The Monsters We Defy

De: Leslye Penelope

Narrado por: Shayna Small

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.

©2022 Leslye Penelope (P)2022 Redhook

Reseñas de la Crítica

"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

Amazing!

I have been looking for a book like this and it was definitely worth the read! The writing and the performance was superb! I look forward to this becoming a series.

Job well done!

Fantastic book with incredible audio performance

This was audiobook was so hard to put down. Interesting story, rich characters, and the story performance was incredible. Will stay with me a long time.

Great story and performance

Loved the creativity and how the author brought it all together. I wasn't a fan of the genre but this story changed that.

I knew the author, not just the voice actors, had melanin. Some may take that poorly. I hope that they don't!

I can see it as an anime series; something akin to Black Samuri, off of the top of my head. I can't wait to read Daughter of the Merciful Deep.

well written and well read

Great historical fantasy focused on the black community in 1920's Washington DC. Characters and setting are well drawn and the narration is excellent. I highly recommend

Great book and great historical references

I loved the splash of history with a happy ending. Story was excellent as well as narration.

A fantastic odyssey!

I loved this book. Each character brings a unique perspective to the overall experience. The flashbacks of characters lives just brings them together as a cohesive team to battle the enemies of the spirit world. Thrill ride of adventure and horror,with a great historic plot.

An amazing twists through AA history

some who done it, some mystery, alot of self reflection and imagery . A great read

Beautifully narrated

This book was so well written. The author had me hooked from the very beginning. The storyline and characters were so well developed. The narrator really brought these characters to life, especially Zelda's. (She was a hoot!). The writer's footnote at the end was an informative and pleasant bonus. I would definitely love to read more books by this author.

Fun story with likable characters

This was very enjoyable. There were definitely a couple of plot holes and there was not quite as much heist as I was hoping for but overall it really was super enjoyable.