minayana 's review for:

The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle
3.75
challenging mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

A really fun and quick read. I haven’t read the Lovecraft book this is based on, so I can’t say how it compares. The author does a great job creating a creepy atmospheric setting with some really beautiful writing. I really enjoyed Tom as a main character. I don’t think this needed to be a full length novel, but I think it definitely would’ve benefited with maybe 30-40 more pages. It was a bit disappointing not being to see Tom evolve, as it was done off screen, but it also made it more mysterious so it just depends on what you prefer. I also would’ve liked the immigrant characters to have an actual role. They were mentioned quite often, but none of them even had a line. There are also no female characters in this book, other than a supernatural entity. The book touches on racism, classism and police brutality in a really effective way. Overall, it’s a great novella that you can finish in one sitting. I recently purchased Lone Women by this author, and I can’t wait to read it!

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