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A review by montrez
The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
Leslye Penelope has created a masterpiece. Now I want to add all her books to cart!
Let me start by saying I typically prefer speculative fiction in contemporary settings, but the fusion of a ghost talking heroine, the Harlem Renaissance era, and high stakes supernatural quests (heists)… yes, please.
What I really loved:
- The writing is immersive and compelling. The voice and tone of the story feels so authentic to the time period— from the dialogue and slang to the style of storytelling. Reading this book felt like time travel.
- Rich, nuanced and well written diverse representation . I love character driven books, and even though the plot was unique, the depth and complexity of the characters, and the sophisticated considerations for diverse representation really made this story shine. Penelope included characters of various backgrounds and addresses things such as sexuality, age, sociology-economical backgrounds, colorism and more.
- Family and found family chemistry was fantastic. I especially loved the relationship between Clara and her grandmother, and friendship/sisterhood she found with Zelda.
- The world building on ghosts and the supernatural was unique and refreshing. The antagonists (Enigmas), the ghosts, and the way the characters abilities worked (as well as their origin) was another one of my favorite aspects of this book. The lore behind the supernatural and the way it works is rich and complex enough to be intriguing but not overwhelming or confusing ( no boring info dumps here).
- Historical name-dropping helped balance the heavier aspects of social commentary. It’s hard not to mention aspects of racism and social justice and trauma, particularly in the time period this story was set in. While these aspects are a very present focus, Penelope name drops celebrated, historical figures in a fun, creative way.
Note:
The ending felt a little abrupt , but the overall story is very satisfying with potential for future books.
CW: There is mention of racism, colorism, imprisonment, and parent abandonment.
Thank you to Redhook Books and Netgalley for a complimentary copy of this ebook. I am leaving a voluntary review. All thoughts and ideas expressed are my own.
Let me start by saying I typically prefer speculative fiction in contemporary settings, but the fusion of a ghost talking heroine, the Harlem Renaissance era, and high stakes supernatural quests (heists)… yes, please.
What I really loved:
- The writing is immersive and compelling. The voice and tone of the story feels so authentic to the time period— from the dialogue and slang to the style of storytelling. Reading this book felt like time travel.
- Rich, nuanced and well written diverse representation . I love character driven books, and even though the plot was unique, the depth and complexity of the characters, and the sophisticated considerations for diverse representation really made this story shine. Penelope included characters of various backgrounds and addresses things such as sexuality, age, sociology-economical backgrounds, colorism and more.
- Family and found family chemistry was fantastic. I especially loved the relationship between Clara and her grandmother, and friendship/sisterhood she found with Zelda.
- The world building on ghosts and the supernatural was unique and refreshing. The antagonists (Enigmas), the ghosts, and the way the characters abilities worked (as well as their origin) was another one of my favorite aspects of this book. The lore behind the supernatural and the way it works is rich and complex enough to be intriguing but not overwhelming or confusing ( no boring info dumps here).
- Historical name-dropping helped balance the heavier aspects of social commentary. It’s hard not to mention aspects of racism and social justice and trauma, particularly in the time period this story was set in. While these aspects are a very present focus, Penelope name drops celebrated, historical figures in a fun, creative way.
Note:
The ending felt a little abrupt , but the overall story is very satisfying with potential for future books.
CW: There is mention of racism, colorism, imprisonment, and parent abandonment.
Thank you to Redhook Books and Netgalley for a complimentary copy of this ebook. I am leaving a voluntary review. All thoughts and ideas expressed are my own.