When I first heard about this book, I was thrilled, since it sounded like a mashup of many ideas I love. And thankfully, I wasn't disappointed - this is one of my early favourites of 2024.

The Monsters We Defy gives us a wonderful look into 1920s DC. What I really liked about this book is how it gives a multilayered look at the time period, making it feel much more impactful and, dare I say it, authentic, than many other historical fantasies. Penelope doesn't shy away from the racism of the time - which is much more scary than any of the spirit ancestors floating around - but also reflects on how black people themselves had unique experiences. Clara is a working class woman who has also spent time in prison, and therefore engages with the world in a very different way to her middle-class, educated acquaintances. Her companions who join her mission to retrieve a magical ring also have very different experiences and histories, and all bring something interesting to the story.

The rest of this book is great as well. The mystery is not hugely complex or sophisticated, but it moves along nicely, and I really loved the way this book integrated the spirits and their tricks and bargains, making things less straightforward than they originally seem. Clara's story is also inspired by a real life person, so there are lots of historical tidbits woven in along the way which I also found fascinating.

I've been meaning to get to this book since it was released, and I'm very glad I finally did.
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What to expect:
👻 spirit communication
💍 heist
🫶🏽 unlikely friendships
🪄 unique magic system
📖 historical nuances

What a fun, thought-provoking and complex story! In this book we follow a young Black American woman, Clara Johnson. Clara is such an interesting character with the ability to communicate with spirits (known as enigmas. In this world, enigmas can offer humans an ability (a treat), but they take something substantial in return (a trick).

Throughout the story we get to see what sorts of deals people have agreed to, and we get an insight into how the world of the enigmas works.

The book is a fascinating blend of fantasy, historical fiction and a heist thriller that provides a compelling experience. Penelope weaves in real-life events and the political tensions of the time can really be felt.

Thank you so much to the publisher, author & NetGalley for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This has been in my ARCs for far too long. I'm not sure why it took me so long to read because the story was very engaging. The character's back stories were heart breaking at times and it was really interesting to learn that the story's main character was actually based on a real person. This is the first book by this author that I have read and would definitely be interested in reading more.

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, and compelled to help people. Even if she weren't cursed to help anyone who asks her, she would still get up and help!

This book was a highly immersive experience. The life of black citizens in Washington D.C. in 1925 is further complicated by something from the spirit world meddling in their affairs. Clara speaks to spirits but tries to keep the conversation to a minimum. Every time something is asked of them, the spirits tie the person requiring assistance in a debt that is more punishment than the boon that was granted.
Clara has learned the hard way not to trust the spirits, but people come and beg her for small favours since her fame has spread far, just by word of mouth alone. She has promised to never use her own gift ever again since the cost felt disproportionally high.
Once it has been established that something more complex is afoot, Clara is almost coerced into gathering around her a team who might try to end the trouble before they start. More than the heist and the found family, the conversations and the struggles that are depicted within this narrative are what takes precedence. The tone of the story ensures that the impact is felt and draws the reader further into wanting a semblance of a happily-ever-after for all the good guys involved.
The writing was excellent and had a dark aura and tension permeating through the adventure. Lives are at stake, and the plans keep unravelling, but there is hope.
I highly recommend this to readers of historical fiction and do not mind a bit of magic mixed in. Definitely, an author to watch out for.
I received this book as an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading.

This was such an entertaining read and I would definitely love to spend more time with these characters. I loved the setting and thought that Leslye Penelope did a fantastic job of transporting the reader back to jazz era Washington. There were some very interesting discussions around colourism and the impact it has on the black community and I enjoyed the way in which characters from history, such as Langston Hughes, made appearances through the narrative. Clara is a great protagonist and the magical elements of the story were fun and sometimes unsettling. Overall I really enjoyed this book and I hope that the author can write more stories in this world!
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this unusual mix of historical fiction, civil rights and the spirit world, particularly it’s heroine with her hard as nails exterior. Based on a true case of a black woman who shot a white police officer who’d barged into her bedroom, our heroine Clara had been on trial for murder. She lives within the black community of 1920’s Washington and the author has really captured the historical setting and what life was like for a black woman at that period in time. I loved her attitude and that fact that the author didn’t make her overly sentimental or sympathetic. She’s very prickly, but once people get passed that exterior she does a lot of good for others, using her gift to help the community. Clara was born at a crossroads, giving her the ability to see ghosts, but she has made a deal with one of the ‘powers’ on the other side and she wants to get out of it. These deals, often made in times of desperation, always have a sting in the tail. Clara is offered a deal, the power will give her freedom if she will a ring, but the catch is that its from one of the most powerful people in Clara’s community. Will she able to carry out the heist?

