I enjoyed this literally monstrous take on the KKK. In this novella, there are members of the Klan, who are normal humans, and then there are the Ku Kluxes, who look like normal humans unless you have a special ability to see that they are actual monsters, and a Klansman can become a Ku Klux.
Maryse, Chef, and Sadie are a trio of monster hunters who go after the Ku Kluxes in 1920s Macon, Georgia. While Maryse is given “chosen one” status and narrates the story, it really does feel like this is a trio working together. I appreciated the tack Clark used in writing Maryse’s voice. She narrates the story the way she speaks, and I could hear the southern Black accent in my head as I read. There is so much incorporation of various cultural aspects (a Gullah woman, indigneous women, the Shouts that Ring Shout is referencing, root magic), and it risks feeling overwhelming, but avoids that by introducing these elements casually and not spoon-feeding information to the reader.
I can’t say that the book really hit me emotionally. I like the concept of the story, but we only had so much time to get to know the characters and be really emotionally invested in them, though I still liked them. The plot moved at a good pace, keeping me engaged, and there were interesting explorations of different types of hate and anger. And there was a part of the ending that was truly excellent! I had been wanting to read this author for a while, and this was a strong first foray. I definitely recommend it, though I would note content warnings for body horror and violence.