THE CHANGELING is an interesting and introspective, speculative novel from an author who is quickly finding a place on my must-read shelf/list. (I'd highly recommend his novella THE BALLAD OF BLACK TOM, too.)

Our protagonist is Apollo Kagwa, an antique book dealer. He's living a satisfying (if unexciting life) with his wife and new son, but after she commits a terrible act and disappears, Apollo sets out on a journey to find his family once again, to get to the bottom of the strange dreams and mystery he's experiencing.

The novel is a bit stranger than I normally like, but LaValle's characters and prose are excellent, and pulled me through the story. If you're looking for something different, a little weird, and quite original, then I'd recommend THE CHANGELING.

Interesting dark modern fairy tale (or, more accurately, a retelling). It wasn't my cup of tea but I'm sure others will enjoy it for its cleverness.

This book screams New York City and fairy tales. This World Fantasy 2018 award-winner follows the story of Apollo Kagwa, whose father mysteriously disappeared on him and who wife vanishes following an accident involving their child and mysterious photos. Danger ensues and it's up to him to solve the mystery and maybe get his family back.

I loved the presentation of Apollo and his wife. Their relationship isn't rainbows and flowers, but it also does not devolve into hate the way one might expect to in horror or even in real life. The way LaValle chose to have them be so complicated in their love for each other, their relationship, and their was so grounded, so realistic. The book follows Apollo's POV on his battle to get his family back and I'm wondering what the book would have sounded like through Emma's as well. The realism of her post-partum depression really spoke to me as well, because it felt so real outside of the context of supernatural goings-on.

The descriptions in this book are also absolutely lovely, even though they're describing awful things. My personal favorite was describing one of the beasts as a knot of hair taken out of the drain (paraphrased, I had to return the book to the library). Plus, New York City itself also feels like a character, awakening in me a strange kind of homesickness. The place isn't entirely safe, but there is so much reason for people to go and stay there.

Haunting and magical, definitely a must-read for those who want an urban fantasy with a classic fairy tale twist.

This is what you get when you tell a real fairy tale, with all of the associated horror, wonder and magic and it is, quite simply, stunning. The novel tells the story of Apollo Kagwa and his wife, Emma as they meet, fall in love, get married and have a child. Then, things go horribly wrong and Apollo has to search for meaning in the depths of sorrow, while he is exposed to a world he never knew existed. The first third of the book is fairly standard fare in terms of family dynamics told in compelling prose. The turning point of the book hits you with a blast and from that point on, the book becomes a surreal exploration of what it means to be a parent in the modern world with modern sensibilities, facing ancient fears. There are strong feminist elements to the narrative, which forces the reader to confront the way in which society treats women once they become wives and mothers. Similarly, there are interesting comments on what it means to be black in a white neighbourhood. All of this is wonderfully wrapped up in what is, at heart, a modern fairy tale. This book leaves you with the belief that monsters are indeed real and has such a sinister mood that lingers long after you put the book down. There are some truly horrific scenes in the book and it is definitely not an easy read, but it is a staggeringly satisfying one that I would recommend to anyone with a love of fantasy, or anyone who can remember how cool it was to be scared when you were a kid.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

“So concerned about being the perfect father, you don’t even notice your child has been snatched away! Replaced in the night by the offspring of a troll, a changeling whose beauty is only a projection of your own vanity.”

Apollo Kagwa is happy with his life: he is a book dealer for his business called Improbabilia, he loves his wife Emma, and he is determined to be a better father to his own son than the father that abandoned him as a child. However, when baby Brian is six months old, Emma becomes convinced that “it’s not a baby,” and commits an act so atrocious that it is difficult for Apollo to recover. When approached by a mysterious stranger who can tell Apollo where to find Emma, he begins a journey to find her and his baby boy.

The beginning was a little slow as we are introduced to the characters. However, even though it seems like it should have been mundane – chronicling the everyday life of caring for a baby – it wasn’t entirely. Instead, the author’s descriptions draw you into this atmosphere of domesticity so you feel cared for and protected and, like Apollo, happy. That is, at least, until Apollo’s world is shattered and he must journey to put the pieces of his fragmented life back together again.

After it started to pick up, The Changeling was actually kind of creepy – definitely wouldn’t recommend if you get easily squeamish. At its core, it’s a story about family and what you’re willing to do to protect them, but it goes so much deeper. It’s about the lies that we convince ourselves are true, even if they really aren’t – the lies we tell ourselves are told to protect the ones we love. In this sense, everyone is a changeling: shrouding ourselves and our actions in a glamour so we can believe that we are better people than we actually are.

"The world was full of glamour, especially when it obscures the suffering of the weak."

Sprinkled with fairy tales and magic, the story in The Changeling so intricately wove together what was “real” and what was “magic” so that even the fantastic seemed authentic.

"What lengths will people stretch to believe they’re still good?"

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group (Random House) for a copy of this eBook in exchange for an honest review.

