The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope is a bit of a slow burn, but once it ignites, you can’t put it down. It’s an interesting mix of historical fiction, urban fantasy, and magical realism. The story follows Clara Johnson, a bit of a spirit medium cursed with magical debt to a powerful spirit, who is offered a chance at freedom. The catch? She just has to assemble a super-powered crew and pull off a magical heist.
Despite dipping heavily into dealing with the spirit realm, Penelope captures in prohibition era DC. The cast of characters of incredibly relatable. Not just for depth and interactions, but that each one of them that has made a deal with a spirit that grants them their powers, there’s an awful trick (curse) placed on them with tragically ironic consequences. The actor that wants to be able to fit any role is cursed to be invisible when trying to be themselves. The man who can make anyone forget cannot be remembered by the one woman he loves. These tragic tricks allow you to truly connect with these characters in meaningful ways.
I also thought it was particularly insightful to show the internal caste system within the black community during this era, showing the level of dedicated research that went into this book.
If you’re into historical fiction and books by and about BIPOC people, this one’s for you.
Leave a Reply