Reviews with content warning for Death - The Ballad of Black Tom

Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle

29 reviews

ruthypoo2's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I understand this is a reimagining of the H.P. Lovecraft book, The Call of Cthulhu. I haven't read any Lovecraft books, but I suspect they are reflective of the time during which they were written and not as socially conscious as many modern readers would prefer. In The Ballad of Black Tom, author Victor LaValle has established a racially biased and unequal setting where the main character, Tom Tester, lives a life where he is subjugated to the white population, despite his significant intellect and social charms. Tom is a street hustler, but skillful knowing when he must humble himself to survive, such as when he's questioned by the white police for no good reason. Tom knows how to play the part while an anger of discontent wells up within him, brought to a boil when his gentle, elderly father is gunned down during a baseless home invasion perpetrated by the police.

The author tells a story that answers the question, how far would a man go to flip the order and come out on top of his oppressors. Could someone be beat down so badly and feeling such grief for the loss of their contentment that they would strike a bargain with the devil? This novella is rich in world building and creates a very palpable dynamic between the main characters. There are a lot of eerie scenarios described in the book and experienced by Tom, but always looking for the best opportunity, Tom keeps a clear head and weighs his odds to come up with the decision that's best for him.

This book blends historical fiction, horror, and fantasy, but it's never taken too far outside the natural world we know. That happens just enough to catch glimpses into the possibilities that entice Tom and others to gamble on leaving the life they know to pursue the glory that can be found in other dimensions. It's a clever story and I was thoroughly entertained. I listened to the audiobook and found the narration of Kevin R. Free to be mesmerizing and especially suited to this story.

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duckizza's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

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eficca33's review

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challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This book was a fairly short read but IMPACTFUL! It was sad and difficult to read at points (because of the sadness nothing) but necessary to read. This story is so nuanced in such a short amount of pages. Kudos to LaVelle. I will absolutely be looking forward to reading more of their work!

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tey_lynn's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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minayana's review against another edition

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challenging mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

A really fun and quick read. I haven’t read the Lovecraft book this is based on, so I can’t say how it compares. The author does a great job creating a creepy atmospheric setting with some really beautiful writing. I really enjoyed Tom as a main character. I don’t think this needed to be a full length novel, but I think it definitely would’ve benefited with maybe 30-40 more pages. It was a bit disappointing not being to see Tom evolve, as it was done off screen, but it also made it more mysterious so it just depends on what you prefer. I also would’ve liked the immigrant characters to have an actual role. They were mentioned quite often, but none of them even had a line. There are also no female characters in this book, other than a supernatural entity. The book touches on racism, classism and police brutality in a really effective way. Overall, it’s a great novella that you can finish in one sitting. I recently purchased Lone Women by this author, and I can’t wait to read it!

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stephanielee's review

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dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This was my second Victor LaValle novel. This book is dark and magic filled. Tommy is our main character and he takes care of his disabled father by doing the only work he can- running errands. He finds things and delivers them to the right people. One day, he is approached by a rich white man to come to his house and play his newly purchased guitar for his guests. Which sets Tommy on a course of fantastical and horror filled adventures and he must figure out how to deal with all of this.

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kochi's review

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challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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bi_n_large's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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bkwrm1317's review

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Another great read by LaValle.

Jazz Age NYC (Harlem, Queens, and Brooklyn esp) Black man in his early 20s just trying to get by without breaking his body gets roped into a job that changes everything, and everyone, around him. Sorcery, things that wait in the deep, and corrupt white cops will keep readers on edge in this cosmic horror novella.

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loyddl's review

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dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

4.5

A nice book with mostly short chapters, you’ll be able to get through this one pretty quick. It did take me a minute to get into but I did enjoy it, especially as the book picked up in the second half. My one gripe is that the book changes perspective’s half way through. It would have been so interesting to read from the main character’s point of view (Tommy) instead of a side character in the more tense moments. Or at least see Tommy’s thought process leading up to the climax. If the book was a little longer it could have delved further into Tommy’s character arch while splitting the perspectives. But as it is, the book is still an enjoyable read.

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