Ring Shout - Review

Author: P. Djeli Clark

Genre: Novella / Horror

Format: Hardback

Pages: 185

I almost put this one to the side before finishing the first chapter, but I kept thinking about all the amazing reviews I'd seen on this one. So I told myself to give it a few more pages, and before I knew it I was hooked. Really it was just getting my mind wrapped around the first-person point of view. They aren't my favorite, but for Ring Shout it's needed. Seeing this whole thing unfolded from Maryse Boudreaux's point of view made it all the more visceral in my opinion. It gave more life to the story and more emotion.

I will say after reading reviews and the front flap I thought I knew what I was getting into. I was read for the body horror What I wasn't ready for was how much I adored Maryse Boudreaux, Chef, and Sadie. I wasn't ready for every single time this book hit me in the feelings. I wasn't ready for the sort of Odessey-like adventure that Ring Shout was, and I wasn't ready for the humor slid in between the pages. 

Ring Shout was one of those books that I love how short it was because we get a taste of this bigger story. At the same time, I would have loved for it to be longer just because I would follow Maryse and Chef anywhere. I also would love a prequel to the story, basically anything that drops me back into the universe. 

This book is fast-paced and hard to put down. While the horror isn't jump out of the shadows scary, it definitely grossed me out in a handful of places. From the first word, you know who the bad guys are, despite being taken over by a demon/monster thing. The monster didn't make them bad, they were already filled with hate. The demons feed off that hate, and just make their evil amplified. 

I do love that we get a semi-happy ending! Maryse deserved the closer that she got, to be able to let go of things she was holding onto. I love that she kind of got her man, in only a way she could, and I love the decision she made at the end of the book. I love that this was also an open ending. The main story was all tied up, but the war wasn't over yet. Not for Maryse and Chef.

This review in no way does this book justice. I've sat here trying to talk about it without giving it too much away. I do know I'm glad I didn't put it aside because I ended up loving it. It's definitely not for everyone with the body horror, and it does have some pretty gross moments throughout the book. But, it's already one I've been recommending to friends who read this genre!

HAPPY READING!!