You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Scan barcode
kayladaila's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Hate crime, Racism, Torture, Violence, Medical content, and Murder
Moderate: Animal death, Gore, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Torture, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and War
Minor: Genocide, Sexual content, Slavery, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Colonisation
carlyoc'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
4.5
If a monster fed on hate, what part of American history would be his feast? There's a lot of right answers to that, unfortunately. but the heyday of the KKK is a strong contender. In this alternate version of history, a supernatural force has given many members of the Klan the ability to shapeshift into super-strong bone-white houndlike creatures known as Ku Kluxes. Fortunately, their targets have some supernatural help as well, in addition to just plain badassery.
Maryse Boudreaux is armed with a magic sword forged by the vengeance of her ancestors sold into slavery. But her fighting companions Sadie and Chef do just as well for themselves with a mundane Winchester rifle and homemade bombs, respectively. Together, they work to take down the Ku Kluxes as well as discover who the puppet master controlling their strings is and what he wants.
Along the way, Maryse will have to face the past she's been burying, travel into several supernatural realms, and resist the temptation to become a monster herself.
Side note: I find amusing the fact that for once there is a male love interest who does absolutely nothing besides participate in a few sex scenes, get rescued, and serve as motivation. Although I personally would have enjoyed more of a romance angle, I appreciate the way this flips the script on how female love interests are often treated in fiction, and that this is a story about Maryse's fight for survival, not her love life.
Graphic: Gore, Racial slurs, Racism, and Grief
Moderate: Body horror, Death, and Slavery
Minor: War
bookcaptivated'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
3.75
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Slavery, Grief, Cannibalism, and Death of parent
orireading's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
kkalicky94's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Moderate: Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
hannahr'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: Body horror, Gore, Hate crime, Racism, Blood, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Animal death and Sexual content
2ndbooktotheright'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: Body horror, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Animal death, Slavery, Death of parent, and War
breezer's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Racial slurs, Grief, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Racism and Rape
howlinglibraries'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? It's complicated
5.0
“What I have is beautiful music inspired by struggle and fierce love. What he got ain’t nothing but hateful noise. Not a hint of soul to it.”
I've been meaning to check out P. Djèlí Clark's writing for far too long, and I'm so happy that I finally did, because Ring Shout absolutely blew me away and Clark is a new auto-read author for me, 100%. This novella was incredible! It's packed tight with action, intensity, history, and it all revolves around a trio of badass monster-hunting Black women that I immediately loved upon meeting. It isn't often that I read a book that leaves me feeling genuinely privileged to have experienced it, but Ring Shout is one of those special few.
I truly don't know where to begin with how highly I recommend this book. I loved the characters, the narrative voice, the fantastical elements, and the entire general premise of Ring Shout. Not only was it such a tremendously enjoyable story, but there was the added element of having learned a few things about Black history that I didn't know before. (I've learned since reading the novella that the author is also a historian, so that checks out!)
“Girl, every choice we make is a new tomorrow. Whole worlds waiting to be born.”
I also have to shout out the audiobook narrator, Channie Waites, for going above and beyond. Even when I wanted to read the book visually, I ended up putting my headphones in and listening while I read along with the ebook because the narration added so much extra jazz to the story! (I think this was the first time I'd ever done that, if that tells you what a raving compliment that is from me, someone who doesn't listen to audiobooks particularly often in the first place.)
Seriously, if you haven't picked up Ring Shout yet, do yourself and favor and fix that. Meanwhile, I'll be over here adding all of Clark's other works to my TBR! (Oh, and sincerely hoping that we get another novella in this world, because I was not ready to say goodbye.)
✨ Representation: almost all characters are Black; Chef is queer
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this review copy in exchange for an honest review!
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Racism, Violence, Grief, Medical trauma, and Murder
Minor: Animal death
hanz'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? No
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Animal death and Slavery