Ring Shout: Righteous Horror That Literally Demonizes Racism
P. Djèlí Clark's Nebula-winning novella transforms the horrors of American racism into supernatural threat—and gives its heroes the chance to fight back.
Ring Shout makes literal what is already metaphorically true: American racism is monstrous. P. Djèlí Clark's novella posits that D.W. Griffith's The Birth of a Nation was more than propaganda—it was a ritual that opened a door for demons. Now the Ku Klux Klan rides with actual monsters, and only a small band of Black monster hunters stands against them.
Maryse Boudreaux is a wonderful protagonist: a sword-wielding warrior whose magical blade can distinguish between human racists and the literal demons among them. She's haunted by trauma, guided by ancestral spirits, and determined to protect her community. The supporting cast—Chef with her bombs, Sadie with her rifle, the various supernatural allies—make for a memorable ensemble.
Clark's prose is propulsive and musical, drawing on Southern dialects and African American vernacular tradition. The action scenes are vivid and brutal. And the novella never lets you forget that while the Ku Kluxes are supernatural, the ideology they embody is terrifyingly human.
At under 200 pages, Ring Shout is a quick read, but it packs tremendous power. It's cathartic horror—the fantasy of being able to literally cut down the monster that is American white supremacy. The fact that the real fight continues makes it tragedy as much as triumph.
Pros
- + Powerful metaphor made literal
- + Compelling, diverse cast of heroes
- + Musical, propulsive prose
Cons
- - Short length leaves you wanting more
Verdict
Powerful, propulsive dark fantasy that earns its righteous fury.