Who Would Like This Book:
Dive into a wild mash-up of horror, history, and pulp adventure! Lovecraft Country is perfect for fans of genre-bending fiction who love stories that spotlight underrepresented heroes. The book swings from haunted houses to cosmic threats, all through the eyes of unforgettable Black protagonists navigating 1950s Jim Crow America. If you like your supernatural chills served with smart social commentary and interconnected vignettes, this one will keep you hooked.
Who May Not Like This Book:
If you prefer novels with a straightforward, linear storyline, you might find the mosaic of interlinked stories a bit jarring. Some readers wished for deeper character development or weren't fully comfortable with a white author writing Black characters' perspectives. If you’re a Lovecraft purist looking for familiar cosmic horror or the infamous Cthulhu mythos, you may also be disappointed - this book cleverly retools Lovecraft’s world rather than embracing it wholesale.
About:
'Lovecraft Country' by Matt Ruff is a collection of tightly interconnected stories set in 1950s Jim Crow America, following a black family dealing with both the horrors of racism and Lovecraftian supernatural forces. The plot revolves around the family members navigating through secret societies, magic, and eldritch horrors while facing the challenges of racism and discrimination. The writing style is described as a blend of historical fiction and old-style horror, seamlessly weaving together elements of Lovecraftian tropes with the harsh realities of Jim Crow laws.
Genres:
Tropes/Plot Devices:
Topics:
Notes:
Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
The book contains content warnings for racism, violence, and themes related to Jim Crow laws.
Has Romance?
There are elements of romance present throughout the stories, but they are not the central focus.
From The Publisher:
Now an HBO® Series from J.J. Abrams (Executive Producer of Westworld), Misha Green (Creator of Underground) and Jordan Peele (Director of Get Out)
The critically acclaimed cult novelist makes visceral the terrors of life in Jim Crow America and its lingering effects in this brilliant and wondrous work of the imagination that melds historical fiction, pulp noir, and Lovecraftian horror and fantasy.
Chicago, 1954. When his father Montrose goes missing, 22-year-old Army veteran Atticus Turner embarks on a road trip to New England to find him, accompanied by his Uncle George-publisher of The Safe Negro Travel Guide-and his childhood friend Letitia. On their journey to the manor of Mr. Braithwhite-heir to the estate that owned one of Atticus's ancestors-they encounter both mundane terrors of white America and malevolent spirits that seem straight out of the weird tales George devours.
At the manor, Atticus discovers his father in chains, held prisoner by a secret cabal named the Order of the Ancient Dawn-led by Samuel Braithwhite and his son Caleb-which has gathered to orchestrate a ritual that shockingly centers on Atticus. And his one hope of salvation may be the seed of his-and the whole Turner clan's-destruction.
A chimerical blend of magic, power, hope, and freedom that stretches across time, touching diverse members of two black families, Lovecraft Country is a devastating kaleidoscopic portrait of racism-the terrifying specter that continues to haunt us today.
Ratings (55)
Incredible (6) | |
Loved It (27) | |
Liked It (11) | |
It Was OK (9) | |
Did Not Like (1) | |
Hated It (1) |
Reader Stats (142):
Read It (55) | |
Want To Read (61) | |
Did Not Finish (2) | |
Not Interested (24) |
2 comment(s)
A really cool concept that was well written and very engaging, mixes horror with racisms which in it self is horror. Listened to this as an audiobook and thought it did well being listen too.
one-dimensional characters, oversimplified good vs. evil morality, very little real tension
What can you read after
Lovecraft Country?
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.
