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eficca33's review
- 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
Graphic: Racism, Body horror, and Murder
Moderate: Racial slurs, Gun violence, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Classism, Racism, Police brutality, Violence, Gaslighting, and Torture
minayana's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Gun violence, Racism, Police brutality, Body horror, Death, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Classism
kwims's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Gore, Racial slurs, and Body horror
finchthearcher's review
- 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? It's complicated
3.25
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Death of parent, Gore, Racism, Gun violence, and Violence
laurareads87's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Classism, and Police brutality
Moderate: Body horror and Blood
librariabillie's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Racism, and Torture
Moderate: Death of parent, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Racial slurs
emzhay's review
- 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? N/A
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, and Gun violence
Moderate: Death of parent, Torture, and Xenophobia
keen's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Racism, Body horror, and Police brutality
Moderate: Death of parent
eldritch_flower's review
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
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The Ballad of Black Tom is a 2016 fantasy-horror novella by Victor LaValle, revisiting H. P. Lovecraft's story "The Horror at Red Hook" from the viewpoint of a Black man.
In 1924 Harlem, Tommy Tester is a small-time hustler whose regular guise as a street musician brings him in contact with reclusive millionaire Robert Suydam, who wants him to participate in a nefarious scheme involving the Great Old Ones. Among the tools that Tester uses to thwart the scheme is the Supreme Mathematics of the Five-Percent Nation.
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Content Warnings: Racism, Police Violence, Death, and of course Cosmic Horror
"The Ballad of Black Tom" won the 2016 Shirley Jackson Award for best novella, and was a finalist for the 2016 Bram Stoker Award for Best Long Fiction, the 2016 Nebula Award for Best Novella, the 2017 British Fantasy Award for best novella, the 2017 Theodore Sturgeon Award, the 2017 Hugo Award for Best Novella, and the 2017 World Fantasy Award—Long Fiction.
Slate called it "riveting", "clever", and "compelling", and noted LaValle's comparison of "cosmic indifference" to targeted racist malice and brutality. Vice described it as "tightly written, beautifully creepy, and politically resonant", and emphasized that despite its nature as a literary "rebuttal", it is still "a thrilling Lovecraftian tale of mystery, monsters, and madness".
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This was a really great read. I really enjoyed the story and the narrator was excellent. Everything about this story was incredible. Incredibly written, incredibly thoughtful, and incredibly horrific. I love Lovecraftian horror, and this book really hit the spot. I highly recommend it. I can't say too much about the book without spoilers, but it was an excellent read
Graphic: Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Body horror, and Gore
violetfox's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.25
Moderate: Body horror