before the start of the story and passing mentions (usually when discussing racism), white people were casually absent from the story.
Highly highly recommend.
Very very few issues, to the point where I can't even verbalize them.
Absolutely adore the characters. They're just the kind I like: a l(ot)ittle damaged, sassy, a little bitchy, magical, charismatic. Israel Lee, I wish you were real so I could kiss you on your mouth<3<3 Clara Johnson, you're cool too, don't get me wrong, but he's so so perfect <3 I love him and Clara together: confident, kind-hearted ladies man falling for the grumpy closed off girl? sign me the fuck up. The rest of the cast is really cool too, the villains aren't extremely fleshed out, but it works cause they're sprits.
The plot was also really up my alley, urban magic? a heist?? a ragtag group??? yes yes yes. I really loved exploring 1920s DC, and how the black people who lived there managed to carve out their own space despite Jim Crow. I also liked that besides
Highly highly recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Trafficking, Murder, Racism, Violence, Kidnapping, Police brutality, Abandonment, and Classism
Moderate: Death, Hate crime, Alcohol, Gun violence, and Infidelity
Minor: Confinement, Ableism, Sexual assault, Body horror, and Pregnancy
alex_johnson_2021's review
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment and Murder
yuna's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Great worldbuilding, great secondary characters, great mystery. Main character was a bit of a miss for me though. It takes a long time before Clara's Charm is revealed, and for me it didn't feel commensurate to how anti she was about using it--especially considering what the stakes were and what we knew at the time about who she'd have to use it against. The story gives itself an out on this, but I was hoping for it to have been more personal to Clara.
Weird coincidence, but it seemed like all of the mother figures in the book kind of sucked. Abandoned their families, sold their children, were homophobic...etc.
Weird coincidence, but it seemed like all of the mother figures in the book kind of sucked. Abandoned their families, sold their children, were homophobic...etc.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs, Abandonment, and Classism
nrogers_1030's review
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Classism, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Bullying, Police brutality, Racism, Slavery, and Violence
Minor: Alcohol
mandkips's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Police brutality, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Abandonment and Gun violence
Minor: Violence and Homophobia
tigger89's review
adventurous
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Mystery/heist-type novels aren't my typical genre, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! I loved the system of Charms and Tricks, the characters, and of course the "how will they pull it off?" question at the heart of the story.
The story's setting was very unique, and really made the novel. Most stories taking place during the Harlem Renaissance are set against the backdrop of, well, Harlem. But as the author explains in her note at the end of the text, circumstances being what they were at the time of writing(covid-19), she found herself needing to set the book a little closer to home. And so we got a wonderful look at the historic Black presence in Washington DC. Clara, the protagonist, is also based on a real woman, Carrie Johnson, who shot and killed a white policeman in 1919...and managed to walk free.
The strongest thing this novel has going for it is the characters. Clara recruits four people to her heist team, each of whom fills a particular role. You've got your thief, your sweet-talker, your con-man, and of course your undercover infiltrator. You might wondering what's left for Clara to do, but the author hasn't forgotten about her. By the end, she gets to step into her own.
If this novel has one flaw, it's that the pacing is inconsistent. Parts of it read almost like a heist movie, particularly the way members of Clara's team flashed back when they entered the story, giving the reader an introduction to them, their lives, and the abilities they brought to the table. But at other times, the pace dropped to be downright glacial. I was never bored with the story, particularly as these slower-paced portions served to develop the setting, but when I'd picked up the book I'd expected something faster-paced, with more sustained tension.
The story's setting was very unique, and really made the novel. Most stories taking place during the Harlem Renaissance are set against the backdrop of, well, Harlem. But as the author explains in her note at the end of the text, circumstances being what they were at the time of writing(covid-19), she found herself needing to set the book a little closer to home. And so we got a wonderful look at the historic Black presence in Washington DC. Clara, the protagonist, is also based on a real woman, Carrie Johnson, who shot and killed a white policeman in 1919...and managed to walk free.
The strongest thing this novel has going for it is the characters. Clara recruits four people to her heist team, each of whom fills a particular role. You've got your thief, your sweet-talker, your con-man, and of course your undercover infiltrator. You might wondering what's left for Clara to do, but the author hasn't forgotten about her. By the end, she gets to step into her own.
