The first thing I noticed was the book was more subdued, less graphic than the series, and at first glance, you might think you're reading separate novellas that take place within the same universe. First up, Atticus Turner's return home and search for his missing father, followed by Letitia's purchase of a haunted house. All of the characters intermingle, as they're all family or friends of the family, and you wonder how Ruff is going to bring all these tales together, as they all seem to lead back to the Braithwhite family, the ones responsible for Atticus's father's disappearance.
Set against of the backdrop 1954 Chicago, the characters are not only faced with the supernatural, which up until their first encounter with the Braithwhite family, was something you'd tell your children about at night to scare them into behaving, but they also have to deal with the monster called racism, and you find yourself questioning who are the real monsters.
Ruff more or less throws all the characters at you in one fell swoop, but then takes his time providing you with their backstory, fleshing them out so they're real to the reader and causing the reader to become invested in the characters and what happens to them. He feeds you tidbits of information, not too much, but just enough to keep you hungry for more, and gradually builds the suspense that keeps you on the edge of your seat. He's like a fisherman jiggling the bait before you, getting you to strike, and setting the hook, then letting out the line, playing with you. letting your think you've escaped only to reel you back in.
The problem is, having seen the series (I was four episodes in before I picked up the book), I was going into it expecting more blood and gore, but Ruff wants you to feel the horror of the times without diluting it with unnecessary gore. This is the only thing that makes me wish I'd read the book first, as I couldn't help feeling disappointed coming out out it. That's not to say it's not a good read, because it is, and I highly recommend it, but when certain expectations aren't met, disappointment is bound to follow. So if you're going to read Lovecraft Country, don't go in expecting the graphic nature present in the series.
