“[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 TimesWinner 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 … 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
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The legend of a changeling child, either a sickly old fairy or a glamored pile of old leaves and such, lends its name to the title of Victor LaValle’s excellent 2017 novel. The book begins by introducing rare book dealer Apollo and his librarian wife, Emma. Readers learn of their early courtship and Apollo’s childhood nightmares. Soon the couple welcomes a little one in a dramatic and memorable way. They name their new son David after Apollo’s absentee father. (I was disappointed Apollo’s choice of middle name was vetoed. haha) Emma slips into a confusion – perhaps postpartum depression – and the otherwise devoted Apollo shoulders the bulk of the household responsibilities.
Then, a sort of madness takes over, which leaves their world – and the readers’ – damaged, confused, and adrift. From this point, a family introspective dives into the realm of fairy tales and myths set in modern New York City. And as is the case in any good traditional fairy tale, horror, violence, and a touch of magic provide pivotal plot points.
Like a skilled weaver, LaValle pulls threads from many traditions to craft his tapestry. Finding and understanding the way they were adapted for this modern work added to the fun of reading. In truth, I felt like hollering with frustration at the lead character at several points during my reading experience. Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed this “odyssey.”
One of the best books I’ve read this year. A modern-day fairy tale. Highly recommended.
How hard is it to tell a story that draws on fairy tales but be totally original? Pretty darn hard, but Victor Lavalle does just that with The Changeling. It’s a personal, tender story of a man learning to be a father, husband, and son but also grapples with big issues like misogyny and how traditionalism can be an excuse for cruelty and injustice. The perfect modern fairy tale.
Changling was an easy read, great sci- fi story. Well written, intriguing plot
One can never be sure of what it’s going to happen in the next pages, so it maintains an interest about the developments of the story. It’s a book that does not allow you to be a “chair detective”, it’s so unpredictable and surprising. Enjoyed it greatly.
The Changeling: the long and winding road to nowhere a review
The Changeling, a novel by Victor LaValle and set in today’s New York City, is a dark fantasy like the grimmest of fairy tales.
Despite its urban setting, the plot of The Changeling follows a torturous path of omens and hints, illusion and lies. Unfortunately, the novel’s ending belongs to another fantasy altogether. The ending seems unrelated to what happens before. Like the glass slipper and the stepsister’s foot, the fit is all wrong.
I admired LaValle’s no frills prose and was impressed by the sense of disorientation I shared with Apollo, his protagonist. As I read Apollo’s history, including his parents and their relationship, how he came to love and sell old books and the story of his new marriage and child, I settled in. The simplicity of the story and its appealing characters kept me turning the pages.
Then an abrupt change in the narrative knocked my socks off.
Apollo loses his child in the most horrific way I can imagine. Since I had already bonded with Apollo’s character, I identified with his desperation and the horror of his loss.
Bewildered and unprepared, Apollo struggles to make sense of what happened. Why did his wife become someone else, then disappear? Was it his fault? Did the photos of his son, the ones he took and emailed cause the unimaginable? There were other photos, not taken by him, inexplicable images. Who took them? Apollo begins his journey in search of answers.
I followed Apollo down the rabbit hole of inner city reality and a nightmarish fantasy world.
His story mesmerized me until the trails and plot lines led to nowhere. Important characters like the island witches abruptly disappeared with little to no resolution, their compelling stories untold.
Despite the novel’s supernatural underpinnings, the story’s end, in my opinion, was nonsensical and a disappointment. On the whole, the resolution did not live up to its beginning, Unfortunately, despite its great beginning and an appealing protagonist, The Changeling morphed from riveting, to confusing until finally it betrayed its promise.
Still, I’m open to reading more of LaValle’s spare, elegant prose.I plan to explore his other novels, where perhaps other lost children and “wild things” await discovery.
A great fantasy/mythology/horror/mystery blend, set in NYC, and I enjoyed it. The only thing I didn’t like was the appearance of that hell site, Facebook. That is something I avoid. It was a part of the story in the second half of the book, and I did consider stopping, just abandoning the book. Such is my hatred of FB… But I continued and all was well.. A good novel and I will read more of Victor LaValle’s work.
This is a book that hits all of the harsh reality we live in today, and blends it with some of the most beautiful and tragic fantasy I’ve read in some time. It’s a wonderful book, but is certainly not for all audiences. Suspend your disbelief, and enjoy this book.
I did stay up late to finish, but mostly because I wasn’t sure where it was going. It’s a decent read, but I might not tell you to read it if you’ve got other stuff on your plate.
This is a real good book. It is captivating, interesting and different. Truely a modern day dark fairy tale. It doesn’t start out like a fairy tale, but about 1/2 way through it is all fairy tale.
Masterfully written and beautifully realized, THE CHANGELING is (fittingly…) more than one thing. A fairy tale, a horror story, a paen to fatherhood, and a truly gorgeous New York novel. I’m a long-time fan of Victor LaValle, and I can’t wait to see what he does next.
A fantastically spooky read based on myth and fairy tale.
writing style changes too much: is it mystery, action, urban realism, romance,, horror,,out of sync, like cowboys and aliens .