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A review by thewordsdevourer
The Black God's Drums by P. Djèlí Clark
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.25
i got such mixed feelings abt this book. on the one hand, the alternative history, culture, and language are exciting and downright ingenious; on the other, i find it a tad predictable and juvenile.
my favorite thing abt the black god's drums is the rich african and diasporic culture, and how clark cleverly weaves his own version of a history gone right into very refreshingly thriving black societies and all the endless possibilities that creates. the main character creeper/jacqueline is also spunky and surprisingly astute for her age, but we dont get to know the other characters as much.
the book's a lil too predictable for me, however, and it feels juvenile at times. although things dont always go well and there are hiccups along the way, the obstacles faced by our main characters still seem easy, thus robbing the story of any real excitement despite its adventurous style. i wish the ending was a lil longer as well. even so, i'll still be checking out clark's master of djinn.
my favorite thing abt the black god's drums is the rich african and diasporic culture, and how clark cleverly weaves his own version of a history gone right into very refreshingly thriving black societies and all the endless possibilities that creates. the main character creeper/jacqueline is also spunky and surprisingly astute for her age, but we dont get to know the other characters as much.
the book's a lil too predictable for me, however, and it feels juvenile at times. although things dont always go well and there are hiccups along the way, the obstacles faced by our main characters still seem easy, thus robbing the story of any real excitement despite its adventurous style. i wish the ending was a lil longer as well. even so, i'll still be checking out clark's master of djinn.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Colonisation, Death, and Kidnapping
Minor: Death of parent, Slavery, and War