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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
Three and a half, just because this isn't really my genre, but I'm glad I read it. It's well written and deserves the "literary horror" label. I wouldn't know how to go about clearly reviewing this book in terms of outlining plot points enough without over-sharing - so I will just say the novel starts off as a slightly creepy tale of growing up in the shadow of a nightmare; moves into Young Man Does Well, Falls in Love, Has Child, Falls in Love with Fatherhood; crashes into horror; meets feminist fantasy; pivots to modern-day scary tale about Internet trolls crossed with Norwegian folk tale horror about actual trolls - all dropped against a compelling landscape of present/past/future New York City, and interlaced with acid drops of overt and casual racism. I was charmed, confused, and horrified, and I'm sure that's exactly how I was supposed to feel. It rattles along at a good clip, and I wasn't always sure what was going on or why - but I think that may be part of the knife edge unease of the book - after all, who among us knows what's going on, or why? And how do we know the modern horrors we all face every day aren't ourselves? On the other hand, how do we know the modern horrors we face every day aren't anchored in Grimm's Fairy Tales?!
So, warnings for this for violence against children, and this tends more horror than fairy tale, but it's dark and well-written and will stay with you
Unexpected, deep, haunting, lyrical, mythical... I loved everything about this book.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The good thing about a Victor LaValle novel is that the story will be unique. And so, even though I don't always like his books, I always give them a chance. Because even in a story I don't end up loving, I usually enjoy the way his narratives tickle my brain (the lone exception so far being The Devil in Silver, which I absolutely hated). I read this in preparation for the upcoming TV adaptation and caught it on sale right after finishing Lone Women. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this nearly as much. The balance between reality and fantasy tipped too far into reality, and the supernatural element is really present only for the final climax. The rest is just a lot of atmosphere and a skeptical protagonist. I'd still say it's worth a read, even though it wasn't my favorite.
Spoiler
I was so disappointed when it turned out that Apollo's dreams were figments of an attempted kidnapping, rather than he or his father being some sort of changeling themselves- given that a literal troll has his child at the end of the book, that kind of connective tissue would have pulled the story together.
This one hit all of my buttons, realistic fiction mixed with magical realism (yes, I am pretty sure that was a redundancy) along with references to fairy tales and mythology. And then add in a lot of reference to a Maurice Sendak book. Along with all of that, add simple elegant writing and very surprising and disturbing events. Hooked!
This book hits you on so many levels. It makes you think about racial issues, parenthood, parenthood and technology, relationships, trust. The list can go on and on. The books I love are not for everyone, but if you know you like what I do, you should definitely read it! Maybe starting today so I can talk to you about it!
This book hits you on so many levels. It makes you think about racial issues, parenthood, parenthood and technology, relationships, trust. The list can go on and on. The books I love are not for everyone, but if you know you like what I do, you should definitely read it! Maybe starting today so I can talk to you about it!
I LOVED this book. But I don't want to give anything away. You're better off going in not knowing what to expect. Because much of it is about the unexpected! Sit back and read and you won't be able to put it down.
I like the story. The characters made some stupid choices, I think, throughout the book. I’m good with the (kinda abrupt and improbable) ending, BUT how are they going to untangle everything legally? You can’t just go to the authorities and say, “Everything’s fine now. We’re going to go about our lives, just clean the records up for us.”
I realize it’s a work of fiction, and the story is how the author wrote it. I just have questions.
I realize it’s a work of fiction, and the story is how the author wrote it. I just have questions.
You just never know what’s really out there... this book tells many stories and all are worth the read for the writing, the characters, and the interwoven horrors of the world...