If this novel has one flaw, it's that the pacing is inconsistent. Parts of it read almost like a heist movie, particularly the way members of Clara's team flashed back when they entered the story, giving the reader an introduction to them, their lives, and the abilities they brought to the table. But at other times, the pace dropped to be downright glacial. I was never bored with the story, particularly as these slower-paced portions served to develop the setting, but when I'd picked up the book I'd expected something faster-paced, with more sustained tension.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery
Moderate: Classism, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Abandonment, Death of parent, and Gun violence
sarrie's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Plot: Simple and straightforward but fun
Characters: Interesting and varied
Setting: Well realized, I loved the setting
Magic: Simple but fantastic with visible prices/outcomes
CW: Police Brutality's, Racism, Parental Abandonment, Abuse, Classism
Thoughts:
Clara is a young black woman living in 1920's Washington. In a moment of desperation when she was younger she asked a boon from a powerful spirit to save herself from prison. Now she has to help those who come to her asking for help. However she stumbles upon a conspiracy, people are loosing their will to do seemingly anything. They become almost walking zombies. The spirit Clara works for/with, the Empress, asks her to retrieve a ring stating that it's causing this disease in people. From there she begins to gather up a group of people, some with their own gifts/prices to clear and others just wanting to help.
This book is just fun, Clara and all her compatriots were interesting and varied. I loved Israel, our romantic interest and foil to Clara. Aristotle as well stole my heart. These are characters that feel real and tangible, with sad stories that also hit deeply. The gimmick of the magic in this world is the idea of give and take. People can ask boons, called Charms, from the spirits of the world. In return there is always a Trick placed on the person. For example, the ability to erase memories for a short time is given but the person who loves you most will forget you. Naturally that means that most of the characters that we meet have a sad and deeply moving story, and I think our author did a fantastic job of balancing those heavy backgrounds with fun and optimistic characters. They were people doing the best with what they had.
The mystery itself isn't the most mind blowing, you're not going to get a twisty and over the top story here but there are moments of greatness and really you're reading for the characters and their interactions. The setting is beautifully done, I felt the city around Clara and I loved getting the historical details of the era. I think the only thing that really pulled this down was just the very standard shape of the story, which isn't bad, but for me in the moment just didn't hit.
Go into this expecting a good time, something light and fun and you'll have a blast. I'll definitely try to pick up more from this author as this sets up well for a sequel.
3 creepy rings out of 5
Characters: Interesting and varied
Setting: Well realized, I loved the setting
Magic: Simple but fantastic with visible prices/outcomes
CW: Police Brutality's, Racism, Parental Abandonment, Abuse, Classism
Thoughts:
Clara is a young black woman living in 1920's Washington. In a moment of desperation when she was younger she asked a boon from a powerful spirit to save herself from prison. Now she has to help those who come to her asking for help. However she stumbles upon a conspiracy, people are loosing their will to do seemingly anything. They become almost walking zombies. The spirit Clara works for/with, the Empress, asks her to retrieve a ring stating that it's causing this disease in people. From there she begins to gather up a group of people, some with their own gifts/prices to clear and others just wanting to help.
This book is just fun, Clara and all her compatriots were interesting and varied. I loved Israel, our romantic interest and foil to Clara. Aristotle as well stole my heart. These are characters that feel real and tangible, with sad stories that also hit deeply. The gimmick of the magic in this world is the idea of give and take. People can ask boons, called Charms, from the spirits of the world. In return there is always a Trick placed on the person. For example, the ability to erase memories for a short time is given but the person who loves you most will forget you. Naturally that means that most of the characters that we meet have a sad and deeply moving story, and I think our author did a fantastic job of balancing those heavy backgrounds with fun and optimistic characters. They were people doing the best with what they had.
The mystery itself isn't the most mind blowing, you're not going to get a twisty and over the top story here but there are moments of greatness and really you're reading for the characters and their interactions. The setting is beautifully done, I felt the city around Clara and I loved getting the historical details of the era. I think the only thing that really pulled this down was just the very standard shape of the story, which isn't bad, but for me in the moment just didn't hit.
Go into this expecting a good time, something light and fun and you'll have a blast. I'll definitely try to pick up more from this author as this sets up well for a sequel.
3 creepy rings out of 5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs
Moderate: Abandonment and Violence
Minor: Murder and Gun violence
tahsintries's review
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Police brutality, and Slavery
Moderate: Abandonment, Hate crime, Classism, and Death of parent
Minor: Homophobia, Domestic abuse, and Infidelity
tostita's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This may be the best book I’ve read this year.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Classism, and Police brutality
Moderate: Abandonment and Gun violence
Minor: Slavery