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starrysteph 's review for:
Ring Shout
by P. Djèlí Clark
challenging
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
**reread Feb ‘24 with my book club**
This was an even richer little story to revisit – especially in community.
Ring Shout follows a trio of Black resistance fighters in 1922 Macon, Georgia. Maryse Boudreaux has a deep desire for vengeance and a magical sword to help her cut down monstrous Ku Kluxes. By her side are Sadie, a cynical sharpshooter, and Chef, who is ready to blow anything up. They’re facing both human Klan members and larger-than-life, terrifying, alien Ku Klux monsters. And there are evil powers lurking, planning something even darker around the next screening of The Birth of a Nation.
The imagery in this novella is off the charts. It’s brilliantly cinematic. One example: “Watching these Klans shamble down the street, I’m reminded of bales of white, still soaked in colored folk sweat and blood, moving for the river.”
And the characters are SO well-developed. I couldn’t believe how attached I was after just a few short pages, and how much I felt linked to Maryse and her friends’ journey.
The story swirls Black mysticism and history together into one - the plot feels honest and real, and the magical elements just make sense. It’s got beautiful found family & loyalty between friends and communities.
On the more distressing side, the characters ponder how hate festers and who it empowers. There’s discussion of righteous justice and anger, and how that differs from hate that will suck out your humanity.
“What we owe this world that so despises and brutalizes us? Why lift a hand to save it when it ain’t never done a damn thing to save us?”
CW: racism, death, slavery, body horror, gore, racial slurs, violence, hate crime, grief, animal death, gun violence
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what a rich, beautiful, terrifying masterpiece of a story! clark mixes black mysticism and horror and sci fi elements with real historical events in an incredibly skilled way. we follow 3 resistance fighter black women (who are INCREDIBLY fleshed out for such a short story) as they tackle literal and figurative Klu Klux Klan monsters. this novella thrilled me and frightened me. this is an intimate look at hate & racism & injustice & pain. how do “ordinary” people become monsters?
the writing is .. so, so, so good. the imagery was cinematic (made me want to watch it on a big screen, though it would be terrifying). i would have EASILY read 500 more pages of ring shout, but i did feel like the story was complete.