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shahrazedez 's review for:
Ring Shout
by P. Djèlí Clark
3.75
I've never read a historical paranormal story rooted around real events like the resurgence of the klan before, so I learned a lot about the US in the 1920s and how the resurgence came about. I thought the fantasy elements and plot were melded well around the real life events, and I loved all the different layers of paranormal happenings- from Nana Jean to the haints and the sword to the Night doctors as well as all the different groups and things going on in Maryse's life. Selling Mama's water and hunting Klu Kluxes, and Butcher Clyde's emerging out of nowhere between one day and the next on top of the main plot made it feel more layered and the Butcher Clyde part made added a sense of foreboding to an already dismal situation. It also added to that creepy town vibe which I love. I really loved the scene of Maryse traversing into the world of the Night doctors, the descriptions of the setting, the Angel Oak tree and how she fell into it were so magical and whimsical. The descriptions of the settings and descriptions in general were probably my favourite part of the story.
The ending sequence really seemed like a movie's ending (especially the part where the projector was projecting scenes from birth of a nation onto the Grand Cyclops) and I liked that every element of the team was needed to defeat the evil. I know it's fantasy but I also like that it took the Night doctors, other supernatural beings to actually take down the Grand Cyclops and I loved them taking her for their research.
I guess because the story is a short one but I was more attached to the plot than the main character, although I was really liking Sadie and was literally telling myself 'I think she's going to die in the final battle but I'm pretty sure I'm going to be fully attached to her within the next chapter' but alas she got killed off and it was a shame. I would have been interested in seeing the whole Maryse falling into anger and then being forced to confront that anger that shield grief sequence without the death of Sadie but I understand it was necessary, I'm just biased. I liked the ending and the fact that Maryse will still keep going on. I don't know if this is a series or not but I think ending it here too is just as good an ending.
I've never read a historical paranormal story rooted around real events like the resurgence of the klan before, so I learned a lot about the US in the 1920s and how the resurgence came about. I thought the fantasy elements and plot were melded well around the real life events, and I loved all the different layers of paranormal happenings- from Nana Jean to the haints and the sword to the Night doctors as well as all the different groups and things going on in Maryse's life. Selling Mama's water and hunting Klu Kluxes, and Butcher Clyde's emerging out of nowhere between one day and the next on top of the main plot made it feel more layered and the Butcher Clyde part made added a sense of foreboding to an already dismal situation. It also added to that creepy town vibe which I love. I really loved the scene of Maryse traversing into the world of the Night doctors, the descriptions of the setting, the Angel Oak tree and how she fell into it were so magical and whimsical. The descriptions of the settings and descriptions in general were probably my favourite part of the story.
The ending sequence really seemed like a movie's ending (especially the part where the projector was projecting scenes from birth of a nation onto the Grand Cyclops) and I liked that every element of the team was needed to defeat the evil. I know it's fantasy but I also like that it took the Night doctors, other supernatural beings to actually take down the Grand Cyclops and I loved them taking her for their research.
I guess because the story is a short one but I was more attached to the plot than the main character, although I was really liking Sadie and was literally telling myself 'I think she's going to die in the final battle but I'm pretty sure I'm going to be fully attached to her within the next chapter' but alas she got killed off and it was a shame. I would have been interested in seeing the whole Maryse falling into anger and then being forced to confront that anger that shield grief sequence without the death of Sadie but I understand it was necessary, I'm just biased. I liked the ending and the fact that Maryse will still keep going on. I don't know if this is a series or not but I think ending it here too is just as good an ending.