There are so many different elements to this story that it must have been difficult to keep it balanced, yet the author succeeds. The pacing is brilliant and underneath the excitement of the heist and the fantasy elements, the book always feels grounded in it’s history. The reality of what life was like for a black woman in 1920’s USA is beautifully rendered and woven in with the story. The racism and unconscious privilege is historically accurate, but the author goes further, showing how these attitudes hinder her quest. She can’t even travel in certain parts of Washington. These obstacles raised the tension and danger levels, but also indicated how different it was just to go about your daily business when you were a person of colour. Life just becomes that bit harder, especially as a black woman.

Interestingly, this historical detail made it easier to get caught up in Clara’s quest and the magical aspects felt believable. The true dangers of being involved with these magical powers are slowly revealed, upping the stakes and making it difficult to put the book down. I didn’t want to miss anything. The powers that want to use humans to wield their power in the real world are very dangerous and I feared for Clara. But then we don’t know the full extent of Clara’s powers until later either. This was a fantastic read and I would thoroughly recommend it to other readers.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review - what a premise!

Clara Johnson can commune with spirits, Enigmas. And whilst this started out as a gift, through helping those spirits commune with their loved ones and complete any unfinished business, Clara has come to understand that it's more akin to a curse than anything else. Reluctant to become further entangled with the spirit-world she seeks to find a way out of the deal she has made. Clara finds herself part of a heist, along with other 'gifted' individuals, the reward being her freedom.

What I enjoyed:
- Historical fantasy is one of my faves and Penelope manages to really bring 1920s Washington to life without requiring you to be familiar with the era, or even location!
- Penelope tackles a number of heavier themes surrounding race and class. The racism that our characters encounter as POC is so casual and matter-of-fact. It was truly infuriating, not only at these views from the past but that I recognised that some of these views are still present today. It is a stark reminder of how far we have come as a society but also that we still have a long way to go.
- The magic in this novel is deliciously written and I really enjoyed reading about the balance between Charms and Tricks, how others earned theirs and ultimately how Clara came to be the person she is.
- Honourable mentions to our side characters, Zelda in particular was a lot of fun to read and I'd love to see her in a novella or novel of her own one day.

What I didn't engage with:
- There were a lot of characters in this one, and that's totally fine, but for me at times I found it a little hard to keep track of. That being said I enjoyed the way in which they were all introduced.

All in all a fab read. Read if you like
- Found family
- Urban or Historical fantasy
- A Heist!
- Be careful what you wish for / who you make deals with
- The Invisible life of Addie LaRue, Blood to Poison

Rating: 5/5 stars

Every so often Redhook, being the huge publisher they are, have a new release fly inexplicably and undeservingly under the radar, and I can’t for the life of me understand why. This year’s candidate is The Monster We Defy as this wonderful historical fantasy debut deserves to be read and loved by so many more people.

In 1925’s Washington DC, we follow Clara Johnson, a woman with an unusual knack for seeing and communing with Enigma’s (ghosts and other spirits from “The Other Side”). What began as a gift to save Clara during her darkest moments before, has turned into a curse as her life becomes entangled and indebted to the spirits of this shadow-world. Desperate for her freedom, in many aspects of her life, Clara turns to a desperate heist to steal an artifact to release her from her curse from the most influential woman in the district. She can’t however, undertake this daring heist alone. Aided by an unlikely team of a jazz musician capable of hypnotizing with a melody, aging vaudeville actor who can change his face and many more, Clara sets off to an adventure filled with ghosts, clairvoyants, tricksters and enemies from our world and the next.

What I loved:
Honestly; almost everything about this book. Penelope brings to life the 1920’s Washington-setting from page one, seamlessly interweaving it with the magic based in African American mythology. The mixing of real-world cultural mythology into (urban) fantasy is a trope I adore, and it 100% worked for me in this case. The characters felt authentic in their personalities and interactions with each other, the world and the magical elements.
Despite being rooted in fantasy, the novel doesn’t shy away from addressing important themes of the time, including colourism, discrimination and police violence against people of colour. It does so seamlessly and (as far as I can tell) accurately, going as far as to have the main character be based on a real historical figure.
Despite these heavy themes, I can’t remember the last time I’ve had so much “fun” engaging with them as with this story. Thanks to the vivid characters, the exciting heistplot, the beautiful writing and a story that is filled with hardship but also hope, take it from a heavy lesson in history to an enjoyable tale I couldn’t put down.

