The Changeling by Victor LaValle is a modern fairytale that weaves together elements of horror, fantasy, and reality. The story follows Apollo Kagwa, a young African American man, as he navigates life, family, and new parenthood in contemporary New York City. The plot takes unexpected turns, transitioning from a character-driven piece to a crime drama, and ultimately delving into dark fairytale territory. LaValle's writing style is described as dark, scary, thrilling, heartfelt, and elegant, blending genres like fantasy, horror, and romance. The book explores themes of fatherhood, trauma, truth, memory, and the confrontation of evil, all set against the backdrop of a beautifully observed New York City.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings for The Changeling include graphic violence, mental illness (including postpartum depression and trauma), themes of child abduction, and societal commentary on racism.
Has Romance?
The Changeling features a medium level of romance, particularly in the relationship between Apollo and Emma, which is integral to the story's themes.
From The Publisher:
"[This] haunting tale weaves a mesmerizing web around fatherhood, racism, horrific anxieties and even To Kill a Mockingbird. And the backdrop for this rich phantasmagoria? The boroughs of New York."-The New York Times
Winner of an American Book Award, a Locus Award for Best Horror Novel, a British Fantasy Award for Best Horror Novel, a World Fantasy Award for Best Novel
Nominated for a Shirley Jackson Award, an International Dublin Literary Award, a Mythopoeic Award for Literature
When Apollo Kagwa's father disappeared, he left his son a box of books and strange recurring dreams. Now Apollo is a father himself-and as he and his wife, Emma, settle into their new lives as parents, exhaustion and anxiety start to take their toll. Apollo's old dreams return and Emma begins acting odd. At first Emma seems to be exhibiting signs of postpartum depression. But before Apollo can do anything to help, Emma commits a horrific act and vanishes. Thus begins Apollo's quest to find a wife and child who are nothing like he'd imagined. His odyssey takes him to a forgotten island, a graveyard full of secrets, a forest where immigrant legends still live, and finally back to a place he thought he had lost forever.
NAMED ONE OF PASTE'S BEST HORROR BOOKS OF THE DECADE
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The New York Times
USA Today
The New York Public Library
NPR
BuzzFeed
Kirkus Reviews
Book Riot
"The thriller you won't be able to put down."-O: The Oprah Magazine
"By turns enchanting, infuriating, horrifying, and heartbreaking, The Changeling is never less than completely engaging."-NPR
"Strange and wonderful."-The New York Times
"A dark fairy tale of New York, full of magic and loss, myth and mystery, love and madness. The Changeling is a mesmerizing, monumental work."-Marlon James, author of A Brief History of Seven Killings
"[A] bewitching masterpiece . . . Like a woke Brothers Grimm, his clever new spin on the ages-old changeling myth is a modern fairy tale for the Trump era, taking on fatherhood, parenting, marriage, immigration, race and terrifying loss."-USA Today
"Intense, riveting . . . The story is a long, slow burn with a lingering sizzle."-Los Angeles Review of Books
"A modern-day tale of terror rooted in ancient myth and folklore, brimming with magical revelation and emotional truth."-San Francisco Chronicle
Ratings (14)
Incredible (1) | |
Loved It (7) | |
Liked It (3) | |
It Was OK (2) | |
Hated It (1) |
Reader Stats (38):
Read It (16) | |
Want To Read (20) | |
Not Interested (2) |
What can you read after
The Changeling?
About the Author:
Victor LaValle is the author of six previous works of fiction: three novels, two novellas, and a collection of short stories. His novels have been included in best-of-the-year lists by The New York Times Book Review, Los Angeles Times, The…
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