Scan barcode
tales_told_in_gold's review
adventurous
funny
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? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Slavery, Gun violence, Death, and Racism
Minor: Racial slurs
takarakei's review against another edition
adventurous
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? No
4.0
I love P. Djèlí Clark's ability to weave history into fantasy. I love to learn little bits of history while reading the immersive lush settings Clark is able to create in such short novellas.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Racism, and Gun violence
Moderate: Kidnapping, Slavery, and Death
Minor: Blood and Death of parent
_forestofpages's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
inspiring
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? Yes
4.0
I felt immediately immersed in this world, from page one to the end it ensnared me with rich world building and color. I felt as though Creeper was leading me down the dark alleys and into the very swamps. This was lush and had so much character. I cannot wait to read more from P. Djèlí Clark.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, and Xenophobia
ran_sophia's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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? No
5.0
I love writing and storytelling style of this book. It has amazing characters and it read a very well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Slavery, Gun violence, and Violence
Moderate: Torture, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Colonisation, and Kidnapping
Minor: Death of parent
thecriticalreader's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-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
4.25
Context:
This is the second book by P. Djèlí Clark that I have read. Last year, I read his novel A Master of Djinn and thought it was decent, but I didn’t like it as much as I hoped. I picked up The Black God’s Drums because I wanted to give his writing another chance.
Review:
The Black God’s Drums by P. Djèlí Clark is an adventurous, deeply imaginative novella set in an alternate-history steampunk New Orleans. One thing I loved about A Master of Djinn was its worldbuilding, and Clark once again proves his strength in this area with The Black God’s Drums. I adore how he constructs a believable alternate history of the United States and New Orleans for this story, as well as how he incorporates historical and African spiritual elements into the narrative. Besides the fantastic worldbuilding, this novella features a quirky and diverse cast of characters and an exciting adventure. The only thing keeping me from rating from this book higher is its length; although it tells a contained and well-paced story within its 112 pages, I don’t think it will stick in my memory much. I would love to see Clark write another book within this universe!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Slavery
Minor: Death of parent, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, and Blood
yasidiaz's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Creeper, a young teen from New Orleans with only herself and the orisha Oya to count on, is tired of the streets and instead wants to get into the smuggler airship Midnight Robber. When she finds out about a Haitian scientist and his plans for the Black God’s Drums, she uses this to get Captain Ann-Marie's trust and earn passage in the airship. But there are bigger plans for Creeper and Ann-Marie.
This is the first time I have read anything with African mythology and honestly, it left me wanting more. I wish the story was longer so I could have spent more time in this world and getting to know these characters. The story felt too quick and it made it hard for me to really get attached to them. Either way, the plot grabbed me and kept me interested.
I was also delighted to find out this was also Historical Fiction, as this is set up in the late 19th century in a world where the Union hadn’t yet defeated the Confederacy and instead had signed a truce for the meantime. There is not much Historical Fiction I have read, but as the history nerd that I am, it’s always a delight when I do. Seeing this fictional New Orleans, as well as seeing the Caribbean being called the Free Isles (as a Caribbean this made my heart swell) was a great reimagination of the 19th century. One I wouldn’t have minded to see with my own eyes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Racism
mengzhenreads's review against another edition
adventurous
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? No
3.0
This would’ve made an epic movie
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, and Racism
Moderate: Death and Slavery
Minor: Death of parent, Kidnapping, and Blood
j_schley's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Slavery, Colonisation, and Racism
Minor: Racial slurs and War
tigger89's review
adventurous
fast-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
This bite-size adventure was a fascinating window into an alternate history. As I was reading the first few scenes, historical inconsistencies - wasn't the Civil War over? what were these factions? - began piling up, and I forgive the author for the resulting expository info-dump because it was all so interesting. He clearly spent a great deal of time thinking through the necessary what-ifs and so-thens to create his alternate New Orleans. I especially loved the way the orishas were woven into the setting and plot, not just creating a good story but also driving me to wikipedia after I'd finished the book.
Something else I think he did well was the incidental diversity. It was never particularly important to the story that a character was bisexual or had a prosthetic; rather, they just existed in the world, as they have every right to. The author's use of dialect, which is present on nearly every line of dialogue, might bother some readers. I never had a problem following the speech, but if it's a problem for you, there's no escape from it.
One thing I didn't like was less the fault of the book and more a problem with the marketing/cover copy, and that was that I had been promised an airship adventure. Unfortunately, that's not what this book is about. This book is the prequel to the airship adventure(sadly, not yet written), but is itself very firmly grounded. It features sky pirates, but is not a sky pirate adventure. Maybe one day he'll revisit this setting and we'll get to see Jacqueline all grown up and ready to take to the skies.
Something else I think he did well was the incidental diversity. It was never particularly important to the story that a character was bisexual or had a prosthetic; rather, they just existed in the world, as they have every right to. The author's use of dialect, which is present on nearly every line of dialogue, might bother some readers. I never had a problem following the speech, but if it's a problem for you, there's no escape from it.
One thing I didn't like was less the fault of the book and more a problem with the marketing/cover copy, and that was that I had been promised an airship adventure. Unfortunately, that's not what this book is about. This book is the prequel to the airship adventure(sadly, not yet written), but is itself very firmly grounded. It features sky pirates, but is not a sky pirate adventure. Maybe one day he'll revisit this setting and we'll get to see Jacqueline all grown up and ready to take to the skies.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Gun violence
Moderate: Violence, Slavery, and Kidnapping
Minor: Sexual content and Death of parent
lucystolethesky's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Gun violence, Kidnapping, and Violence
Minor: Death, Trafficking, Violence, War, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Murder, Police brutality, Sexual content, Slavery, Death of parent, Racial slurs, and Sexism