Review: THE CHANGELING by Victor LaValle

Occasionally one happens upon a book which draws one through the valley of the shadow of death, or in some cases, through hell. Such is the case for me, for example, when I read about Reconstruction and the Jim Crow Era, or accounts of the Holocaust. I wasn't expecting this to be the case when I commenced THE CHANGELING. I was fresh from my one-sitting reading of Victor LaValle's extraordinary rendering of magical realism and Lovecraftian delight, BALLAD OF BLACK TOM. I remained over-the-moon from it, and then THE CHANGELING (published 2017) wrung me inside out, plunged me into the depths of emotional agony {I'd become too jaded, and no story had affected me like this in an extraordinarily long time.} THE CHANGELING made me crawl through the depths, all the time crying "Why? Why? Why?" which is certainly never an efficient response to tragedy, which just is. What carried me through my emotional grieving was the outstanding quality of Mr. LaValle's writing, and the incredible nuances of the story he tells. Victor LaValle is a champion writer, and I shall continue to seek out anything he ever writes.

Wow. This guy is good. Real good. A true storyteller.
If you aren’t reading Victor LaValle, then I suggest that you remedy that. Like right now.
You will thank me later.

It's difficult to review this book, because the action that propels the 'horror' in this novel occurs well into the plot. But you know changeling folklore, right? If you don't, essentially, goblins steal a newborn child and leave a look-alike in the baby's place. The parents then have to trick the baby-goblin into revealing itself.

It's a dark fairy tale. You can't help but wonder how many infants were forced to undergo the changeling tests when this tale was told orally. Maybe they had colic. Maybe jaundice. Maybe a disability.

Apollo knows this folklore from a book his absent father gave him before he disappeared, [book:Outside Over There|120711] by [author:Maurice Sendak|4489]. This is my favorite Maurice Sendak children's book, and I highly recommend reading it. The illustrations are weird and lovely.

Apollo lives in New York City, and works as a book dealer. Since I'm a book buyer at a used bookstore where tons of book dealers show up daily, I enjoyed reading about a world I was already semi-familiar with. He falls in love with Emma at a library. She's a librarian. Lots of bookish references to enjoy.

While marketed as a horror novel, it's a light one. The tone is easy, Apollo funny and relatable, and while there's a supernatural creature and bloody scenes, I never felt scared. Or alarmed. However, if you have issues with violence against children, you may want to skip this one. It's kind of weird that I did not have any issues with that. I start my second trimester today, with my first baby. It was kind of amusing to read <spoiler> about a mother killing her newborn child while I myself am pregnant! And it not bother me in the least! </spoiler>

Oddly, I enjoyed reading the first half of this more than the second, even though the main action doesn't start until well into the novel. I enjoyed Apollo's voice and reading about his life and his relationship with Emma, and his experience being a 'new father,' or dads who actually spend time with their kids. Maybe I enjoyed reading the first half since those are things I'm looking forward to experiencing!

I recommend this to anyone who likes folklore mixed into modern settings, and who doesn't mind a little bit of horror. Again, it's not scary horror.

Thanks to NetGalley and Spiegel & Grau for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Appeared on Goodreads 06/08/2017]
[Appeared on Book Riot 06/08/2017]
[Posted on Amazon 06/13]
[Posted on my personal blog 07/11/2017]
[Featured again on Book Riot 08/21/2017]

As Stefon from SNL would say, this book has everything. A stalled subway, a midwife, computer crimes, witches, a Viking, a troll...

The Changeling is a dark, grown up fairy tale....in the way that fairy tales are supposed to be told. The blood and guts are there, the animated animals are not. We follow Apollo from before he was born to modern day New York. He obsesses over his child in that modern new dad way and the obsesses more after a horrible tragedy.

This books moves fast and creates vivid and sometimes very violent scenes of a father trying to save his life as well as his family.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and Victor LaValle for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for this review.

Interesting but not the most fluid or tightest that I've read lately, worth a look but not highest on our list.

I'm 25% in, and feel like I'm just reading my everyday life at this point. I enjoy LaValle's voice and writing style, I am just having trouble wanting to continue at this point. There's love, relationships, and a bit of mystery regarding Apollo's dad and a disturbing recurring dream, but I'm getting a little bored with their lives. No real action yet and I'm finding it hard to pick back up. Not for me, sorry!

Apollo Kagwa has had strange dreams that have haunted him since childhood. An antiquarian book dealer with a business called Improbabilia, he is just beginning to settle into his new life as a committed and involved father, unlike his own father who abandoned him, when his wife Emma begins acting strange. Disconnected and uninterested in their new baby boy, Emma at first seems to be exhibiting all the signs of post-partum depression, but it quickly becomes clear that her troubles go far beyond that. Before Apollo can do anything to help, Emma commits a horrific act—beyond any parent’s comprehension—and vanishes, seemingly into thin air.

Thus begins Apollo’s odyssey through a world he only thought he understood to find a wife and child who are nothing like he’d imagined. His quest begins when he meets a mysterious stranger who claims to have information about Emma’s whereabouts. Apollo then begins a journey that takes him to a forgotten island in the East River of New York City, a graveyard full of secrets, a forest in Queens where immigrant legends still live, and finally back to a place he thought he had lost forever. This dizzying tale is ultimately a story about family and the unfathomable secrets of the people we love. - Goodreads

This book was really different for me. I normally, for one, do not read adult fantasy. For whatever reason they do no appeal to me as much as YA fantasy does. But I am trying to change that and my first book for that goal is The Changeling. I was not disappointed.

