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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
So, holy frikken cow. There is so much I could say about this book. My biggest comments for those thinking about picking this up are about the pacing of the fantasy. For the first fourth of the book it reads just like a contemporary intergenerational family story with no fantasy, but the atmosphere is mildly creepy. I didn’t hate this because Victor LaValle could tell me about mundane tasks like making toast or taking the train and about the journey to and of parenthood all day long. Just wow, what a writer. So if you’re thinking of DNFing for that reason but aren’t hating the writing I’d say don’t give up. THEN, at the quarter mark something freakin’ happens and holy holy cow. Then, at the half way mark it really gets into the fantasy elements. If you’re someone who pays attention to trigger warnings, particularly regarding children, specifically >!violent loss of a child!< you will want to evaluate if you want to read this book or not. I think this book has a lot of powerful themes, but this is already too long to comment more, just check it out. Overall, I thought this was fantastic and there is more LaValle in my future for sure. Excellent as an audiobook.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Ok, I don't get the hype around this book. One of my biggest pet peeves, when I start reading a book that's marketed as horror/fantasy, is when it takes me 200+ pages until I actually reach anything resembling horror/fantasy. The concept of the book pulled me in, but I'm sorry to say that I wasn't impressed. More often than not, I was confused, and just when it seemed like the book was going in a cool, magical realism/dystopian type of direction, BOOM, . In short, the book I read didn't match the description on the inside cover. The themes of grief, increasing dependence on technology, and what is reality are all really compelling to me, but IMO, this book didn't do a great job of making them interesting.
Spoiler
no, we're actually going to be encountering a Norweigan forest troll in Queens instead
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
suspenseful
Such interesting perspective, keeps you guessing.
I was genuinely worried for most of it. Literally writing this at midnight because I had to know how it ended.
Such interesting perspective, keeps you guessing.
I was genuinely worried for most of it. Literally writing this at midnight because I had to know how it ended.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
As a work of urban fantasy/horror, this book really shines. The worldbuilding is unique, the plot holds a consistent level of suspense, and I found it easy to stay invested in the characters. LaValle makes good use of the classic hero's journey arc to structure his story, which feels like an appropriate complement to the novel's fairytale motif. If you don't mind genre bending/blending, contemporary references, or a few loose ends, "The Changeling" is a gripping and rewarding read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Confinement, Fatphobia, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Police brutality, Death of parent, Alcohol
It took me many years to finish listening to this audiobook. I love the author’s reading voice - it’s super soothing. I love how he describes fatherhood. I didn’t know anything about the book before starting, and though the title could have alerted me to it, I was shocked by a big tone change/plot point that caused me to stop listening for a long time. But when I returned, no longer disappointed by my surprise, I enjoyed it a lot. The writing is beautiful. The story is weird and creepy and beautiful by turns.
My wife picked this book out for me on a recent bookshop date and I was not disappointed. Normally I’m not one for mystery-esque , adventure, or horror (light horror, in this case), but this books was steeped in fantasy and lore and had me page-turning on the edge of my seat. It’s slow-medium paced at the beginning but once you get really into the thick of it, you’re in deep. The Changeling isn’t totally centered on lore, but has enough magical/lore-friendly elements that it should appease those interested in such. Centered in part on family dynamics, parenthood, and trust/betrayal, this book is tense, particularly towards the middle and end, but is always inviting and captivating. Absolutely recommend!
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
challenging
dark
medium-paced