"Nobody ever thinks of himself as a villain, does he? Even monsters hold high opinions of themselves."

Following the story of a hustler dealing in black market antiquities like spell books to keep both himself and father afloat, THE BALLAD OF BLACK TOM is a compelling novella that captures the terrors of racism with moments of police brutality and cosmic horror.  Victor LaVelle's ability to blend a famous Lovecraftian tale ("The Horror at Red Hook") with the 1920s life of a black man and flip it on us completely is just one facet of his own brilliance.  For those who know more into Lovecraft OR that particular story then this feat should probably sound even more incredible.

The scenes where the Sleeping King tries entering our world and when Ma Att is being described with her tail/shadow are mesmerizing.  LaVelle nailed it with his descriptions and I found myself even peeking around... what, exactly?  It's not like I could peek around the book and SEE Ma Att's tail if I looked hard enough.  But the way he wrote that scene it had me so intrigued as if I was Detective Malone witnessing it firsthand.

LaVelle told a great cosmic horror story, but it's important noting that he told a horror story in general.  What Thomas Tester, his father, and many other Black people went through in the 1920s can easily be described as horrific.  Just reading about how his father was murdered sent me.  So, more often than not, humans are the real villains and the true monsters.  

LaVelle has such a gift for writing and it is no shock his works have been nominated for so many awards.  I can't wait to read more from him!