Let's start with the pros. The story is about a black family in modern New York City. For me it not only making it relate-able by because of location but because racially and culturally I can identify with the characters. (Diversity for the win!). But also beyond that, I really really loved the fact the author decided to write this from parents point of view and not a brother or a sister. This added a completely different emotion and truth to the book even if you are not a parent.

Also the way the author was able to wrap Apollo's world as well as New York City with the mythology was smooth and seamless. There was an art and care as well as a appreciation for a world that was already existed. That is not something your find all the time in books.

Despite these points, I did have an issue with the book. It was long. It was so long and drawn out that I had to put the book down breathe and then dive back in. I appreciate the author building up to the point but the build up was like climbing a tall snowy mountain the first time. It was a bit rough.

In regards to characters, everyone played their role and fit together well. I wanted Apollo to be more supportive of his wife in the beginning because of his out-worldly experience. But at the time, I was a bit disappointed in him because although he was a book collector/seller business man it felt like he didn't actually read. Its slightly hard to explain but reader to reader you can tell. 

Overall, I enjoyed this read would have liked it to have not been as stretched but I enjoyed it. 



3 Pickles.

I read the first 30% of this and was completely engrossed but then it seemed to jump the shark and I quickly lost interest. The extreme actions just came out of nowhere and seemed inconsistent with the characters.

This novel starts off incredibly well. The excitement and mystery quickly drew me in. Apollo, a man tormented by his past family issues, struggles to live-up to his own expectations of the perfect father. He strives to be the best for his family, but doesn’t quite realize what it is costing him. This is an excellent depiction of the conflict between social expectations and reality.

True to fairy tale form, this normal beginning soon introduces dark elements. The story picks up the pace that somehow within its fantasy still seems to capture the struggles of the modern day. It was hands-down a creative and exciting ending – that definitely shocks.

Unfortunately, this was a little too unrealistic for me; but I know this is not my typical genre. If it is, definitely give this one a try!

**I received my copy via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thank you to the author and publisher for this opportunity.**

THE CHANGELING by Victor Lavalle is a well-written "dark fairy tale." Emma and Apollo have a child named Brian, but their life together disintegrates as Apollo starts having nightmares again and Emma's actions move well beyond postpartum depression. She commits a horrific act and Apollo begins a journey to recover her and Brian. His travels include a forgotten island, a graveyard and a forest filled with immigrant legends. I requested THE CHANGELING because it seemed a bit different and early reviews were very positive. It appears on many "summer read" lists and Kirkus gave THE CHANGELING a starred review, describing it as "a smart and knotty merger of horror, fantasy and realism." As such, it is likely to have wide appeal amongst those who enjoy darker fantasy reads.

4.5/5 stars!

Apollo Kagwa grew up without a dad and now that he's a brand new father himself, he is determined to be there for every second of his son's life. Every second, that is, until his wife suddenly, crazily, gets it into her head that their baby is NOT their baby at all, but something else entirely. Apollo thinks she's out of her mind with lack of sleep and overwhelming responsibility, but is she really? If so, who keeps sending her pictures of their baby on her cell phone? Then again, the pictures keep "disappearing" from her phone after she sees them, so maybe she's out of her mind after all? You'll have to read The Changeling to find out!

Victor LaValle is able to weave together myths and legends, make them believable, (for the most part), and then sets them down in the middle of New York City. It turns out the Big Apple does have some mystery and wilderness left in it, and Victor treats it all like his own personal playground. I felt like the city was a character in this story-with all of its history, hopes, dreams and death-the layers are all there. By the time the end of the story came around, I wished I could reach out and hug it-it had seen so much.

One other thing about the writing that I wanted to mention was the author's ability to reach over and squeeze the life out of the reader's heart. Apollo's grief was so palpable at times, that I had to set aside the book because my chest hurt-my HEART hurt. I generally consider my horror loving heart to be quite cold, but The Changeling proved me wrong.

I'm sure at this point, just over halfway through 2017 that this book will be on my "BEST OF" list at the end of the year. If you find yourself looking for a satisfying story that combines myth and legend with the grit of real life in the modern world, I say pick up this book and let yourself fall under Victor LaValle's spell. You won't regret it!

Highly recommended!

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it.*

Your mileage may vary, but for me, this just didn't quite work. There were threads of ideas that might have worked individually, but it tried to mesh too many different things and the whole thing became a bit garbled for me. It felt like it was trying too hard. I was pretty interested in where it was going, but around the two thirds point, it just lost its way for me. Obviously, many other people really enjoyed it, but the whole concept and execution just didn't quite work for me.

With elements of dark fairy tales and magical realism, The Changeling by Victor LaValle is compulsively readable but too grim for my taste.

Thanks Random House Publishing Group - Random House and netgalley for this ARC.

This novel just didn't hold my attention.