What I didn’t love:
This is obviously a matter of personal taste, but the way the characters were introduced took some adjusting for me. We meet a large cast of characters, that took some effort to keep track off. Some of them are introduced through an almost introductory chapter on their backstory, almost like a small vignette or short-story within the larger one. It was quite the pacing shift at times, and I can see how it may take some readers out of the story for a bit. It didn’t bother me personally, and pales in comparison to all the praise I’ve already showered this book in.
If you’re looking for an atmospheric Own-Voices (historical) fantasy that is a little bit The Diviners, a little bit The Conductors, and a whole lot of its own unique story; this book deserves a place on you autumn readinglist!

Many thanks to Redhook/Orbit Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

One of the best stories I read in the last months. I love the setting, I had no idea of the Black Washington in the 1920s and this book was really great to get some information and to enjoy the situation. The characters are not only complicated and develop throughout the story, they are also loveable and you want to know more about them. The historical and mystical background is very interesting and contained new information so that I enjoyed the book at this level too.
I can only highly recommend this book!

This is a cracking read. I thoroughly enjoyed Clara’s spiky character. She is short-fused and in the habit of pushing away people, though that doesn’t stop her from helping those who seek her out. Given her gift, she could so easily have been portrayed as a noble, self-sacrificing heroine, brimful of the desire to help her fellows. While that is what she does – because she is so crotchety about it, I found her far more appealing. Especially when those around her make it their business to break through the façade she has erected – and we are shown just how vulnerable she actually is.

As well as Clara being a thoroughly sympathetic protagonist, the pacing was pretty much perfect. In any historical adventure, there is always a balance between giving the reader sufficient period details to make the background believable and ensuring the narrative moves along at a reasonable clip. Penelope nailed it, as far as I’m concerned. I’ve read several books recently featuring a POC protagonist and this was right up there with the best in portraying the casual and unthinking racism that was rife at that time. Indeed, it is part of the ongoing difficulty stacking up against Clara and her associates that a black person finds it hazardous to try and travel to certain parts of the city. Not only does this aid the narrative in upping the stakes – it is a visceral reminder of the extra burden the black community were coping with in their daily lives just because of the colour of their skin. I’d love to think such attitudes were consigned to history – but sadly, daily racist crime shows this isn’t the case, so reading entertaining, well-written fiction that highlights the issue can only help.

The spirit world was also well portrayed. There is a real sense of menace around those who want agency within the mortal world in order to steal human destinies. I liked the way Penelope gradually revealed the enormity of the threat, making this one of those reads that was very difficult to put down. All in all, this was a thoroughly engrossing tale that had me reading far later than I should. Highly recommended for those who like their fantasy within a compelling historical setting. While I obtained an arc of The Monsters We Defy from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
10/10

Set against the glamour of the 1920s, The Monsters we Defy follows Clara, a young woman who can speak to spirits, as she plans a daring heist. Brilliant characters and a spooky vibe made this book a brilliant read!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

With thanks to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really appreciated the characters in this which is why I’ve rounded up to 4. It’s a heist novel set in the 1920s or so in America but with Enigmas and Greys and spirits. But the job comes from an Enigma to whom Clara already owes a debt, in exchange for her release. Clara however is cursed with a Trick to help people, which would be fine if it didn’t usually mean landing them with Tricks and Charms of their own.

Did I mention the magic system is a good one? It layers up slowly, consistently in a similar way characters and their backstories are real. Typically being told about how someone major to the story was born and raised after being introduced wouldn’t work but here Leslye Penelope has got the tone down perfectly.

Each character feels like they could be from our world’s history, the history near identical with a lot of the bad parts of history resulting in the city and the Black community the story centres around. Because Clara accepts the job when it becomes obvious people are going missing without trace. It gets her mixed up with an actor, a musician and a porter as well as bringing her ex-circus flatmate into the job.

I don’t like standard heist stories so I loved the way this one uses the heist to unfurl a mystery. It might be slower paced than a regular heist novel but it’s more people-centric too and they aren’t just wisecracking archetypes. Clara herself is great: closed off, anxious, trying to make things better, constructive, involved, frequently annoyed… she’s real. Zelda is a lighter counterpart who sometimes outstays her welcome because she’s just as much a person as Clara. As with the whole team (which is why the epilogue is deserved). Just not sold on the cover!

A fun historical supernatural mystery set in the 1920s!

The characters are an absolute blast and completely diverse lead by a tenacious MC named Clara who can can communicate with spirits. Their traits are sprinkled with complexities and trying pasts which makes them all the more fascinating to read about. The 'found family' vibes are so pure and really makes you fall in love with them even more!

