The summary of this book drew me in because I know (like most people) what a racist Lovecraft was. However, I have never heard of Matt Ruff prior to reading this book (unlike most people).

It took me longer than normal to read this book and I'm not sure why. Maybe because, though Ruff means to make a social commentary of racism (which he fell woefully short on), or maybe because I don't particularly enjoy when anyone white attempts to write about the injustices consistently and continually heaped upon Black people (or any people of color) because it tends to be oversimplified.

The stories were intriguing and throwing in the fantasy aspect was interesting, but one thing I definitely did NOT like -- AT ALL -- was the way he described Ruby turning back into her natural state of Black womanhood after taking a potion to become white. He made her seem sexualized and animalistic and not human as a Black woman. While I get that that may have been his point that this is how white society views Black women, I think that social commentary may be lost on some of his readers.

This book also read a little slowly for me because the point of view kept changing in a confusing way.

Overall, it's an okay book, I guess.