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peachani's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Slavery
Moderate: Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and War
Minor: Confinement, Sexual content, Blood, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, and Injury/Injury detail
csevet'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
4.0
definitely thought there'd be more airships, but it was a lot of fun nonetheless.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Slavery
thewordsdevourer's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.25
i got such mixed feelings abt this book. on the one hand, the alternative history, culture, and language are exciting and downright ingenious; on the other, i find it a tad predictable and juvenile.
my favorite thing abt the black god's drums is the rich african and diasporic culture, and how clark cleverly weaves his own version of a history gone right into very refreshingly thriving black societies and all the endless possibilities that creates. the main character creeper/jacqueline is also spunky and surprisingly astute for her age, but we dont get to know the other characters as much.
the book's a lil too predictable for me, however, and it feels juvenile at times. although things dont always go well and there are hiccups along the way, the obstacles faced by our main characters still seem easy, thus robbing the story of any real excitement despite its adventurous style. i wish the ending was a lil longer as well. even so, i'll still be checking out clark's master of djinn.
my favorite thing abt the black god's drums is the rich african and diasporic culture, and how clark cleverly weaves his own version of a history gone right into very refreshingly thriving black societies and all the endless possibilities that creates. the main character creeper/jacqueline is also spunky and surprisingly astute for her age, but we dont get to know the other characters as much.
the book's a lil too predictable for me, however, and it feels juvenile at times. although things dont always go well and there are hiccups along the way, the obstacles faced by our main characters still seem easy, thus robbing the story of any real excitement despite its adventurous style. i wish the ending was a lil longer as well. even so, i'll still be checking out clark's master of djinn.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Death, Kidnapping, and Colonisation
Minor: Slavery, Death of parent, and War
jhbandcats's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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
5.0
A slender tale of a valiant girl who loves her home of New Orleans and fights to save it against powers both evil and meteorological.
Creeper, a 13-year-old orphan, is a pickpocket just struggling to get by when she overhears a conspiracy being planned. The wind god Oya, who has been a part of Creeper since her birth, knows something bad is coming to New Orleans, so Creeper heads off to get the help she needs. She enlists the Captain and makes a deal - she'll reveal the conspiracy if the Captain lets her come work on the airship.
As this is all taking place about twenty years after a fragile truce in the US Civil War, issues of freedom are paramount. New Orleans, a neutral zone, is full of escaped slaves and freemen, Confederate and Yankee soldiers, and citizens of all colors and classes. The author's vivid imagination and his charismatic main character keep this lively story going. It's a small but worthwhile entry in the steampunk genre and Black sci-fi / fantasy.
Creeper, a 13-year-old orphan, is a pickpocket just struggling to get by when she overhears a conspiracy being planned. The wind god Oya, who has been a part of Creeper since her birth, knows something bad is coming to New Orleans, so Creeper heads off to get the help she needs. She enlists the Captain and makes a deal - she'll reveal the conspiracy if the Captain lets her come work on the airship.
As this is all taking place about twenty years after a fragile truce in the US Civil War, issues of freedom are paramount. New Orleans, a neutral zone, is full of escaped slaves and freemen, Confederate and Yankee soldiers, and citizens of all colors and classes. The author's vivid imagination and his charismatic main character keep this lively story going. It's a small but worthwhile entry in the steampunk genre and Black sci-fi / fantasy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Racism, Slavery, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
steffiraquel's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, and War
Moderate: Death, Racism, Slavery, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Blood, Death of parent, and Abandonment
lipstickitotheman's review
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Racism, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
obviousthings's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Gun violence
Moderate: Slavery
Minor: Sexual content, Death of parent, and Abandonment
heyjaycee's review against another edition
adventurous
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
4.0
Creeper is a 13 year old girl living by her wits on the streets of an alternate steampunk New Orleans. When she overhears valuable—and dangerous—information, she tries to sell it to an airship captain in exchange for a berth as crew. When everything goes sideways, Creeper and the captain team up to stop the destruction of the city.
Where do I begin? The Black God's Drums is an outstanding novella, rich with worldbuilding and alternate historical detail. From the first line, Creeper is a distinct and likeable protagonist. The plot is pacy, straightforward and gripping. This is the first of P. Djèlí Clark's stories I've read and I'm definitely going to be picking up more.
Where do I begin? The Black God's Drums is an outstanding novella, rich with worldbuilding and alternate historical detail. From the first line, Creeper is a distinct and likeable protagonist. The plot is pacy, straightforward and gripping. This is the first of P. Djèlí Clark's stories I've read and I'm definitely going to be picking up more.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Slavery
stubbornlybookish's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, and Slavery
Moderate: Gun violence and Violence
kukushka's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Slavery
There's storm/flooding of New Orleans as a central aspect of both the backstory and threat.