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Overview
Overview
Now an HBO(R) series from J.J. Abrams (executive producer of Westworld), Misha Green (creator of Underground), and Jordan Peele (director of Get Out and Us), this brilliant and imaginative novel by critically acclaimed author Matt Ruff makes visceral the terrors of Jim Crow America, melding historical fiction, pulp noir, and Lovecraftian horror.
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.
A chimerical blend of magic, power, hope, and freedom that stretches across time, touching diverse members of two black families, Lovecraft Country is a devastating kaleidoscopic portrait of racism--the terrifying specter that continues to haunt us today.
- Format: TradePaperback
- Author: Ruff, Matt
- ISBN: 9780063412958
- Condition: Used
- Dimensions: 7.12
- Number Of Pages: 400
- Publication Year: 2024
Language:
English
Customer Reviews
Rating Snapshot
5 ★
75%
4 ★
25%
3 ★
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1 ★
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4 Ratings
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A collection of science-fiction short stories
Dave P. - 2 years 8 months agoCoincidences like the release of two purportedly Weird fictions in February of 2016 are always eye-catching, and I enjoyed Lovecraft Country, by Matt Ruff; but, I enjoyed it more after I stopped thinking of it as a weird fiction novel and instead as a collection of science-fiction short stories which focused on life as an African American in Jim Crow America. Because, ultimately, that's what "Lovecraft Country" is. Ruff's novel certainly strikes a mean demeanor with its aged-looking graphic design proclaiming "America's demons exposed" and tendrils creeping up from the bottom of the cover like white hoods (however, the paper-on-cardboard covers showed significant wear after only on reading). The eponymous first chapter introduces Army veteran and sci-fi enthusiast Atticus Turner, whose father has gone missing. Over the course of the chapter, we discover a little more about Atticus, his family history, and their connection with the antagonistic Braithwhite family. More details are slowly uncovered throughout the book's chapters (or stories), but point-of-view and plot rotate each time. Although the stories support each other, the characters (for the most part) already feel fully developed leaving little room for growth. All of this isn't to say that Lovecraft Country is a bad book; but, it's a better book of short stories than a novel. As far as imitating Lovecraftian fiction, this does so better as a loosely connected collection of shorts. And, again, I have to add that these short stories struck me less as sharing themes with weird fiction than with the broader science-fiction and horror genres (think portals to another world, Jekyll and Hyde syndrome, and possessed dolls). While it didn't diminish my enjoyment of the book, it was a slight letdown. Yet, for all of its letdowns, Matt Ruff manages to achieve what I believe he intended: to provide a seemingly well-researched and well-written account of what life was like as an African American living in Jim Crow America. As popular as Lovecraft and his work are, the amount of writing dealing with his xenophobia and racism is sorely lacking. Ruff (a white author, it should be noted) takes great care with the writing of his characters (Samuel Braithwhite is a particularly devilish antagonist) and his portrayal of the oppressive atmosphere of Jim Crow America. The paranoia of this time period lends itself well to the horror aspects of the book, and there's a palpable sense of claustrophobia, or of being trapped, despite the varied settings. This is Ruff's greatest achievement. If you're a fan of science-fiction and want to read a collection of stories that deftly address the reality (strange, for sci-fi) of African American life in Jim Crow America, Lovecraft Country delivers.
HPB Staff Review -
Weird fiction in Jim Crow America
Thomas W. - 4 years 3 months agoLovecraft Country is a collection of several interconnected stories revolving around an African-American Korean War veteran and his friends and family as they struggle with horrors both eldritch and mundane in 1950s America. The characters are fully formed and believable, and the plot is very entertaining. The book is also full of laugh-out-loud moments. Highly recommended!
HPB Staff Review -
Tulsa
HPB S. - 5 years 7 months agoI read Lovecraft Country because I had started watching the HBO series. I wanted to get more of the background of the story and see how it compared to the series. HBO went way off on a tangent with True Blood based on the Southern Vampire series so I had some misgivings on how the series would pan out. I enjoyed the book. It explained events in American history that had been buried. The world needs to know that there are dark periods of American history.
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Amazing read!
Jon H. - 6 years agoSuper engaging read, right from the very start. It has a great cast of characters, though I was hoping for more spotlight time with the character we assume is the main protagonist, Atticus Turner. I'd read a full book just about him. I'm looking forward to the HBO series that's based on the book.