The author has woven so many amazing elements together to create such an intriguing story; a magical heist, a group of mystical misfits, supernatural flair whilst also addressing heavier themes of race and class. Her writing style is absorbing and goes to show the amount of research Leslye has put into her work while still making it an engaging work of fiction. The fact that Clara is based of a real person from history made it all the more connected, and made me want to research all that could.

This was a perfect blend of genres that made reading this story enjoyable from start to finish.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for this eARC in exchange for an honest review

A historical fantasy with a full Black cast and a mystery that blurs the boundaries between the mortal and spiritual worlds.

Clara can see the spirit world and communicate with enigmas. She brokers deals between the ghosts and people in need of their help. But every charm comes with a trick and no one knows this better than Clara. When people in her community start to go missing, she has to put a group together to try and find them while figuring out who's behind the abductions.

This was a very solid historical fantasy. The setting was well outlined, with the city, the costumes and the social climate placing the story firmly in the post-war US. This aspect reminded me of the Kingston Cycle trilogy. What's more, we had some fun characters to follow, including a man who can change his appearance like a chameleon and another one who can erase memories, a small romance subplot and a ghostly, well thought out mystery. What's there not to like??
I'll definitely look out for the next novel from this author!

A complex, well written, and fascinating story. Great plot and great characters, a well plotted story, excellent storytelling.
The alternate historical part is fascinating and I found it entertaining and thought provoking.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Absolutely astounding, Iam in awe of how much I loved this. I hadn’t really heart or read anything by Leslye Penelope before , but I am so glad I picked this up, the writing is so beautiful abd prose-like, the characters were well-developed, the story was perfect, highly recommended

Thank you Little, Brown Book UK and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for honest review!
I’ll begin this review by saying that I’m not big fan of historical, adult novels. I usually find them too complex and draining for me to fully enjoy the story, and I had my moment of doubt with The Monsters We Defy, and oh boy was I wrong! It took me less than two chapters to get used to the language and writing, and the same amount of time to get fully drowned into the story. I absolutely loved Clara Johnson and her roommate, and that love only grew to each new character and relationships build between them. The flashback-chapters giving the backstory for the characters were such a clever way to introduce them and take a pause from the main story without it feeling strange. I couldn’t stop reading because as long as this book is, the story was going so flawlessly it never felt boring. Every plot twist and every challenge got me gasping, and it was one of the best endings I’ve read in a long time.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publishers for a free ARC in exchange for a review.

This book RULED.

The world building of the 1920s is gorgeous, and examines racism and colorism within Washington whilst delivering an atmospheric, romantic, and well-written story about magic and what it costs to get what you want.

This is an unflinching portrayal of being Black in America (in my un-expert opinion) and shone light on an oft-forgetten moment in history, the 1919 riots. Clara Johnson is a historic figure, but this portrayal of her is respectful and adds humanity to a figure who unfortunately remains unknown to many.

Penelope adds to discussions of racism by looking at colorism as well. She speaks about the "paper-bag test" and explores the classism attached to colorism attached to racism.

Our main cast is fantastic, Clara is a wonderful and strong heroine, backed up by her love interest, Israel, a jazz musician who is adorable and suave and a total dreamboat. Her friends, Zelda, an albino Black woman, Aristole, a Black gay man involved in the drag scene, and Jesse Lee, Israel's cousin whose trick will break your heart, are an amazing cast of secondary characters, and I would read books about each one.

I haven't even gotten into the amazing lore of the book, with spirits, Tricks, Curses, and more, anyone will find something to love here.

Five huge stars. I will read anything by this author!!

4.5 stars

I'm so pleased I decided to give this book a chance otherwise I would have missed out on this well-written, captivating alternate history. The author very cleverly wove fact together with fiction, producing an atmospheric tale that takes you into the heart of black 1920s Washington. As someone who is white British, this is a history I am having to make myself aware of, so Clara (Cassie) Johnson wasn't a name I was familiar with. As the author notes at the end of the book, there are disturbing parallel's between her story and that, 100 years later, of Breonna Taylor.


Fast-paced, twisty and thoroughly captivating, The Monsters We Defy quickly grabbed my attention and proved to be a book that I just didn't want to put down. The story is told (third person) from Clara's point of view and she is one bullish, head-strong and irascible young lady used to keeping others at arm's length. We get the (very) occasional chapter focusing in on another character, allowing us to understand their choices and motivations. Clara was an incredibly sympathetic character, and as the story progressed I found myself warming to all her coterie of misfits.


There are just so many strands to this wonderful story, from the mystical elements to the quest, through to the discrimination from many quarters along with Clara's character arc. With themes of friendship, subjugation, fear, acceptance, being careful what you wish for, and self-forgiveness there wasn't a moment of the story that didn't hold value, meaning or impact. I highly recommend this.