Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark

23 reviews

sheriffrockyraccoon's review

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adventurous dark inspiring 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

4.0

This book had so much hype around it when I was looking it up, and for all the right reasons. I loved the use of language and voice to really bring the characters alive and see the world through their perspective.

I also loved the fictional excerpts about certain Shout songs, it really helped flesh the world out to be bigger than just one book. I do wish the book wasn’t so short, I would have loved to see more world building around these different monsters and how they came to Macon. There were definitely times it felt rushed, but honestly the action and the characters well make up for it.

I’d definitely recommend this book for anyone interested in fantasy, horror, or adventure. I always love reading about American folklore and I think this book really builds upon American history to create an engaging narrative.

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pipettesandpages's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective 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

4.75


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30something_reads's review

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dark tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Who is to blame for the hate that hate made?

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meaghanelizabook's review

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challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0


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audc's review

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adventurous dark emotional informative lighthearted mysterious reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

It was short with sweet twists and turns. 
I really liked the way the characters were described. 
Noticeable that a man wrote a female character but all the same a likeable heroine. 
I did not feel that attachment to the characters which can happen with short books. 
The focus on racism was not the main picture, but the pain of slavery was mentioned. 

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tifftastic87's review against another edition

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adventurous dark fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I really liked this story and the horror was on point. The writing style wasn't for me though. There were times I needed more to understand what was happening and the narration would jump past it. I understand this was done for a reason, and in some cases it worked great, but in others I struggled. 

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bishopbox's review

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dark emotional tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75


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erebus53's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I had no idea what this book was about, except Race friction/violence, and was surprised to find that it was a supernatural fantasy/horror story set in an alternate world version of North America. In a world where Racial hatred has been fomented by the KKK (who have actual Grand Wizards) only those people with The Sight can see the true form of the monsters awakened in men filled with hate. Foul Magicks are worked and in a horrid twist of the knife a popular movie contains the Workings to bring forth all sorts of horrid beings through the Veil (by inciting people to Hate).

A group of scrappy monster-hunting girls lay traps for the awakened monsters that they call "KluKluxes" which they attempt to dispel with bombs, guns and a magical sword. Back home, people are using whatever resources they can to keep their families safe, from science, to the elders' gris-gris and ancestral rites.

The main character has dream visits with other beings who she relies on as spirit guides, and who she sees as "Aunties". It seems that her destiny is tied up, and she is called to action to stop the re-release of that popular old movie, which will allow the KKK to raise an old god. She must use her power and wisdom to defeat the manifestations of Racial Hatred.

Some parts of this story are pretty trippy, and it's got a whole monster killing Buffy vibe, but in a much less White girl context lol.

The end of the story seems to indicate that there is possibly another would-be hero out there.. and from the gist of it I could see the follow up being from the point of view of a personal journey of a White boy who needs to turn his back on the lure of bigotry.. but I really don't know how the vibe would work that way around.. could go either way if there was a sequel, but the creepy otherbeing world, and the slipping in-between, going inside flesh-trees,  and vision quest type feel, is a really cool interweaving of fantasy elements.. and there are emotionally resonant bits in the end of the story that deliver nicely.

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qqjj's review

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challenging dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I thought this was well-written and had important themes....but it was a stretch for me in terms of the horror and gore.

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ellornaslibrary's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective 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

5.0


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