I’m Reading…Lovecraft Country

Book Details

Get the Book

Summary From GoodReads

Chicago, 1954. When his father Montrose goes missing, twenty-two 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 Atticus’s great grandmother—they encounter both mundane terrors of white America and malevolent spirits that seem straight out of the weird tales George devours.

A chimerical blend of magic, power, hope, and freedom that stretches across time, touching diverse members of one black family, Lovecraft Country is a devastating kaleidoscopic portrait of racism—the terrifying specter that continues to haunt us today.

My Thoughts

Without a doubt LoveCraft Country is my favorite book, I’ve read this year. I read and listened to this book in the span of 3 days. Matt Ruff’s writing is sophisticated and naturally flows. There was a certain air to his writing that made the novel purposeful. Matt Ruff as a white male author does an extraordinary job writing Black characters.

I typically do not read horror novels. However, I do enjoy Zombie television shows and books. Zombies are pretty much the only thing I read in the horror genre. Reading, Lovecraft Country allowed me to adventure into the horror genre a little more. However, I wouldn’t personally categorize it as such. Lovecraft Country is more of Sci-fi, Fantasy, Horror Adventure. 

Everything I liked

  • Matt Ruff kept it mysterious with the monsters
    • Readers have to fill-in the blanks with their own imagination. Which sometimes can be scarier.
  • The reference of other sci-fi horror novels in the within the book
    • I need to go back and write them down
  • Discovered HP Lovecraft was a racist
  • The protagonist, Atticus Turner is a voracious reader 
    • Proves very handy throughout the book
  • Depiction of family dynamics between Atticus, Montrose (his father), Uncle George
    • There is always one family member you confide in more than your actual parent
  • Each character deals with racial inequity and inequality during Jim Crow
    • Every character always comes out on top
 

via GIPHY

  • There are history lessons throughout.
    • A fantastical take on the Green Book used by Black people while travelling during the Jim Crow era. In the book called, 
    • Banks would not issue mortgage loans to Black people. Therefore, Black people would have to get subprime lending which usually resulted in them defaulting on the loans
  • The episodic stories. Each character was able to be the protagonist. The stories are interconnected and build off of each other.
  • My favorite story is Chapter Five: Jekyll in Hyde Park. This chapter is about Ruby and she goes through a major metamorphosis. 

Overall, I highly enjoyed this book. I have told everyone about this book. I couldn’t get enough of it. The ending does allow for a sequel. I hope Matt Ruff writes it. Or, it can be explored more in the TV show.

Have you watched the show yet? I have; Lovecraft Country is produced by TV/Film heavyweights JJ Abrahms, Misha Collins, and Jordan Peele. Matt Ruff’s Lovecraft Country allows for a lot of creative license in the TV show. Which they have no problems taking. They take a lot of liberties with the show. Personally, there are elements I like and some I think should have been left alone. 

Watch Lovecraft Country on HBO or HBOMax on Sundays at 9 PM. 

Do you prefer the book or tv adaption?  Will you be reading this book? Let me know in the comments.

Share the Love

Subscribe to OMG! Kaya Reads

3 Responses

  1. I’ve got this one sitting on my shelf and I’ve heard nothing but good things about it. My boyfriend and are planning to watch the show but I really really want to read the book first. The temptation to read and watch potential spoiler-y things is high!

    1. The thing I do the most is comparing and contrasting the book and TV show. The show really builds on and brings to life we don’t necessarily see in the book.

  2. I just started watching this! I love a suspense story where the characters act rationally (“Nope, that’s a trap, not going in there.” vs “Let’s split up”)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Read, Watch, & Listen

Subscribe To
OMG! Kaya Reads

Get notified about new posts