Spoiler-free
Black Buffy the Ku Klux Slayer? Hell yeah!
In 1915, the film Birth of a Nation casted a spell over white folk, twisting their thoughts and infecting their minds with racism. This leads to the Klan’s increasing numbers. Monstrous demons inhabit the bodies of the Ku Klux Klan, as they continue to spread their violence and terror across America. Maryse Boudreaux, equipped with a magical sword, leads a group of fighters to put an end to these white hooded demons once and for all.
The concept of this historical horror book is so cool! The way in which the Ku Klux Klan are described is harrowing. I knew nothing going into this one, and when it dawned on me that the Ku Klux were, in fact, actual demons I was strapped in and ready to go!
“When the devil come to town, you betta watch how you get down… watch, watch, watch out for the devil!”
Given the premise, you can go into this expecting a lot of social commentary on racism heavily prevalent in 1920s America and still largely in effect today. These themes weigh heavy on the plot and serve as the driving force for our main character, Maryse. She is basically The Slayer, with a bunch of cryptic prophecies about her being the chosen one, and she’s pretty damn badass wielding her magical sword. It’s fast paced, action packed and just freaking cool!
My only issue with this book is the length and pacing. Being under 200 pages, I guess it’s more of a novella than a novel. I think this story would have suited being a full length novel much more. So much happens! It’s honestly insane how everything is crammed in. Unfortunately, this led to the whole thing feeling uncomfortably cramped. There was no breathing room between huge events and no respite to connect more deeply with the characters. There is more than enough content to make this into a novel, which would have allowed me to connect to the story on a much deeper level. The published novella is incredibly stripped back, so if you enjoy tight and fast paced plots with absolutely no ‘fluff’ or ‘filler’, you will appreciate this, for sure! This out of the frying pan and into the fire type of pacing just doesn’t suit my personal taste.
There are some stellar moments of body horror, and the descriptions of the Ku Klux remain the highlight for me since finishing. The early descriptions instantly made me think of Saint's ghost look on Dragula: Resurrection.
This is definitely a story that would be incredibly effective as a horror film. I think an adaptation would allow for a much needed expansion of the story, whilst also enhancing the physical terror of the demonic Ku Klux.
This is without doubt an important piece of literature, with poignant messaging with a unique southern gothic atmosphere. I just wish the story was expanded upon and the lore fleshed out more! I wanted a full 3 course meal, but what I got was a tasting menu sampler. Delicious, but I’m still hungry…
🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑 3.5 stars
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