Title: Lovecraft Country

Author: Matt Ruff

Publisher: Harper Perennial 2017

Genre: Horror

Pages: 400

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

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.

This was the horror journey that I needed this month. Right away we get glimpses into a life and world that isn’t going to be normal. I loved that we jump right into the story while also getting to the know the characters. I was slightly unprepared for the changes in narrators after the first section, but quickly got into the groove and loved the change. It was nice to see every character’s story and interactions with the larger storyline. I think my favorite story was focused on Hipppolyta. Loved her adventure! I was sad to see the madness stop, but loved the ending so much. Just perfect!

Next up on the TBR pile: