Mazywood turned out to be completely unexpected. The progression of the story with dual timelines, at first made no sense to me, but it was all worth it in the end.

I loved the historical aspects, a small glimpse into the unglamorous rise of Black cinema. Besides Scout, the characters are what stand out to me the most. We get to know Mazelle from a young girl to a woman working in Hollywood. The layers in her story are creative and totally understandable given the circumstances. Her legacy lives on in her grandson Johnny, his wife Tasha and two young daughters. I loved Imani, probably my most liked character in the whole book. Her survival instincts and smart demeanor were very likable. The undeniable connection to the unknown monster actually gave this book a cozy theme? I found Scout so endearing?? Was this on purpose?

A whole different vibe going in and coming out, I really enjoyed this overall. I applaud Tananarive Due’s creativity and storytelling. It’s innovative and engaging.

Thanks to Saga Press for the advance review copy.

Title: Mazywood
Author: Tananarive Due
Genre: Horror, Historical Fiction, Literary
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️