The Monsters We Defy | Lesley Penelope

Favorite Quote: “Are You Pursuing Happiness?”

Do I Recommend This Book: Yes

What I Enjoyed About It:
The Narrator
The Storyline and Writing Style
Israel 🤎
The Ghosts, Greys and the supernatural vibes
Clara’s hardheaded nature
Zelda 🥰🥰
The Ragtag team they pulled together to solve the mystery
Mama Octavia bringing back memories of my grandma 🖤
I loved Uncle Nazareth’s growth
The Spiritual Aspects included
Chapter Titles 🥹
The Characters Aristotle portrayed
The Ending & Epilogue 🤎
The feeling of Closure

#POCReviewer #BIPOC #Netgalley #EArc #Kindle #Books #FallVibes #POCAuthor #Whisperer #1920 #Albino #BeYourself #TheGreys #Spirits #enigmas #Thecall #MamaOctavia #Whoyouare #Happiness #Cursebreaker #JesseLee #Happyendings #Closure #Gayin1920 #Dresses #Nerves #Findingyourself #After

This was peak historical fantasy! 5 stars!

We follow Clara, a young woman who can talk to spirits thanks to her unusual birth. A dark event in her past led her to make a deal with a powerful spirit called the Empress, and because of that relationship others in need seek her out to make their own deals. When people start going missing from her neighborhood in Washington DC and the Empress demands that Clara steal a ring, she begins to question what she is willing to do to get free of her past decisions.

Set in the 1920s in Washington DC the setting of this novel was one of my favorite things. Penelope has managed what many historical fantasy authors struggle with, which is to balance the amount of history and fantasy. You can tell that this story was well researched. The neighborhood where Clara lives and works jumps off the page, as do the characters around her. The world feels real, the characters feel real, but there is still room for the spirits to exist in a way that brings the magic into the world.

The magical elements in this book were also really well done. I loved how the magic was grounded in the traditions of African Americans but also linking back to parts of Africa. But at the same time the inclusion of the powerful spirits called Enigmas felt new and fresh, like something I haven't seen before. I particularly liked the idea of making a deal with a spirit but not necessarily getting what you wanted, this provided so many opportunities to explore our characters and the world they lived in.

This book also balanced the plot with the thematic elements really well. The themes of poverty, racial violence, and classism were explored through the fast paced heist story that had Clara assembling a team of people with extraordinary talents to steal the ring, a powerful artifact in its own right. I am a sucker for a heist story and this book delivered on that front, maybe even more than I expected.

I think this book is great for people who enjoy historical fantasy set in the 1920s, and love a good heist. I can't wait to read more from this author.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for my honest opinion*

The writing was superb but the plot just wasn't for me. I think this would be a fantastic spooky fall read if the plot peaks a reader's interest. I have no complaints or cirques other than I don't love atmospheric tales and prefer more realistic environments which I learned about myself through reading this book.

I was super excited when I received a copy of this book from the publisher. Not only is the cover very eye-catching, but it looks to be covering a unique time period and perspective for historical fantasy. I’ve read a million and one Regency fantasy novels (not that I’m complaining, I’ve read three excellent ones just this summer!), but it’s always refreshing to see authors pushing the boundaries on what we expect from this particular sub-genre. On the other hand, heists with a quirky group of people has also been done to death. So….I let’s see what this book had to offer!

Anyone pestered by spirits would be a little testy. And Clara, cursed/gifted with this ability for her entire life, has only barely begun to reign in her fiery temper. But she can’t stop herself from getting involved when people begin to act strangely and then go missing. Together with a band of other magically-afflicted individuals, Clara must work to pull off a heist to steal a magical ring. But the spirits won’t go easy, and they all will need to band together to pull of this feat!

I’ve read several other books by this author before, but they’ve all been second world fantasy, complete with magic systems and long, epic histories of warring gods. So I was curious to see how she would handle this change of pace. However, it is always a bit steadying to go into a new book knowing that, at the very least, the author has the writing chops to pull of her story. Whether this change in subgenre would work or not, I knew that Penelope would craft a well-told, descriptive story. And I was definitely right about that! I really enjoyed this version of Washington, D.C. in the 1920s that she imagined. There was enough recognizable history and culture to center the reader in the setting, but the introduction of magic and cultural folktales layered over it all to bring us something fresh and new.

