mal_reads_books's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Nonetheless, I felt immersed in the setting. I also liked reading about the side characters’ abilities and the deals they made with the spirits. I’d like to see a movie adaptation of this.
Graphic: Classism and Racism
Moderate: Police brutality, Gun violence, Slavery, and Violence
Colorism is mentioned; this goes hand in hand with classism among African-Americans.lottiegasp's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Racism, Gun violence, Police brutality, and Classism
Minor: Slavery
While it deals with serious issues of racism and colorism, I found that it did so in a cathartic rather than heavy or upsetting waylizzie24601's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Gun violence, Classism, and Police brutality
puttingwingsonwords's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Slavery, Death, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Trafficking, Ableism, Police brutality, Racism, Racial slurs, Violence, Confinement, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Homophobia
mandkips's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Racism, Police brutality, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Abandonment and Gun violence
Minor: Violence and Homophobia
tigger89's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The story's setting was very unique, and really made the novel. Most stories taking place during the Harlem Renaissance are set against the backdrop of, well, Harlem. But as the author explains in her note at the end of the text, circumstances being what they were at the time of writing(covid-19), she found herself needing to set the book a little closer to home. And so we got a wonderful look at the historic Black presence in Washington DC. Clara, the protagonist, is also based on a real woman, Carrie Johnson, who shot and killed a white policeman in 1919...and managed to walk free.
The strongest thing this novel has going for it is the characters. Clara recruits four people to her heist team, each of whom fills a particular role. You've got your thief, your sweet-talker, your con-man, and of course your undercover infiltrator. You might wondering what's left for Clara to do, but the author hasn't forgotten about her. By the end, she gets to step into her own.
If this novel has one flaw, it's that the pacing is inconsistent. Parts of it read almost like a heist movie, particularly the way members of Clara's team flashed back when they entered the story, giving the reader an introduction to them, their lives, and the abilities they brought to the table. But at other times, the pace dropped to be downright glacial. I was never bored with the story, particularly as these slower-paced portions served to develop the setting, but when I'd picked up the book I'd expected something faster-paced, with more sustained tension.
Graphic: Slavery
Moderate: Classism, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Abandonment, Death of parent, and Gun violence
sarrie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Characters: Interesting and varied
Setting: Well realized, I loved the setting
Magic: Simple but fantastic with visible prices/outcomes
CW: Police Brutality's, Racism, Parental Abandonment, Abuse, Classism
Thoughts:
Clara is a young black woman living in 1920's Washington. In a moment of desperation when she was younger she asked a boon from a powerful spirit to save herself from prison. Now she has to help those who come to her asking for help. However she stumbles upon a conspiracy, people are loosing their will to do seemingly anything. They become almost walking zombies. The spirit Clara works for/with, the Empress, asks her to retrieve a ring stating that it's causing this disease in people. From there she begins to gather up a group of people, some with their own gifts/prices to clear and others just wanting to help.
This book is just fun, Clara and all her compatriots were interesting and varied. I loved Israel, our romantic interest and foil to Clara. Aristotle as well stole my heart. These are characters that feel real and tangible, with sad stories that also hit deeply. The gimmick of the magic in this world is the idea of give and take. People can ask boons, called Charms, from the spirits of the world. In return there is always a Trick placed on the person. For example, the ability to erase memories for a short time is given but the person who loves you most will forget you. Naturally that means that most of the characters that we meet have a sad and deeply moving story, and I think our author did a fantastic job of balancing those heavy backgrounds with fun and optimistic characters. They were people doing the best with what they had.
The mystery itself isn't the most mind blowing, you're not going to get a twisty and over the top story here but there are moments of greatness and really you're reading for the characters and their interactions. The setting is beautifully done, I felt the city around Clara and I loved getting the historical details of the era. I think the only thing that really pulled this down was just the very standard shape of the story, which isn't bad, but for me in the moment just didn't hit.
Go into this expecting a good time, something light and fun and you'll have a blast. I'll definitely try to pick up more from this author as this sets up well for a sequel.
3 creepy rings out of 5
Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs
Moderate: Abandonment and Violence
Minor: Murder and Gun violence
2treads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Moderate: Kidnapping, Gun violence, and Racism
Minor: Violence
tostita's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Classism, and Police brutality
Moderate: Abandonment and Gun violence
Minor: Slavery
nini23's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.25
Each member of the heist team is given an intro with background, their particular talent. With chapter headers like 'The Actor,' 'The Musician,' 'The Thief' one can imagine an Oceans Eleven style focus. All of them with the exception of Zelda have made a deal with spirits called Enigmas such that they have a Charm (special talent/magic) and Trick (curse) each. Clara is both a scryer and seer, with the ability to peer to the Other Side and summon Enigmas. Her curse is in facilitating Faustian deals between the desperate humans who seek her help and the often conniving Enigmas. Clara's particular Charm is not revealed till the very end.
In the action scenes, I would have liked more non-standard descriptors and less stock phrases. At times, the way a scene was set up did not sufficiently build up tension eg. when Clara and Israel pretended to be Afflicted and were bundled into a truck.
Character-wise, Aristotle and Jesse Lee felt indistinct. Part of Jesse Lee's backstory is like Fifty First Dates. Israel is obviously the hot sexy male lead, his appearance and descriptions a Harlequin romantic hero. Clara especially in the team meetings seems to be ornery for the sake of being ornery, I'm not really on board the narrative of how she just wants to be helpful. I don't understand why protagonists always have to be so morally 'pure,' never craving power or being 'selfish'/ambitious for once. Clara doesn't want the all powerful object- the ring to control all.
Spoiler
( Does she end up with it? Why, of course.)The Monsters We Defy does not shy away from addressing head-on colorism and classism within the Black community. It's also fascinating to read in the Author's Note that Duke Ellington contributed to the fund of Carrie Johnson and intellectual greats of that time such as Du Bois are also mentioned.
Thanks to Redhook Books for providing an eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/aug/29/police-defund-abolition-mariame-kaba-andrea-j-ritchie
https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2022/8/29/the-blue-wall-of-white-supremacy
Moderate: Kidnapping, Police brutality, Racism, Classism, Gun violence, and Slavery