The Changeling: A Novel Hardcover – June 13, 2017

One of the things I most love about Victor LaValle’s work – and there’s a lot there to love – is the way he so ably mixes complex, relevant themes with original, strange tales on genre fiction, allowing the two to play off of each other. From the racial explorations and secret societies to Big Machine to the class and mental explorations of The Devil in Silver, LaValle grapples with difficult, important questions, all while crafting narratives that subvert your expectations and embrace their genre roots wholeheartedly. LaValle’s most recent – and most celebrated – work, The Ballad of Black Tom, did both of these things, telling a Lovecraftian horror story that also served as a critique of Lovecraft’s toxic racism.All of which to say, it’s not a surprise that The Changeling has more on its mind than simply a crackling good genre tale, though it’s undeniably that. Nor is it surprising that the novel speaks to concerns of race, of ethnicity, of class, and even of toxic masculinity. What is surprising, though – and part of what makes The Changeling so excellent – is that LaValle’s focus is on something as intimate, heartfelt, and earnest as fatherhood. Yes, LaValle is still fascinated by bigger social issues – there’s a huge way in which the book is about fatherhood in the face of gender expectations of our modern world – but at its core, this is about something universal and fundamentally human.It’s also, of course, a fantastic piece of genre fiction, one that starts simply enough – with the meeting of a boy and a girl – before slowly turning into something far darker and stranger. It’s the story of a rare book dealer named Apollo, his librarian wife, Emma, and their first child. It’s a wondrous moment in any parents’ life, but as Apollo basks and glows with pride, Emma starts to feel less and less comfortable and more frightened – and then things take a horrific, nightmarish turn.What follows is a strange, unsettling journey into something that lays beneath the polished veneer of modern parenthood – into fears and anxieties, into toxic relationships and vicious misogyny, and even into old legends and fairy tales. And if you know the significance of the title, some of it won’t be a surprise, but much still will…but what ultimately results is almost a dark, primal fairy tale, one in which archetypes battle and morals are unclear, where lessons are taught and the cruelty of the world is laid bare. That it somehow manages to be a fairy tale and simultaneously an intensely contemporary story is only further testament to LaValle’s skill and ability to mix genre.Just as he did in Big Machine and The Ballad of Black Tom, LaValle effortlessly swings between grounded, realistic fiction and strange, inexplicable horror, horror that’s all the more effective for how abrupt his shifts are. Because, yes, The Changeling is a fairy tale about parenting, but it’s also a horror story, both about the evil that humans do and about something darker and more primal – and it’s quite possible that the human evil is far, far worse, especially as LaValle carefully positions it into our modern world (when one vile character starts spouting off about “beta males” and “cucks” late in the book, it feels horribly inevitable).But what makes The Changeling work is that more than any of those things, it’s the story of a man who loves his son and would do anything for his family. And that lets the book hold up all of the social commentary, all of the thoughtful points, all of the allegories, because more than any of that, it works as a story of a man driven by love – a character we care about, and whose trials and challenges resonate with anyone who’s ever feared for their child.

Having grown up on Disney movies and fairytales, I was intrigued when I discovered there was such a subgenre as dark fairytales. With that being said, this book was what I expected, and at the same time, it wasn't. If you know what a changeling is, you'll know generally what this book is about.I loved the tale of fatherhood. Being from NYC myself, and having lived here for over 20 years, and having worked in almost every borough, I also loved LaValle's depiction of NYC. It made me feel like I didn't know my own city, and there are some places mentioned that I never knew of, such as North Brother Island.The first half of the book, based in reality, was extremely well done, and the characters drew me in, wanting to get to know them more. The second half started to get a little strange (this coming from a lover and writer of fantasy) and the fantasy half of the novel seemed to move very quickly.While it has trolls and witches, family secrets, and an element of fantasy, it also has a very relevant message, a cautionary tale against oversharing on social media (we all know someone who does that), and speaking of the ease in which someone can get into your most personal spaces and aspects of your life via the internet. I did wish for a little more time spent on the witches and trolls, as they seemed like they had some interesting lore behind them.Four stars because there were several slow parts that I had to force myself to get through, and lots of long, descriptive scenes. Was also a little confused about the relationship of the MMC to his best friend...at times, they didn't seem like friends at all.Written in third person and while there is no graphic sex, there are a lot of F-bombs thrown around, and there's a decent amount of violence. Overall, well written and well told, and I'll be looking for LaValle's other works.

Very well written, very rarely enjoy fiction novels, but I'm addicted to Victor LaVelle's work now.

LaValle creates a modern-day fairy tale that blends folklore and contemporary horror in perfect balance. HIs finest and most ambitious work yet, so it’s an easy recommendation.

Has an another take on magic in the world. The courage of the mothers to protect their children against everything.

Ich fand den Roman eher enttäuschend... Der Twist in der Story war für mich nicht ganz nachvollziehbar und auch die Entwicklung bis zum Ende empfand ich als einigermaßen platt. Wie leider so oft bei phantastischen Romanen hat auch hier der Anfang mehr versprochen als das Ende zu halten vermochte.

My favourite read of this year so far. The genre is best described as magical realism. It’s set in New York and the central character is a young man with a Ghanaian mother and a white, ex-cop, father. He’s a book man and spends his time searching for rare books. On the day of his greatest find his wife attacks him and kills their son, or so it seems. But the book is far more complex than that. The title might give you some clues.It’s about masculinity and the changing nature of fatherhood; it’s about motherhood, childbirth, love, paranoia, cyber-stalking, immigration, witches, wishes, revenge and trolls (both kinds). It is also beautifully written.Tradition and high tech mesh seamlessly in the story. It takes mere steps to bridge the mundane and the magical. I’ve read one other writer who manages to do this with equal elegance – Haruki Murakami.It is a deeply human tale about what can go wrong psychologically and emotionally when a couple has a baby. I cannot recommend enough that you get hold of this book now and consume it.