Clara herself was an excellent character. I enjoyed her spirit (ha, bad pun) and determination to break through all of the barriers placed before her. But as this is a heist story, we, of course, also have a band of other players to follow as well. Penelope did a good job of laying out each of their histories and motivations in such a way that, for the most part, I felt invested in all of their individual outcomes. I will say, my initial reaction to large casts of characters is typically hesitance, as it’s not my preferred reading style. So while I personally wasn’t blown away by all of these characters, the author did a better job than most in introducing them and using them in such a way as to retain my interest.

The author includes an excellent note at the end about the history of the young woman who served as an inspiration for Clara (a young black woman who spent two years in prison for manslaughter after killing a policeman who enter her home and began shooting). She also explains her use of African American folktales through out the story. It was clear that this book was well-researched, and I think it was an exciting new entry of historical fantasy fiction, which, all too often, can begin to blend together with similar-sounding stories.

Rating 8: A fresh, new historical fantasy story that introduces an excellent cast of characters and highlights African American folklore.

The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope is a historical fantasy with ghosts, gods, and Clara, a young woman who can see and speak to spirits. Set in the 1920’s, Clara and her ragtag team must go on a daring heist to stop all the weird happenings going on in her town.
Different and fun, I’d recommend this one!
Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free copy for an honest review.

This was a fun read!
Historical fiction meets sci fi fantasy in DC! I absolutely loved Clara and her group of friends/accomplices- both alive and dead. African American folklore has piqued my interest over the last couple years, so I was pleasantly surprised that this book had some elements of that. It was also refreshing to read a story about young folks who were not enslaved and that were actually being as much as they could be, regular everyday people.

It's very hard to get into, but I like the premise of contact with "the other side." It has good bones, but it didn't grab me -- DNF for now; update upon completion

The Monsters We Defy was such an original take on DC during the Jazz Era. There were many things to love about this book: 1) the charms and tricks of the enigmas, 2) the magic system, as a whole, 3) a heist, and 4) a step into black culture and life during this time period. The writing and story were really well thought out and creative.

The only gripe I have with this book is that I could not get on board with the main character, Clara. All of the other characters had depth and you wanted to root for them. Clara isn’t a likable character; she is sullen and has a ridiculous temper. Maybe this is because her backstory is explained much later than everyone else’s, but regardless, I just could not back her and found myself not caring about her outcome to the point of skipping over her inner dialogue moments and skimming through her temper tantrums by the end.

Despite my gripes with the MC, I really did enjoy this book. I would recommend it based on the original setting alone. The Enigmas and side characters make it worth the read too!

Thank you Redhook Books and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I still haven't gathered all the words to encapsulate my feelings for this novel but here we go...

The Monsters We Defy was easily one of my favorite reads of 2022... maybe even my adult life (I'm 28.) As someone who studies Black literary history and Black Speculative Fiction... this was the book I've been asking for. I can't wait to use it in the classroom.

Leslye Penelope craft the perfect alternative history novel. It's deep in the cross-genre though including magical realism, paranormal, and fantasy seamlessly. In TMWD, Clara gathers a group of talented individuals, and her roommate, to do one of the most dangerous heists in the 1920s. The premise already sold me; however, the romance, the dialogue, the magic system, ZELDA... whew. I quite literally neglected lesson planning to keep this book in my hands. If you love Black women MCs, slow-burn romance, cameos of notable Black historical figures, and the suggested existence of an uncanny world alongside ours... this is your book.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable blend of the paranormal, history and mystery. Ms. Penelope creates world peopled with strong, vivid characters.

The book has an underlying message regarding racism and classism. Not just by whites but within black society as well. She deftly interweave a message unity throughout the narrative.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC. This is my honest review.

The Monsters We Defy is an incredible historical fantasy which follows Clara who in the darkest time of her life used her gift of being able to see spirits to save herself from a lifetime in a D.C. jail. Now Clara is cursed and endeared to the spirit world, so when the powerful spirit asks her to steal a magical ring from one of the wealthiest women in D.C. Clara jumps at the opportunity, in order to pull it off Clara must form a rag tag crew with powerful gifts of their own to help her.



This book was simply incredible. I’m a sucker for a good heist story. I especially love when it’s a rag tag crew with seemingly nothing in common but the end goal. This book gave me exactly that but with Black folklore, magic, rich history, and ghosts added into the mix. This was such a character driven story, I loved learning about each character. Each one brought something unique and special to the story, and I was rooting for every one of them equally. The heist itself was a blast to read about, i loved the planning stage and each characters role, and my jaw dropped at certain scenes!

