The Black God's Drums by P. Djèlí Clark (ARC) - Review

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I received an ARC of this novella from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Creeper is a scrappy girl who lives on the streets of post-Civil War New Orleans, but she has big plans. She plans on gaining passage on the smuggler airship Midnight Robber by earning the trust of Captain Ann-Marie. She'll do just that by sharing a secret of a kidnapped Haitian scientist and a mysterious weapon called The Black God’s Drums. Creeper has her own secret: Oya, the African orisha of the wind and storms, speaks inside her head and grants her divine powers. And Oya has her own priorities.

I was so excited to when I learned I was approved for The Black God's Drums by P. Djèlí Clark. Since I'm a fan of alternate history and steampunk as well as Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi, this novella sounded like an absolute must read. Luckily, this story was absolutely brilliant - and one of my favorite reads of 2018. Although it only clocks in at 110 pages and the plot moves quickly, the author's world-building and complex character development skills are top-notch. It hooked me from beginning to end and I loved just how original and unique it all is. In short, this novella is a real treat for fans of alternate history and a must read for fans of innovative fantasy. I need to read more of Clark's work in the future and I would love to return to this steampunk world.

Thanks again, NetGalley!


I read this ARC on August 21, 2018 and my review is also on Goodreads.  The Black God's Drums by P. Djèlí Clark is now available for purchase.