The Monsters We Defy, Leslye Penelope
The Monsters We Defy, Leslye Penelope
2 Rating(s)
List: $27.99 | Sale: $19.59
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The Monsters We Defy

Author: Leslye Penelope

Narrator: Shayna Small

Unabridged: 11 hr 30 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Redhook

Published: 08/09/2022


Synopsis

A woman able to communicate with spirits must assemble a ragtag crew to pull off a daring heist to save her community in this timely and dazzling historical fantasy that weaves together African American folk magic, history, and romance.

Washington D. C., 1925

Clara Johnson talks to spirits, a gift that saved her during her darkest moments in a Washington D. C. jail. Now a curse that’s left her indebted to the cunning spirit world. So, when the Empress, the powerful spirit who holds her debt, offers her an opportunity to gain her freedom, a desperate Clara seizes the chance. The task: steal a magical ring from the wealthiest woman in the District.

Clara can’t pull off this daring heist alone. She’ll need help from an unlikely team, from a jazz musician capable of hypnotizing with a melody to an aging vaudeville actor who can change his face, to pull off the impossible. But as they encounter increasingly difficult obstacles, a dangerous spirit interferes at every turn. Conflict in the spirit world is leaking into the human one and along D.C’.s legendary Black Broadway, a mystery unfolds—one that not only has repercussions for Clara but all of the city’s residents. 

Reviews

Goodreads review by Rebecca on February 28, 2023

A magical heist with an all-Black cast set in a Harlem Renaissance-inspired Washington DC? Yes, pls. And what a delightful story it is. I loved the backstory snippets of all the characters, the setting that felt so real and alive, and the historical cameos of real ppl in Black intellectual and creat......more

Goodreads review by Mary Robinette on November 16, 2022

A prohibition era, Black Washington heist novel with ghosts. I loooooooved this book. I love a good heist novel and this one was delightful. I also really enjoyed the interstitials that gave us backstory about the various team members without slowing the story down. Clara Johnson is smart, damaged,......more

Goodreads review by Simone on August 04, 2022

If you're looking for something spooky for the Halloween season, but you don't want to read something terribly scary, then this might be the one for you. Clairvoyants, ghosts, magical powers, and a heist all set during the 1920s in Washington D.C.? Yeah, you're going to want to read this one. This wa......more

Goodreads review by Mel (Epic Reading) on November 08, 2022

The author's note at the end of the book has me amazed at how much of the story (given it's definitely a fantasy novel) is based on true stories. Leslye Penelope has gives the reader a look at African American's lives at a time that most of us white folk (myself included) have little context for. Se......more


Quotes

"Leslye Penelope has created a rich and immersive world, set in an enchanting 1920s Washington DC full of jazz musicians, elite Black social organizations, fairy balls, bootleggers, lady gangster bosses, and mesmerizing magic! It's a story that weaves together threads of real history with bits of the utterly fantastic. The Monsters We Defy will keep you turning the pages and wanting more!” —P. Djèli Clark, author of A Master of Djinn

"A gritty heroine and crew that commune with trickster spirits. A heist that pits them against a powerful member of the city's elite. In The Monsters We Defy, Leslie Penelope blends magic, mystery, and mayhem in this deliciously complex historical fantasy."—Veronica Henry, author of Bacchanal

"Masterfully crafted, with gorgeous prose, colourful characters, and a compelling plot. This smart and entertaining, magical heist novel hits all the right notes and leaves the reader wanting more."—T. L. Huchu, author of The Library of the Dead

"In this dazzling fantasy set in 1920s Washington, DC, narrator Shayna Small imbues her voice with the power of spirits and the determination of a Black woman with the power to talk to them...Small pulls off a feat herself, shape-shifting through the many colorful characters in Clara’s crew. Each one comes alive with a unique voice — from the smooth, charming lilt of a talented man who can hypnotize people with music to the sharp, no-nonsense staccato of a woman who was raised in the circus. Small’s emotional delivery will draw listeners into Clara’s world of African American folklore and magic."—AudioFile