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buer's review against another edition
5.0
Sped through this one! Great writing, loved the format of the book feeling like a bunch of interconnected short stories until Ruff brings them all together.
Definitely one that I want to buy for my own library. I listened to the audio book for this one, though, and would definitely recommend that. Great narrator.
Definitely one that I want to buy for my own library. I listened to the audio book for this one, though, and would definitely recommend that. Great narrator.
mhariwarner's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
akelli47's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
quackquackmaverick's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
DEAN
scipiodadawg's review against another edition
2.0
Book had a lot of potential that I really wish played off. Ideas should have been expanded and the internal rules should have been better explored. Only another 50-100 pages would have probably made this book 5 stars, but what I think was supposed to be pieces falling in to place feel more like they were jammed together just to finish the puzzle.
There are great premises within this and a few sections that I have few to no complaints with, but others just make flat characters who don't feel like they progress or progress way too rapidly to be believable.
Going in I would say expect something more lofty (while still touching on heavier subjects) and more of a cable TV show adapted book rather than more risqué HBO show material i.e. GOT or American Gods. But still trust the trigger warnings for racism and violence.
There are great premises within this and a few sections that I have few to no complaints with, but others just make flat characters who don't feel like they progress or progress way too rapidly to be believable.
Going in I would say expect something more lofty (while still touching on heavier subjects) and more of a cable TV show adapted book rather than more risqué HBO show material i.e. GOT or American Gods. But still trust the trigger warnings for racism and violence.
liferulez's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
stingo's review against another edition
4.0
Historical fiction set in the mid 1950s (during the Jim Crow era) that uses magical realism to highlight its deeply unequal social mores. Told as an anthology of connected short stories, each character has their own adventure, which makes for some interesting perspective on the proceedings, but frustrating too because we only know what the character knows.
erebusc's review against another edition
4.0
This was a wild ride, excellent supernatural horror with the racial tension expected for a story from an african american view of the 1950s.
The story is told across 8 distinct stories, each exploring a different aspect of pulp horror with the same general cast of characters, from cults, to ghosts to spooky dolls. Each story builds to an overall plot with the structure more mimicing a season of a tv show than the standard novel.
The writing is well done, the racial tension can at times be a tad...over the top however from what I know it is somewhat realistic and some of it is even realistic even to modern day. Otherwise it is written in a way that keeps you excited, creeped out and wanting more, I finished it very quickly and each session had me wanting to read more and having to drag myself away so that I can do my daily tasks.
I think the only thing that I was dissapointed by was that I had seen some of the TV Show (Which is not worth watching imo) and that had curried my expectations for much harder (cosmic) horror that is presented with the actual source material. The book keeps you uneasy and creeped out not neccessarily terrified or scared, and the tv show had added scenes of action and horror way more over the top than what is in the book.
The story is told across 8 distinct stories, each exploring a different aspect of pulp horror with the same general cast of characters, from cults, to ghosts to spooky dolls. Each story builds to an overall plot with the structure more mimicing a season of a tv show than the standard novel.
The writing is well done, the racial tension can at times be a tad...over the top however from what I know it is somewhat realistic and some of it is even realistic even to modern day. Otherwise it is written in a way that keeps you excited, creeped out and wanting more, I finished it very quickly and each session had me wanting to read more and having to drag myself away so that I can do my daily tasks.
I think the only thing that I was dissapointed by was that I had seen some of the TV Show (Which is not worth watching imo) and that had curried my expectations for much harder (cosmic) horror that is presented with the actual source material. The book keeps you uneasy and creeped out not neccessarily terrified or scared, and the tv show had added scenes of action and horror way more over the top than what is in the book.
rwmendez01's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
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
4.5