Ring Shout cover
Book

Ring Shout

by P. Djèlí Clark

2020•EN
About the book

In 1915 Georgia, Maryse Boudreaux hunts monsters known as Ku Kluxes—demonic entities with pale tentacles and multiple eyes that hide beneath the white hoods of the Klan. Alongside a sharpshooter and a demolitions expert, Maryse uses a magical sword fueled by the spirits of her ancestors to track these creatures. The plot centers on the premiere of the film The Birth of a Nation, which serves as a sorcerous ritual intended to summon a colossal evil into the physical world. The protagonist must confront the Butcher, a terrifying supernatural figure, while resisting the vengeful impulses that threaten to consume her humanity.

Readers of historical horror and dark fantasy choose this title for its concrete reimagining of American racial violence as literal monstrosity. It appeals to those interested in how folklore, Gullah Geechee culture, and the Ring Shout dance serve as tools for collective resistance against systemic hate. The reader finishes the story with a visceral understanding of how trauma can be weaponized and why communal memory is necessary to combat ideological corruption. It provides a sharp, supernatural framework for analyzing the psychological mechanics of bigotry and the cost of survival.

Reading profile

Escapist; an easy read.

Best for readers like The Curious Generalist. Which reader are you?

Details
Published
2020
Language
EN

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