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katepowellshine's review
4.0
Compelling. I could not put this book down, even when I think I truly wanted to.
Now and then I got annoyed at what felt preachy or heavy-handed, only to realize the book itself is about the dangers of blindly following. I think. I'm actually not sure. After so many twists, so many characters who aren't what they seem, in the end, the reader IS finally given something to trust and believe in. Maybe.
I also give extra credit for featuring such an insecure narrator. I can relate.
Now and then I got annoyed at what felt preachy or heavy-handed, only to realize the book itself is about the dangers of blindly following. I think. I'm actually not sure. After so many twists, so many characters who aren't what they seem, in the end, the reader IS finally given something to trust and believe in. Maybe.
I also give extra credit for featuring such an insecure narrator. I can relate.
snoopyguy's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
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
3.0
tea_ditto's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
4.5
In the category of literary fiction (horror)
mattnixon's review
4.0
When evil is confronted by evil, does it see beauty? If you see evil for what it is, but allow it to do its evil thing to meets your ends, is that better of worse than not understanding the difference at all? Is doubt a more essential component of faith than belief?
Big Machine is an exploration of race, class, and faith in America dressed up as the strangest genre mash-up I can remember: Ralph Ellison and Gabriel Garcia Marquez team up for a supernatural thriller? Is it a comedy, a horror, or a religious parable? Yes. It is all of these things, as well as a damn fine character study.
Through Rickey Rice, a 40-year old, recovering heroin-addict janitor, LaValle provides a complex, fully-fleshed man to takes us on a surpemely weird (though unevenly paced, at times) ride.
I'll stop here, as I I'm not capable of doing the book justice. It's such a strange, funny, insightful and seemingly trivial piece of genre fiction, one whose big questions are often posed in situations incongruent with the questions. Like ninjas, the more probing questions in the subtext clung beneath the text, silently slipping into my brain and spring violently into action later.
Witty, fun and unlike anything I've read before, I recommend Big Machine and look forward to reading LaValle's next work.
Big Machine is an exploration of race, class, and faith in America dressed up as the strangest genre mash-up I can remember: Ralph Ellison and Gabriel Garcia Marquez team up for a supernatural thriller? Is it a comedy, a horror, or a religious parable? Yes. It is all of these things, as well as a damn fine character study.
Through Rickey Rice, a 40-year old, recovering heroin-addict janitor, LaValle provides a complex, fully-fleshed man to takes us on a surpemely weird (though unevenly paced, at times) ride.
I'll stop here, as I I'm not capable of doing the book justice. It's such a strange, funny, insightful and seemingly trivial piece of genre fiction, one whose big questions are often posed in situations incongruent with the questions. Like ninjas, the more probing questions in the subtext clung beneath the text, silently slipping into my brain and spring violently into action later.
Witty, fun and unlike anything I've read before, I recommend Big Machine and look forward to reading LaValle's next work.
excelsior's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
tense
slow-paced
4.0
joshhansonhorror's review against another edition
3.0
Not my favorite of LeValle’s books, but absolutely brimming with ideas. Maybe too many?
The main setup is pure gold: black ex cons gathered together to basically LARP Call of Cthulhu for a secret society in Vermont. They even dress in 1920s outfits, just for scuzz.
There are about six other plot lines snaking through there, though, including a child-murdering religious cult, a blind slave who talked to angels, a hobo army, and swamp angels.
Ricky’s voice is strong, and the book is never not entertaining. But it’s also a bit of a baggy monster.
The main setup is pure gold: black ex cons gathered together to basically LARP Call of Cthulhu for a secret society in Vermont. They even dress in 1920s outfits, just for scuzz.
There are about six other plot lines snaking through there, though, including a child-murdering religious cult, a blind slave who talked to angels, a hobo army, and swamp angels.
Ricky’s voice is strong, and the book is never not entertaining. But it’s also a bit of a baggy monster.
mfcotter's review against another edition
4.0
I am surprised and thrilled to discover a truly unusual and fearless author. This is so not my genre and I picked this up on a whim. Lucky me. I can barely wait to finish so I can dig through the rest of his work. Bravo, sir.
caracabe's review
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? It's complicated
3.5
Not LaValle’s best book, but quite enjoyable.
plantsmister's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Murder, Abortion, Addiction, Suicide, and Child death
Moderate: Racism and Torture
Contains graphic depictions of cults, and related mass-murder and mass-suicide.