Libro conciso con una historia que recuerda a Buffy en algunos aspectos y que juega con el pasado (y presente) de los Estados Unidos. Una mezcla maravillosa de historia y fantasia con guiños populares.

La verdad, aún siendo una novela corta no me ha faltado nada, es increíble como condensa tanta info en tan pocas paginas y es capaz de crear una historia solida sin despeinarse.

El final del libro da para una partida de rol intensa. ( )

The theme of fighting semisecret battles to protect your community against a nebulous enemy really resonated with my bleak mood lately. And the importance of being discerning about using the weapons that come to hand even when your back is against the wall. ( )

P. Djèlí Clark has gifted us a dark fantasy historical novella that gives a supernatural, Lovecraftian twist to the Ku Klux Klan's reign of terror. “Ring Shout” tells the story of an otherworldly evil that has risen in the 1920s South in the form of monsters who take up residence within the bodies of people filled with hate – namely the Ku Klux Klan. D.W. Griffith’s “Birth of a Nation” is helping to swell the Klan’s ranks and the monsters are drinking deep from the darkest thoughts of racism. Across the nation they spread fear and violence. But even monsters can die. Standing in their way is a young Black woman, Maryse Boudreaux (Layne), and her two friends and fellow resistance fighters – a foul-mouthed sharpshooter and a Harlem Hellfighter. Armed with blade, bullet and bomb, they hunt their hunters and send the Klan’s demons straight to Hell. But something even bigger is brewing in Macon, and the war on Hell is about to heat up. And Maryse, haunted by events of her past, is the only one who can put a stop to it all.

The novella is about what turns ordinary people into monsters, and how everyone is grappling with their own demons, both personal and institutional. P. Djeli Clark is a master when it comes to weaving in history into fantasy and he does it so seamlessly and beautifully here. He is very adept at body horror descriptions too. I found it fascinating that Ring Shout takes place in a post-World War I world during Prohibition, where the film Birth of a Nation takes a different form in American history. The film has been placed under a hex that has turned Klu Klux Klan members into monsters upon viewing it - which honestly is a pretty great metaphor for how that film was intentionally/unintentionally utilized as racist propaganda.

Dark fantasy meets historical fiction meets supernatural horror. If that sounds like your jam. Read this now. ( )

This historical horror was somehow a complete surprise to me even though I've read Clark's other novels/novellas, but one thing came as no surprise: I loved it. Clark's fast-paced story-telling combined with his talent for living, breathing characters and intricate world-building came through on every page. Admittedly, I wouldn't have minded more spots slowing down so that I could live in the story with the characters a bit more, but this was a gorgeous thrill of a ride that ran at the seams with history.

I'd recommend it to any horror lover, and even to historical fiction lovers who simply want to dip into horror to see what's there. ( )

A reimagining of a most sickening and horrific history in that supernatural, fantastical, Djèlí style.

This book really made me feel deeply for people who have been -- and still are being -- treated in such barbaric ways simply for the colour of their skin.   Racism cannot ever be allowed to succeed.

What struck me in this book is the end, where Maryse is sent back out their to cut down the next outbreak of racism.   It reminded me of the United Kingdom, we stood up and beat down the National Front and the BNP and other vile racist groups back in the 20th century, and here we are in the 21st century with more of these sick and twisted fuckheads sprouting ever more groups to spread their hatred.   But, as Djèlí says in the writing of this book, we cannot meet hatred with hatred, if we lower ourselves to their level we become exactly what they want us to be.   We are better than that, we are better than them.

Djèlí's writing is superb throughout and it's hardly any wonder that it received the following accolades:

A 2021 Nebula Award Winner
A 2021 Locus Award Winner
 
A New York Times Editor's Choice Pick!
A Booklist Editor's Choice Pick!
 
A 2021 Hugo Award Finalist
A 2021 World Fantasy Award Finalist
A 2021 Ignyte Award Finalist
A 2021 Shirley Jackson Award Finalist
A 2021 AAMBC Literary Award Finalist
A 2021 British Fantasy Award Finalist
A 2021 Hurston/Wright Foundation Legacy Award Nominee
A 2020 SIBA Award Finalist
A Goodreads Choice Award Finalist
 
Named a Best of 2020 Pick for NPR | Library Journal | Book Riot | LitReactor | Bustle | Polygon | Washington Post

And now i only have one of Djèlí's books left to read, and that is If the Martians Have Magic from 2021 ( )