Monday, June 19, 2017

The Changeling by Victor LaValle



Summary:


     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.
 

 My Thoughts:

     In the beginning of The Changeling I was enjoying the story and very interested in the main character, Apollo.  I was very interested in learning more about him and finding out where his story would take him and also, what really happened with his father.  Apollo’s job as a rare a used book dealer also was intriguing to me for obvious reasons!
     The more that I read in this book, the more bizarre and confusing it became.  My concern for and interest in Apollo became smaller and smaller the more I read.  There were mysterious chains, horrible deaths, and for fun? Hidden, mini lectures about posting pictures on social media….
     This book will forever be stuck at 46% on my Kindle: DNF (did not finish). I appreciate the effort but this just wasn’t for me.  1/5 stars



*This book was classified in the Horror genre and I am counting it towards my 2017 Reading Challenge for the category of “a genre you usually avoid”. 

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