112 pages
English language
Published Dec. 17, 2020 by Doherty Associates, LLC, Tom.
Ring Shout, or, Hunting Ku Kluxes in the End Times is a dark historical fantasy, and southern gothic fantasy, novella written by American fiction writer P. Djeli Clark. A hardcover of the novella was published by Tor.com Publishing in October 2020. The story follows Maryse Boudreaux on her quest to hunt and destroy the demons summoned by the Ku Klux Klan known as "Ku Kluxes". She is joined by fellow hunters Sadie Watkins and Cordelia Lawrence, as a supernatural evil is rising in an alternate history of 1920s Macon, Georgia. The novella, according to Clark, had been in development since 2015, and he pitched the work to his editor after establishing a contract with Tor Publishing in 2019. Clark was inspired by various aspects of his previous research experiences concerning Works Progress Administration ex-slave narratives, the music of the ring shout practice, the Gullah culture, and the controversial The Birth …
Ring Shout, or, Hunting Ku Kluxes in the End Times is a dark historical fantasy, and southern gothic fantasy, novella written by American fiction writer P. Djeli Clark. A hardcover of the novella was published by Tor.com Publishing in October 2020. The story follows Maryse Boudreaux on her quest to hunt and destroy the demons summoned by the Ku Klux Klan known as "Ku Kluxes". She is joined by fellow hunters Sadie Watkins and Cordelia Lawrence, as a supernatural evil is rising in an alternate history of 1920s Macon, Georgia. The novella, according to Clark, had been in development since 2015, and he pitched the work to his editor after establishing a contract with Tor Publishing in 2019. Clark was inspired by various aspects of his previous research experiences concerning Works Progress Administration ex-slave narratives, the music of the ring shout practice, the Gullah culture, and the controversial The Birth of a Nation (1915) film as he developed the novella. Clark also drew inspiration from Beyoncé's music video Formation, his visits to Georgia, hip hop music from his hometown in Houston, Texas, and novels such as Toni Morrison's Beloved.Clark has stated that while he had important themes in mind for the work during its drafting process, leading up to its release, he prefers for his audience to form their own interpretations of the novella and its relevance within recent movements and struggles.
This novella was very interesting and I'm glad I read it, but one of the villains that was a stroke of absolute creative genius, but hit me like a classroom full of fingernails on a chalkboard.
Um livro que explora a longa história de racismo presente nos EUA adotando elementos de fantasia e terror contada pelo escritor e historiador P. Djèlí Clark (pseudônimo de Dexter Gabriel). Acompanhamos a protagonista Maryse Boudreaux, uma contrabandista que adora caçar monstros brandindo sua espada, e suas companheiras Sadie e Chef, numa missão para impedir os Klu Kluxes de espalharem sua destruição fundada no ódio para o resto do mundo.
A construção de mundo e ambientação que o autor faz em tão poucas páginas é surpreendente. Ele consegue ser muito eficaz em transmitir o ódio que ambos os lados sentem um pelo outro. É um livro contado de um jeito muito unico que só quando você pegar pra ler você vai entender como ele consegue te prender na leitura. Ring Shout não ganhou o Locus e Nebula Award à toa.
O audiobook é muito bom, ouçam caraleooooo
Um livro que explora a longa história de racismo presente nos EUA adotando elementos de fantasia e terror contada pelo escritor e historiador P. Djèlà Clark (pseudônimo de Dexter Gabriel). Acompanhamos a protagonista Maryse Boudreaux, uma contrabandista que adora caçar monstros brandindo sua espada, e suas companheiras Sadie e Chef, numa missão para impedir os Klu Kluxes de espalharem sua destruição fundada no ódio para o resto do mundo.returnreturnA construção de mundo e ambientação que o autor faz em tão poucas páginas é surpreendente. Ele consegue ser muito eficaz em transmitir o ódio que ambos os lados sentem um pelo outro. à um livro contado de um jeito muito unico que só quando você pegar pra ler você vai entender como ele consegue te prender na leitura. Ring Shout não ganhou o Locus e Nebula Award à toa.returnreturnO audiobook é muito bom, ouçam caraleooooo
Novellas may be my favorite thing. They're short but when well written they feel just as fulfilling and with as much depth as longer works. This fits snuggly among my favorites too, it's a really solid execution on a very appealing premise (reading it I'm sold in a minute), written by someone who has obviously done extensive work to bring this historical fantasy to life in a faithful, respectful and passionate way of the traditions and history that inspire it, and by respectful I mean it's confident in its own ideas and not afraid to be transformative. I don't think it was particularly scary, but I'll call this #spooktober read #1 anyway.
RING SHOUT is a tense and adventurous novella set in 1915 with the Klan as monstrous racists and Ku Kluxes as interdimensional monsters spreading like a disease among them, fought by a close-knit Black resistance.
This adds a supernatural angle to real events in a way that heightens the stakes but doesn't excuse the actual historical violence. The Ku Kluxes are there because of the racism and hatred which the Klan already has, and this works so well in the narrative. Maryse is a fantastic protagonist, the resistance are a great group, and I especially enjoyed Dr. Bisset.
I wasn't expecting aftercare in a story this short but this wraps up things really well in terms of the emotional arc, with a satisfying resolution on other fronts. There's tiny moment that makes me think this could support a sequel in the same world, so if that materializes I'm very interested.
I'm getting very tired of Lovecraftian horror, but this was a great look, weaving in history from the 1920s, at how the hatred of real people can turn them into literal monsters. Rounded up to 5 stars.
