dreareads_'s review
5.0
Ring Shout was the perfect book to begin my journey inside of the horror genre and not only because it was short and action packed.
What made Ring Shout special was how it grabs you with the masterfully depicted imagery of horror, and it fully submerse you with the horrors inside of humans.
As a book that centers around supernatural KKK demons in the 1920's, the book never lets your forget that the true evil is the racism and violence that was endemic at the time. Yes the monsters were scary, and yes the demonic aspects heightened the tension of the story, but it was the undercurrent of reality that sticks with you after you have read it.
But it is not simply a horror book with pain, it is also a story of love and perseverance. Of honoring those that have fallen, and coming to terms with your trauma. What differentiates hate from need for revenge? What about justice and revenge, is one purer than the other?
And although the story was fast paced, Clark still took the time to show us the love and connection that existed between the characters. How a supportive and welcoming community is the greatest defense against the most evil forces.
This isn't a 5 star read. this is a 100 star read, and I need everyone to read it asap.
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child death, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Racism, Violence, Cursing, Antisemitism, Death, Slavery, Death of parent, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, War, Xenophobia, and Torture
forsythia_phlox's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I don't even know how to explain Ring Shout. It was a wild ride I'm glad I boarded, and I would gladly get back in line to do it again if there were a sequel.
That I'm saying this about a book which heavily features the KKK and racism is stunning to me. The fact the story in question blends monsters, aliens, spirits, magic, witchcraft, and folklore together with such a heavy topic then spits it out as something both slightly campy and coherent amazes me.
There were a lot of places where I asked myself wtf was going on, but there were also plenty of points where I felt intense emotion or was just plain entertained. And, as with any good horror, there were parts that made my skin crawl with unease - especially a few gory scenes and the intense exploration of Maryse's past near the end.
Don't go into this if you hate reading in dialects (the entire story is written in such a way and there's one character with a very strong and hard to understand manner of speaking), don't want to deal with on-page racism including slurs, or can't handle serious body horror. Otherwise, though, I'd suggest giving it a chance. The subject matter nearly scared me away, and I'm glad I didn't let it.
Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Body horror, Racism, Racial slurs, Murder, Torture, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Gun violence, Grief, and Gore
kelsokake's review
- 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
Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Body horror, Racism, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Animal death and Hate crime
Minor: Kidnapping and Sexual content
bitterseason's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Gore, Death, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Kidnapping, Body horror, Grief, Murder, Animal death, Blood, Violence, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Animal cruelty
Minor: Cursing, Sexual content, Rape, Slavery, Abandonment, and Antisemitism
hiashleynine's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
Graphic: Gore, Grief, Death, Hate crime, and Racism
Minor: Slavery
literaturenut's review
- 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
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Hate crime, and Gore
mar's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Hate crime, Death, Racism, Body horror, Murder, Racial slurs, Gore, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Slavery, Grief, Gun violence, Violence, Animal death, and Death of parent
Minor: Rape, Antisemitism, and Sexual content
bookishbutch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Also, if you're able to, please listen to the audiobook! Channie Waites breathes life into this book brilliantly. Frankly, that's the best way to experience this novella in my humble opinion.
Come for the strong Black women kicking racist ass, stay for the beautiful writing and the huge amount of heart.
Graphic: Cursing, Racism, Grief, Racial slurs, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Body horror, Medical content, Alcohol, and Medical trauma
Minor: Animal death
babydog420's review
- 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
Graphic: Racism, Murder, Hate crime, Body horror, Racial slurs, and Death
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Blood, and Violence
Minor: Slavery, Religious bigotry, Animal death, War, and Death of parent
entityj's review
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Gore, Hate crime, Blood, Body horror, Death, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Grief, Religious bigotry, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, and Slavery
Minor: Kidnapping, Vomit, Torture, Slavery, and Sexual content