A review by deterra
Big Machine by Victor LaValle

adventurous emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I usually don't like first person (and the other two LaValle books I've read  were written in third person) so I was slightly put off by its use at the beginning. However, I got over myself quickly to find a dreamlike, fairy-tale-esque story absolutely roiling with life and fantasy and a touch of horror that I've come to expect from LaValle. I thought the premise was totally goddamn nuts and that was a bit hard to wrap my head around, because I felt that it was just a TAD too far removed from reality. It never quite grounded itself solidly in any kind of sense, but I grew to like that by the end. 
The ending was one of my absolute favorite parts of the entire novel, alongside the flashbacks to the cult the narrator grew up in. These are the moments in which LaValle really shines. I liked this book.