Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff
When his father 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 Samuel 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.
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What a wild ride! This book has definitely climbed up into my top reads of 2020. I could not put it down! The mystery and intrigue in the beginning that draws you in reminded me of some of those old childhood fantasies that you just knew would take you on the adventure of a lifetime. And I finally found the adult equivalent. Not for the faint of heart, this book is definitely classified under horror. Gruesome supernatural attacks, terrifying hauntings, and extreme examples of Jim Crow racism at its height (this book takes place in 1954) make for a terrifying series of events for the Turner family.
The book starts with Atticus trying to get home to Chicago from where he's been living in Florida. Just that simple task takes him twice as long and costs him much more patience as he gets pulled over numerous times for no reason, harassed and abused, and offered absolutely zero help on his journey because of the colour of his skin. He has to glance around every corner and obey even the smallest of laws in order to not die just travelling from one state to another. It really sets the tone for how this journey through the rest of the book is going to go and it is enraging. He's heading home to see his estranged father who sent a mysterious letter asking to see him. His father, bent on finding out Atticus' maternal ancestry, has disappeared into the unwelcoming south. Atticus and his uncle must now go rescue him while trying to survive not only a harrowing Jim Crow country but the backwoods of America where demons lurk and a mysterious cult has their eyes set on the Turners.
I absolutely loved so many parts of this book but my favourite was the format. Each "part" of the book focused on a different character whose story eventually ties in with Atticus' adventure from the beginning. It made it almost like a TV show so I can see why it was so perfect to adapt to a show on HBO. We get small adventures all throughout, each one ending up linked to the same creepy cult that dogs Atticus' steps throughout this entire book. It was fascinating and really built up the suspense and the climax of the novel. It was genius! I also really enjoyed how the point of this whole book was turning Lovecraftian tales on their head, taking this extremely racist authors stories and using them in a tale fighting against racism in America. That's the concept that originally interested me in this book and I think the author really pulled it off.
The characters were so amazing, I loved almost every protagonist. They were all so cunning even when faced with tackling the impossible. And they weren't unrealistic in their cunning, they felt real and flawed and made stupid mistakes but that just made them more relatable. Even the supernatural characters astounded. The way Matt Ruff wrote the suspenseful and spooky scenes made them truly feel like they jumped straight out of an H.P. Lovecraft novel into this one. I admit I had to double-check I was still alone in my apartment while reading some scenes, freaked me right out. Every storyline had its point, nothing felt irrelevant, and seeing it all come together throughout had little lightbulbs flashing in my head leading me to the conclusion. I loved it.
Honestly, my biggest issue was Ruby's character, and I can't say too much without spoiling the book or her storyline. I get that there are characters that probably feel the way she does, wanting to be someone/something else. But her story was extreme and to me, it seemed like a convenient way to say "but people can change" if they really want to. They're not forced to suffer the way they do. They can become a better, superior version of themselves. It didn't sit well with me. I think it was one of the scarier aspects of the story and it still sort of haunts me... it didn't feel like there was a conclusion there.
Overall it was amazing and I loved it and I'm glad it's a cover that's made to look worn so it will hide the damage I do to it, I can already see this becoming a yearly favourite of mine. Definitely in for a reread to catch what I may have missed. You'll have to read it to truly get how amazing it was. I don't doubt the TV show did it justice and I can't wait to watch it. But this is definitely one of those stories that were just meant to be read. And it's perfect for a spooky October read! 4 stars!!