The authors note at the end was icing on the cake I loved learning about the real Clara Johnson and how her story inspired the author.

I loved this book and I know it’s one I’ll be going back to reread in the future, It was an absolute blast to read, a mystery to solve heart pounding suspense, a little romance, and absolutely incredible characters. I can’t recommend this book enough!!

I loved this story from its opening sentence right to the end! Clara is prickly and argumentative, but also so willing to throw herself at danger to protect and help others. Also, to find that Leslye Penelope had based her main character on an actual woman who suffered from police violence and a flawed judicial system deepened my appreciation for this character and the story Penelope built around her.

Washington, DC’s Black population in the 1920s was fascinating, with influential and well known Black writers and musicians and other notables based there or passing through. Of course, there is also a deep well of racism surrounding the African American neighbourhoods, with white supremacy-based violence doled out by police, and Ku klux Klan members.

Clara is no stranger to this, as we gradually find out that she and her father’s apartment had been broken into under false pretences by police when she was younger, with she and her father ending up shot and one policeman dead. (Eerily familiar to today, isn’t it?) Clara sat in jail for two years, until she was suddenly released and the reason for this is at the heart of Penelope’s magical story and Clara’s difficulties trusting others for much of this book.

Penelope weaves in powerful spirits called Enigmas and ghosts to this historical fantasy, with Clara having the ability to converse with these beings, as well as determine if there is some sort of magical affliction caused by an Enigma. This ability comes in handy when an Enigma convinces Clara to steal a powerful, magical object for her. As Clara cannot get close to the holder of the object, she needs to recruit others to help her, and thank you Leslye Penelope for including one of my favourite story tropes next: the heist.

Clara really has to learn to trust the small band she recruits for the heist, all of whom bring different skills and abilities to the plan. Most have an Enigma-granted Charm (with a Trick—the unhappy downside of the magical aid the Charm gives them), which they'll have to use. Along the way, they discover there is actually a malevolent Enigma plan underway also, and not only does Clara have to steal the object, she and her group have to stop the magical plot.

There is so much to love in this book. The characters are fantastic, and wonderfully drawn. There is so much history also seamlessly woven into the story. I could feel the heat of the streets Clara walked, the scorn she endured from the wealthier members of Black society, the tension she felt while struggling to trust anyone, and experience Zelda’s (Clara’s light fingered roommate) joy as she outwitted and escaped danger. My heart broke for musician Ishmael’s inability to really connect with anyone, many-faced Aristotle to be really seen for himself, Jesse the conductor’s inability to be remembered by the woman he loved, and Clara’s cutting herself off from living life. I also appreciated how Penelope also showed the stratification of the classes amongst Washington’s Blacks, and how this was used to use and dismiss those amongst them living in poverty.

This was a terrific book that kept me captivated and really hoping Leslye Penelope returns to Clara in a future book.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Redhook Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.

The Monsters We Defy is a historical fiction story with fantasy elements of African folk magic. After being born at a crossroads, Clara Johnson is able to see and communicate with spirits. The spirits are able to help the living by bestowing a Charm in exchange for a negative Trick. Set in 1920s Washington D.C., Clara teams up with other individuals who have made bargains with spirits to pull off a heist to satisfy another spirit and protect their community. I LOVE historical fiction books that have magical elements, especially for magic based off of myth and folklore. I was very excited to read this book and it did not disappoint!

I had a great time learning about the magic system in this book. I am very minimally familiar with African folk magic and I enjoyed getting to learn more about it.. I loved learning more about how the magic worked and getting to meet new spirits and people who made different bargains. The differences in spirits, characters, Charms, and Tricks kept the story interesting and made me wonder what was going to happen next. I thought that 1920s Washington D.C. was such a good setting that was able to highlight a lot of events, racial tension, and realities of the people living there. I enjoyed getting to learn more about the characters as the book progressed.

I found that this book dragged a little around three quarters in, but it picked up again at the end for an exciting conclusion. Otherwise, I loved everything about this book!

