Scan barcode
hngisreading'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? No
4.0
Graphic: Slavery, Racism, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Body horror, Violence, Grief, Hate crime, and Murder
escapinginpaper'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: Gore, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Death, Grief, Hate crime, Medical content, Torture, Violence, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Murder, and Slavery
Moderate: Gun violence, Alcohol, Sexual content, Colonisation, War, Genocide, and Kidnapping
Minor: Animal death, Classism, Antisemitism, and Cursing
mengzhenreads'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
4.0
Graphic: Racism, Body horror, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Slavery and Death
Minor: Racial slurs and Blood
peachani's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Violence, Racism, and Gore
Moderate: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Slavery, and Death
Minor: Alcohol, Sexual content, and Kidnapping
bealmg's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
However, the storyline and the characters were not as fleshed out as I would have liked - I think this is, in part, due to this being a novella and, thus, necessarily shorter. I wanted to be more emotionally connected to these characters, but everything happened so fast and the plot was so condensed that it lacked the necessary emotional depth for me. Nevertheless, considering this is a novella, I was pretty impressed with the creativity, the world-building and the themes it explored!
Graphic: Cannibalism, Violence, Torture, Blood, Death, Gore, and Body horror
Minor: Death of parent and Slavery
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
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
kpeps'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
4.75
Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, and Racism
Moderate: Gore and Blood
jarshi'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
4.0
I think that in his quest to convey these ideas, Clark has made one of the most compelling modern fiction stories I've ever read. Clark was able to craft a story that centers on slavery and black pain without it being fetishized. I love that Clark decided to make the protagonist a black woman, as I think that introduces a deeper, more intersectional aspect to the themes of anger, hate, and trauma stemming from slavery, racial violence, and systemic oppression.
Another thing that Clark succeeded in (whether intentional or not) was highlighting just how strange the KKK actually is. They wear white sheets and chant while standing around burning crosses. They give themselves ranks and funny names. When you think about it, and when you put all of that within the context of a story like Ring Shout, the whole absurd ritualism of it all becomes so obviously apparent. They're fucking crazy. And it's even crazier that they claim to do it under the guise of *checks notes* Christianity and believing that they were... highly enlightened. Insane.
Anyways, I think this story is so good! The incorporation of Black-American culture, rituals, and magic as a means of goodness and strength instead of being stereotyped as primitive was so nice to read.
This book made me really interested in learning more about African-American folklore.
Graphic: Racism, Blood, Body horror, Death, Violence, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Mental illness, Slavery, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Animal death
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