A review by mgerboc
The Black God's Drums by P. Djèlí Clark

adventurous dark inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

I read Ring Shout earlier this year and was already really impressed with Clark's writing, especially in the novella format that I'm usually not so fond of. Honestly, I think I like The Black God's Drums even more. In both novellas, Clark's strongest suit lies in creating a rich atmosphere - you really feel like you're part of the story. But I think the character work, which is always hard to do in a short story, was even better in The Black God's Drums. And I LOVED the alternative history (New Orleans becomes an independent free city-state, bordered by the CSA and USA in a Civil War which resulted in a stalemate and continued slavery in the South with the exception of New Orleans) aspect. The imagery of gassed-into-docility Black slaves of the plantation South was terrifying. There are allusions to African religion, Haitian independence, and, in a really cool sci-fi twist, dirigible-like airships dominating the skies. No complaints here.