Overall, I absolutely recommend reading this book if you are at all interested in historical fiction, folklore, magic, or just a good story. 4.5 starts rounded up to 5 from me! Thank you to Redhook books and NetGalley for the electronic advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

This historical fantasy set in Washington, D.C. in 1925, incorporates Black folk traditions of magic with Penelope’s imaginative extensions. The main character, Clara Johnson, born at a dark crossroads, emerges with a caul covering her body and the ability to talk with spirits and look Over There to the dead and other restless beings. Penelope develops a convincing world in which greedy spirits called Enigmas hold various humans in debts called Tricks, in exchange for Charms, magical abilities that appear to offer easy solutions to their problems but usually don’t work out as desired. This dynamic infuses the novel with thought-provoking themes, as does Clara’s struggle to overcome her self-doubt, sense of unworthiness, and inability to trust others. Clara wants her freedom—ironically, the very thing she bargained to regain when she made her “deal” from a prison cell with an Enigma named the Empress. When the Empress offers to release her debt if she steals a magic ring, Clara tries to find the catch, but she also can’t resist, especially when she realizes the ring is causing widespread troubles within the Black community. One of the many strengths of this novel is Penelope’s portrayal of Black life in D.C. of the twenties. Clara’s feeling of obligation to her community, on the one hand, is contrasted with the class snobbery of the educated, wealthy Black elite members. Penelope’s powerful style propels the reader forward. For example, she describes a moment of emotional intensity for Clara like this: “Her fingers coiled, pressing almost painfully against her palms, taut as the head of a drum with a tempting rhythm of rage beating against it. Like the thump, thump of fists meeting flesh.” An engaging read.

THE MONSTERS WE DEFY:
The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope is simply SO GOOD. Here's a little blurb to give you an idea of the type of book we're dealing with:

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.

This book is full of Black Girl Magic, spirits, history, and it's a HEIST. The Monsters We Defy is set in 1920's Washington D.C. and the main character is based on an actual historical figure. In fact, there are iconic Black historical figures throughout the story, which really made the story feel rooted in its time period. I loved the main character Clara Johnson, a grumpy introvert and total badass, and the rest of her crew! I can see myself rereading this one before long. The author's note in this book is also absolutely worth reading. It talks about the author's connection to the setting of the story and draws parallels between the past and things that are still happening today. I'd highly recommend The Monsters We Defy!

What price would you be willing to pay to make your dreams come true? The Monsters We Defy may make you think twice about that question.

This book covers a whole lot of bases. We've got a high-stakes heist, characters rooted in (and sometimes pulled directly from) history, the jazz age, and the spirit world causing problems.

I love when history and mythology/fantasy come together seamlessly. And I REALLY love when one book makes me want to read more books - this one had me adding to my tbr left right and centre.

I also love a good adventure with a solid (and often hilarious) cast of side characters. My only issue with it was the pacing. I found it to be very slow in the middle with a LOT of action at the end. That being said, the story was very satisfying, and I'm really excited to read more from the author!

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Redhook Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Lesley Penelope, who also writes as L. Penelope, is one of those auto-read authors for me. I've read almost all her books so far, and have enjoyed each one.

This is a very different book from her other ones. While it still has a fantastical element, this is the first of her books that doesn't have a sci-fi or futuristic element. Having it set in the "real world" 1920's limits the technology and resources available. And as a fan of the 1920's aesthetic when it comes to fashion and music, this book was practically built for me.

The characters shine in all of Lesley's books, and it is no different in this book. All the characters get a chance to shine and have their story told. Something a lot of ensemble stories forget to do. Clara is the main character, but I loved getting to know more about Zelda, I'd love a book 2 to get more of her.

I haven't read many heist books or watched many heist movies. But in most of them, everything happens too conveniently for me to believe that any stakes are all that high. In this book, the stakes felt high, I was nervous for the characters. I wanted to know how they'd achieve their goal and if the people negatively affected would come out safe.

Again, I really hope this has at least a second book. This book has a slightly open ending. There is a conclusion, but more of these characters could never be a bad thing.

What a phenomenal story this was! Penelope has done an amazing job crafting a set of characters and a world that felt utterly original while also acknowledging and honoring the historical people and events that it riffs off of so beautifully.

I found the writing style wholly engaging. The plot and pacing were perfect, moving along at just the right speed to keep me engaged from the opening salvo until the not-so-bitter end. But as wonderful as those elements were, it was the characters that really drove this story, and that made it impossible for me to put the book down. I found myself wishing with a mighty fervor for more adventures with Clara, the Enigmas, Zelda, and Israel Lee, and dearly hope that this will turn into a series!

Thanks to NetGaller for an eARC of this book.

