A review by wilermine
The Dark Fantastic: Race and the Imagination from Harry Potter to the Hunger Games by Ebony Elizabeth Thomas

4.0

A really wonderful and insightful book! This was my first full-length nonfiction book I've ever read so it was a bit of a struggle but I'm glad I persevered through it. There were some parts that I felt were a bit jargon-y and that I didn't really understand but that was mainly because of me and my own reading comprehension skills. This book was very important to me, as a black reader it felt so good for someone to acknowledge the lack of diversity in books in a way that was so scrutinizing. The idea of the Dark Fantastic Cycle was something I've never heard of and even the analysis of characters I already knew (Rue from the Hunger Games) gave me a completely different insight on how black female characters are written. I think anyone who's heavy into reading and writing, especially for young adults and children, should read this book. I think it'll make you look at the things you read in a more critical light while also enjoying them for what they are.