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

Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle

38 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.

Content Warnings

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

Content Warnings

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!

Content Warnings