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A review by couldbestephen
The Changeling by Victor LaValle
5.0
This modern fairy horror novel explores fatherhood, blackness, racism, and more. I rated this book 5/5 stars and would definitely recommend.
Apollo is a rare book collector living in New York. When he and his wife, Emma, have their son, life feels perfect. Then Emma commits a horrific crime and runs away, leaving Apollo wounded and confused. As he hunts his wife down, he finds out the world isn't as straightforward as he thought it was.
I personally can't think of any criticism big enough that would make me remove any stars. LaValle's writing style is sharp and engaging; the prose perfectly moves the fantasy realism aspect of the story along, keeping things grounded while also showcasing magic. Apollo is a complicated character, in no a way perfect man, but through his failures we explore where race, masculinity, and fatherhood intersect. The fantasy elements were elusive and strange, exactly what I love in a fantasy realist work.
I read through some other reviews, I get the criticisms. So little is actually, properly explained, there are "plot holes" LaValle clearly never intended to address, and the ending is just an insane explosion of action. But I love the ambiguity! Magic kinda exists but it's not definable! Fairy tales help defeat Trolls! Trolls are cave dwellers and creeps on the computer! As a major fan of Vita Nostra by the Dyachenkos, I'm rarely bothered by books that have an incredibly soft magic system as long as the story still holds up around it.
This was fantastic and I'm looking forward to reading more of LaValle's works.
Apollo is a rare book collector living in New York. When he and his wife, Emma, have their son, life feels perfect. Then Emma commits a horrific crime and runs away, leaving Apollo wounded and confused. As he hunts his wife down, he finds out the world isn't as straightforward as he thought it was.
I personally can't think of any criticism big enough that would make me remove any stars. LaValle's writing style is sharp and engaging; the prose perfectly moves the fantasy realism aspect of the story along, keeping things grounded while also showcasing magic. Apollo is a complicated character, in no a way perfect man, but through his failures we explore where race, masculinity, and fatherhood intersect. The fantasy elements were elusive and strange, exactly what I love in a fantasy realist work.
I read through some other reviews, I get the criticisms. So little is actually, properly explained, there are "plot holes" LaValle clearly never intended to address, and the ending is just an insane explosion of action. But I love the ambiguity! Magic kinda exists but it's not definable! Fairy tales help defeat Trolls! Trolls are cave dwellers and creeps on the computer! As a major fan of Vita Nostra by the Dyachenkos, I'm rarely bothered by books that have an incredibly soft magic system as long as the story still holds up around it.
This was fantastic and I'm looking forward to reading more of LaValle's works.