Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark

(Available through I-Share)

Ring Shout is perfect for fans of Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi, Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff, and Jordan Peele’s movie, “Get Out”.

Ring Shout masterfully weaves together the horrors of the Jim Crow South, racism, and the rise of the KKK with Gullah folklore and root magic to produce a monster story that tackles themes of healing, resilience, and generational trauma. In Clark’s world, the infamous film “The Birth of a Nation” was used to summon monsters called Ku Kluxes, who feed off hatred held by humans, with the intent to bring Hell upon the Earth. These monsters disguise themselves as humans in the KKK while feeding off human Klan members’ hatred of Black folks. Not everyone has the power to see Ku Kluxes for what they really are though. Maryse Boudreaux – whose family was murdered for the KKK – and her fellow resistance fights hunt the Ku Kluxes and send them back to hell. In Macon, GA, a new showing of “The Birth of a Nation” is planned at Stone Mountain (a confederate monument) to summon a giant that will destroy Earth. Maryse and her companions will need supernatural help to defeat the Ku Kluxes and their new monster, but will it be enough?

I picked this book up in October since I was reading primarily horror in preparation for the Halloween season. At only 192 pages, Clark’s SF/F horror story is short but packs an absolute gut punch. I listened to this book as an audiobook, which I highly recommend. Throughout the story there are inclusions of “shouts”, which are ecstatic, religious rituals, first practiced by enslaved Africans in the West Indies and the United States, which sometime include songs and music. Hearing these shouts performed by the audiobook narrator brings the artistry of Clark’s story to a whole new level. I am not usually a big horror reader and I definitely read some duds this October, but Ring Shout is honestly the best book I have read in 2022. The ways in which Clark weaves the historical and political contexts into this story of the monstrous Ku Kluxes doesn’t feel heavy handed or forced by any means. The story flows well, and while the story wrapped up nicely by the end of the book, I do hope that Clark will continue Maryse’s story in another novella or book. Maryse is a complicated, nuanced hero who reveals a lot about what it means to be human and attempt a journey of healing.

Ring Shout is a must read for anyone who enjoys horror, monsters, and history!

Blood, Water, Paint by Joy McCullough

Those sensitive to the topics of rape or torture should proceed cautiously. While this book is never extremely physically graphic, it doesn’t shy away from the emotional repercussions of the events it details.

A story expertly told in verse, Blood, Water, Paint retells the true story of Artemisia Gentileschi, a female painting prodigy in the 16thcentury. The book follows her frustrations in a male-dominated society – the injustices of her father, her painting “tutor,” and an incredibly sexist court system. I won’t go too far into her story, as I couldn’t do it the justice she deserves, but suffice to say, it uses verse to combine her development as a painter with her development as a woman – fighting through her mother’s death, a rape, and a trial.

I found this book stunning. I don’t normally go for books in verse, but in this case, it perfectly captures the narrator’s artistic nature, without feeling pretentious at all. The structure of the book also helps it go by very quickly – I read the whole thing in one night. Artemisia Gentileschi was an amazing woman, who endured innumerable struggles fighting for nothing more than justice – not to mention one of the finest painters of the Baroque era. Her work was largely undiscovered until the late 20thcentury, when her paintings were finally shown. The feminist themes in her paintings made her an icon within the movement (as well as the more modern #MeToo movement) and her name continues to hold those connotations today. Those familiar with her work will recognize (and enjoy) the theme of gendered power dynamics at the heart of many of her paintings reflected in this story. However, you also don’t need any knowledge of the painter to enjoy the book. Her story touches themes of injustice, resilience, and self-worth that resonate around the world today.

Call # Fiction M4599b

Student review by Elizabeth

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

“Paris, at the dawn of the modern age:
Prince Sebastian is looking for a bride―or rather, his parents are looking for one for him. Sebastian is too busy hiding his secret life from everyone. At night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia―the hottest fashion icon in the world capital of fashion!
Sebastian’s secret weapon (and best friend) is the brilliant dressmaker Frances―one of only two people who know the truth: sometimes this boy wears dresses. But Frances dreams of greatness, and being someone’s secret weapon means being a secret. Forever. How long can Frances defer her dreams to protect a friend? Jen Wang weaves an exuberantly romantic tale of identity, young love, art, and family. A fairy tale for any age, The Prince and the Dressmaker will steal your heart.” – Goodreads

The story is sweet without being too saccharine and features stunning colors as well as poignant relationship-building between the characters. I personally appreciated Frances’s ambition and story arc. I would highly recommend this pick to anyone interested in the process behind creating a graphic novel. Writer and illustrator Jen Wang adds interesting insight at the end of the story with a brief segment titled “My Process.” She describes her tools used as well as the creative process that went into making The Prince and the Dressmaker, and it was really fun to see what lies behind the curtain.

Call # GN W1844p

Review by Vicki