Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark

7 reviews

erebus53's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I had no idea what this book was about, except Race friction/violence, and was surprised to find that it was a supernatural fantasy/horror story set in an alternate world version of North America. In a world where Racial hatred has been fomented by the KKK (who have actual Grand Wizards) only those people with The Sight can see the true form of the monsters awakened in men filled with hate. Foul Magicks are worked and in a horrid twist of the knife a popular movie contains the Workings to bring forth all sorts of horrid beings through the Veil (by inciting people to Hate).

A group of scrappy monster-hunting girls lay traps for the awakened monsters that they call "KluKluxes" which they attempt to dispel with bombs, guns and a magical sword. Back home, people are using whatever resources they can to keep their families safe, from science, to the elders' gris-gris and ancestral rites.

The main character has dream visits with other beings who she relies on as spirit guides, and who she sees as "Aunties". It seems that her destiny is tied up, and she is called to action to stop the re-release of that popular old movie, which will allow the KKK to raise an old god. She must use her power and wisdom to defeat the manifestations of Racial Hatred.

Some parts of this story are pretty trippy, and it's got a whole monster killing Buffy vibe, but in a much less White girl context lol.

The end of the story seems to indicate that there is possibly another would-be hero out there.. and from the gist of it I could see the follow up being from the point of view of a personal journey of a White boy who needs to turn his back on the lure of bigotry.. but I really don't know how the vibe would work that way around.. could go either way if there was a sequel, but the creepy otherbeing world, and the slipping in-between, going inside flesh-trees,  and vision quest type feel, is a really cool interweaving of fantasy elements.. and there are emotionally resonant bits in the end of the story that deliver nicely.

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qqjj's review

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challenging dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I thought this was well-written and had important themes....but it was a stretch for me in terms of the horror and gore.

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platypus1's review

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challenging dark tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Horror scary dystopian 

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mari_books's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Wow this book is actually like a movie in your mind. Capturing so much history, emotion and action in such short pages. I think it takes a little bit to drop into their world, because of all the magic and history some of the nuances were probably lost on me but I would love to see this book as a film - it’s so vivid and muli-layered. Really strong characters, this book easily could have been made into three 

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merle98's review

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

The first horror I've read in years and the best book I have read in a while! Featuring magic swords, monster hunters and demons infiltrating the Ku Klux Klan, this story is fantastical and terrifying - and yet so full of truth.

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caseythereader's review

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challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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

5.0

 πŸ“š How do I even review this book? There is SO MUCH jammed into it. It's so incredible. 
πŸ“š Clark creates such a vivid world in just a few pages, and although I'd happily read more, it's also perfect at this short novella length.
πŸ“š There are so many excellent and terrifying battle scenes, but it's also a wonderfully character-driven story.
πŸ“š I don't want to give away too much, but I'm here for explorations of how hate manifests and mutates. 

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jbraith's review

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adventurous challenging dark tense fast-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0


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