A review by leonidskies
The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle

challenging dark fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

This is an enrapturing, horrifying, and thoughtful book. It's very short, but incredibly precise - it does what it means to do and it does it well. 

I'm not the biggest fan of Lovecraftian horror - a book about the same Cthulu mythos was my only DNF last year, but this book is like day to its night. It's tense, mysterious, and cuts close to its unfathomable horror without teetering into absurdity. 

It's short - I read it in about two hours - and well worth your time. Its sparing use of physical gore pairs well with its more 'mundane' but equally horrifying attention to police brutality. I'm really glad I took the time to read this novella.