Robert E. Howard's "Pigeons from Hell" begins as a classic ghost story, complete with haunted house, but one that is still genuinely creepy.
It's also uncomfortable in that it deals with slavery in the American south. As many critics of the latest book banning of To Kill A Mockingbird would tell you, that's okay. Not all literature should make you comfortable. It fact, much should challenge readers.
That said, while Howard thankfully calls out slavery for the evil that it is, his story is still racist overall. From what I can gather about Howard (the creator of Conan the Barbarian), he doesn't have any Haitian roots yet he stereotypes and appropriates their culture.
No comments:
Post a Comment