So I’ve put off writing this review in hopes of being able to better convey my opinion of this book. Alas! It seems I will continue to have mixed feelings about it. I apologize in advance if this review is muddied and unclear.

The story was…different. I find myself conflicted with different emotions. There were some events that occurred in the middle of the story that had me completely turned off for a little bit. I wont spoil it for those who might be interested in reading this book, but I will warn that it is not for the faint of heart; it is a fairy tale of Grimm Brothers caliber. There are some horror elements and a cautionary tail to be heard for the modern day parent..

From the title alone you should be able to extrapolate that the story is folklore based. This turned out to be an interesting element to the story as it is set in modern day New York City. Though, for me, I think this may have been the root of the discord; magical folklore story too close to “the real world”…does that make sense? Had it been set in a location and time completely different I think I wouldn’t have had as much an issue with determining my opinion of the story.

I didn’t realize it while I was reading it, but upon reflection, I was subconsciously debating on DNFing the book after the halfway mark. Now, that’s not to say it wasn’t good or enjoyable in it’s own right…It was just different. A kind of different I might not have been wholly prepared for when I first started the book. I am glad that I finished the book though; the ending and the story telling redeemed the faults that came before.

The plot was good and reasonably thought out, in my humble opinion. *shrug* I liked all the trails of the story that were explored and woven together. This is ultimately what probably saved my opinion on this book. It’s got multiple layers from both past, present, reality, and fairy tale which make for in interesting tale. The writing was decent; it didn’t blow me away but it wasn’t hard to read through it. The main character was decently developed (there’s room for improvement though) but I feel like the secondary characters were less defined which resulted in a lack of attachment to them on my part.

Full review: https://wanderinglectiophile.wordpress.com/2018/02/07/review-the-changeling-by-v... ( )

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. ( )

This is one of only a few books that I had originally given a lower rating of 4 stars but then after sitting with it for a while decided it was actually a 5 star read for me. I think about this book often since reading it and the scenes still sit vividly in my head. The writing was just excellent. ( )

One of my favorite type of horror books. There's just something off and unsettling, but you can't quite say what it is. I liked that it was unclear for most of the book whether there was something supernatural going on or if certain characters were just crazy. Excellently written and I loved travelling all over NYC with Apollo. ( )

4.5*

I always say that I'm no fan of magical realism; that I like my realist fiction to be realist, my magic definitely, clearly supernatural. But perhaps it's the term "magical realism" which I don't really care for, not the genre itself, and I'd be openminded enough to enjoy it if branded as "fantasy" or "horror" fiction.

Take Victor LaValle's "The Changeling". It starts off as an ultra-realist depiction of a young, black family in New York. The relationship between book-dealer Apollo Kagwa and librarian Emma Valentine is tenderly depicted, from their tentative courtship, to their marriage, to the birth of their son Brian, named after Apollo's estranged father. We sense Apollo's enthusiasm at being a new dad and LaValle's observations about "New Dads", 21st Century fathers sharing family duties with their wives, are wry but spot-on. Can realist fiction get more real than this?

Unexpectedly, the novel changes gears. The blurb speaks of an "unspeakable act of violence", which I will not reveal so as not to spoil its gut-wrenching effect. Even such a horrific crime, however, remains, unfortunately, within the realm of the possible, as watching the 8'o clock news will reveal. It is the justification of the act which propels us into the mythical. What follows is a Gaiman-esque, mind-bending journey into an alternative and unlikely New York, peopled by characters, creatures and plot-tropes which would not have been out of place in a Scandinavian epic. And there is, indeed, the feel of a medieval Northern saga in Apollo Kagwa's journey into the heart of the tragedy which has struck his family.

Surprisingly, the more fantastic the story becomes, the more it becomes rooted in the present. The realities of contemporary urban living, including our fixation on social media, not only feature in the novel, but are an intrinsic aspect of the plot.

The Changeling had me hooked and, like an olden-day bard, LaValle keeps us hanging onto his words. What this novel certainly shows is that myths are just a different way of portraying the world, a magical depiction of the everyday. Isn't that what magical realism is all about?

https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/2019/11/The-Changeling-by-Victor-LaValle.html ( )