Ring Shout

Between the distinct narrator's voice, the imaginative worldbuilding, and memorable characters, this was one of the most unique books I've ever read. Everything about this book was efficient, and I don't feel that there was a wasted scene or a missed story beat. I'm finding that my favorite books are the ones in that 200-ish page range that make perfect use of that length, which this book absolutely nails. We're introduced to the characters while they're in their element, a premise is brought up, the worldbuilding rules are presented to the reader seamlessly without infodumping, and the central conflict is laid out early on with an in-fiction time limit. It's easy to imagine this book being bloated up into something bigger, but instead we're given the bare minimum for it to work and I loved it.

The story takes place in Macon, GA in 1922, and despite there being literal demons and extra-dimensions, everything felt authentic, and I think the dialogue and descriptions went a long way in carrying that feeling. Maryse was a fun protagonist and I think my new favorite take on the ~chosen one~ archetype. And the descriptions of the monsters and use of Aftican folklore were excellent.

I'll list it here as five stars, but in my head it's at four-and-a-half; this is one of those books that really makes me wish Goodreads had half-star increments for ratings. This book was fantastic and unlike anything I've read before, but my only gripe was the climactic ending of the book, which felt a little Deus Ex-y to me. It wasn't completely out of left field, but it felt like a too convenient of a wrap up, and I'm never a big fan of the "everyone gets together for one last final battle that ebbs back and forth" trope. (This was my biggest complaint about Alice Isn't Dead and The Library at Mount Char, but this book was way more enjoyable). If you don't mind that kind of ending, this could easily be a five-star book for you.