Scan barcode
A review by farahmendlesohn
Searching for Sycorax: Black Women's Hauntings of Contemporary Horror by Kinitra D. Brooks
4.0
I really enjoyed this. It’s a clear, easy read, that considers current ways of assessing “black women in horror”, from reading lists, film critics, literary critics and fantasy critics, and then proposes some new approaches.
It’s written from “within” a fantastical critical tradition I’m familiar with -Attebery, Barr, Clute, Mendlesohn and Heinlein of all people— are cited possibly unnecessarily, tho the use of Clute to discuss Jemisin’s first trilogy is nice; and the use of Black Feminist theory to discuss speculative fiction is fascinating.
I think what makes the book work for me is the same thing that might annoy others: instead of arguing for one theoretical approach, Brooks uses a range of theory as a filter, scrutinising her texts through each in turn.
Highly recommended.
Nb. The index is annoyingly incomplete.
It’s written from “within” a fantastical critical tradition I’m familiar with -Attebery, Barr, Clute, Mendlesohn and Heinlein of all people— are cited possibly unnecessarily, tho the use of Clute to discuss Jemisin’s first trilogy is nice; and the use of Black Feminist theory to discuss speculative fiction is fascinating.
I think what makes the book work for me is the same thing that might annoy others: instead of arguing for one theoretical approach, Brooks uses a range of theory as a filter, scrutinising her texts through each in turn.
Highly recommended.
Nb. The index is annoyingly incomplete.