This was such an interesting read! Although the pacing of the beginning of the book was a bit slow, I really enjoyed being introduced to the setting and the characters; this helped me to feel very invested in the characters once the action started picking up. I was immediately drawn into 1920s Washington DC, with the descriptions of mobsters, Black Broadway, folklore, and history. The characters really shine throughout this book (I especially loved Zelda and Aristotle) and I would love to see where their stories go in a follow-up book. It seems like there's an opening for spirits to cause some more trouble for Clara and the gang.... ;)

While I don’t read too many historicals any more, I have a definite thing for magical ones. And since I loved the author’s previous fantasy series, I was especially curious to see where she would go with this book. Well, my curiousity was well-rewarded. After all, it’s a magical heist novel!

Clara was born with the ability to see spirits which can sometimes be a pain, even when talking about her grandma Mama Octavia who alternately scolds and helps her. But that’s not the only power she had. In desperate circumstances, she made a deal with an Enigma, an otherworldly being who grants Charms – benefits like always being popular or making someone fall back in love with you – that always come with a Trick – like never having anyone like you for yourself or always being dissatisfied with life. Clara’s Trick is that she must help anyone who comes to her for help communicating with the otherworld, something she resents. When a woman asks for help with her son who’s suddenly become listless and unresponsive, Clara is initially inclined to brush it off after trying to help her. But when a young friend at her workplace becomes similarly Afflicted, it soon becomes clear that the Enigmas are involved, and they’ll go to any ends to control the source of the Affliction. But Clara and the Enigma she bargained with aren’t the only ones looking into the mystery, and with rival bootlegging gangs, a famous singer, and a devastatingly handsome jazz player involved, investigating the mystery will be difficult – and possibly fatal.

“Somebody has to try and stop this thing. And you’re not the type to sit around and watch folks suffer without speaking up.”
Clara paused, surprised. “I like to mind my business.”
The ghostly woman snorted. “You mind your business about as well as I cooked.”


Clara is hot-tempered and unafraid to speak her mind – or use her fists, if necessary. But underneath she still harbors a deep vulnerability around being alone and not being enough. It’s one thing to work all day as a typist for a man who’s committed to advancing the Black race, but most of those upper class folks look down on her for her origins and poverty. She’s relentlessly committed to being self-sufficient but also the sort of person who constantly helping other people, even while grumbling about it. I fell in love with her spiky orneriness immediately and got an inordinate amount of joy out of her exasperation and confusion over the group of people who seem insistent on helping her. She may be spearheading this heist, but she can’t do it without their help – or without trusting them.

“All right. But no one else thinks this is getting a little out of hand?”
“What’s wrong with getting out of hand?” Zelda asked, a disturbing gleam in her eye. “In hand is a mighty boring place to be.”


While it’s not a major part of the plot, there is a romantic subplot between Clara and Israel. While initially something about him rubbed me a bit wrong, the teasing way he calls Clara “lioness” and his subsequent actions – and backstory – won me over to his side. He’s not the only well-rounded sided character, though, considering Clara ends up with a team full of folks. Mama Octavia made me bust out laughing several times, and Aristotle and Jesse’s Tricks just about broke my heart. But Zelda! Zelda almost (almost!) surpassed Clara as my favorite character. Clara’s unwanted roommate (a common joke between them is for Clara to ask Zelda when exactly she’s moving out) is also her best and basically only friend, and she was even more of a firecracker than Clara. Raised in the circus because of her albinism, Zelda’s got more tricks up her sleeve than you can imagine and she’s always ready to help Clara out of whatever situation she’s gotten herself in to.

It’s immersive, woven through with African-American folklore, especially wonderful interludes telling various side characters’ backstories. So often those kind of abrupt switches jar me out of a story, but these made it so much richer. Clara’s story is loosely based on a true story, and the cameos from famous African Americans of the time – Langston Hughes absolutely killed me – were nice easter eggs. Between all of this, I was absolutely enthralled. The books that I couldn’t help comparing this to are Allie Therin’s Spellbound, which is also set in the 20s, and Nicole Glover’s The Conductors. The Conductors is much earlier in time, but Hetty also struggles with fitting in with the wealthier Black families around her, and the light emphasis on romance is also similar.

“[Y]ou got something more powerful than stagecraft and illusion. You got a gift, a group of folks willing to help you, and a task worth doing. More than I can say for most.”


Of course, after comparing this book to several of my favorite five star reads, it should be no surprise that I absolutely adored this book. I have no idea if this is a planned series, but I can’t wait to see whatever this author writes next!

I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.