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A review by whatevanreads
The Changeling by Victor LaValle
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
By far my favorite of LaValle's work, The Changeling isn't at all what I thought it would be. Bending genres the way he does best, LaValle blended elements of urban fantasy, magical realism, and horror in the most mesmerizing way. At its core, The Changeling is about parenthood - the deeply unwavering love for their child, the different forms that love takes both good and bad, the generational pain passed down from their own parents, and above all else the lengths parents will go to protect their own.
LaValle speaks to so many themes surrounding parenthood while integrating such an unsettling, eerie plot that left me feeling wonderfully uneasy. What I really appreciated though was how he showed how sometimes a parent can become so blinded by their love for their child that they unwillingly put their child in harm's way. One of my favorite excerpts from the book showcases this perfectly:
"People share everything now...They share which playgrounds they visit with their children and at what times. They share when they've hired a babysitter. They share photos of the schools their children attend. They're so proud of their children. They can't help themselves. They want to share it all. But who are they sharing it with? Do they really know what they've invited into their homes? I promise they don't."
I'll be thinking of this one for a long time and can safely say LaValle is now one of my auto-buy authors. If you're looking for a haunting urban fantasy for spooky season, then look no further than The Changeling!
LaValle speaks to so many themes surrounding parenthood while integrating such an unsettling, eerie plot that left me feeling wonderfully uneasy. What I really appreciated though was how he showed how sometimes a parent can become so blinded by their love for their child that they unwillingly put their child in harm's way. One of my favorite excerpts from the book showcases this perfectly:
"People share everything now...They share which playgrounds they visit with their children and at what times. They share when they've hired a babysitter. They share photos of the schools their children attend. They're so proud of their children. They can't help themselves. They want to share it all. But who are they sharing it with? Do they really know what they've invited into their homes? I promise they don't."
I'll be thinking of this one for a long time and can safely say LaValle is now one of my auto-buy authors. If you're looking for a haunting urban fantasy for spooky season, then look no further than The Changeling!