The Changeling

A Novel

By: Victor LaValle

Narrated by: Victor LaValle

“[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 Times)

Winner of an American Book Award, a Locus Award for Best Horror Novel, a British Fantasy Award for Best Horror Novel, and a World Fantasy Award for Best Novel.

Nominated for a Shirley Jackson Award, an International Dublin Literary Award, and 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)

©2017 Victor LaValle (P)2017 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"If the literary gods mixed together Haruki Murakami and Ralph Ellison, the result would be Victor LaValle." (Anthony Doerr, author of All the Light We Cannot See)

"LaValle has a knack for blending social realism with genre tropes, and this blend of horror story and fatherhood fable is surprising and admirably controlled.... LaValle has successfully delivered a tale of wonder and thoughtful exploration of what it means to be a parent. A smart and knotty merger of horror, fantasy, and realism." (Kirkus Reviews)

Something good but too long

I really enjoyed the last 2/3 of the book but I struggled with the beginning. It felt like too much unnecessary background information and I was hoping they would tie up with the main story but it never did. This story could have done without the first 1/3 of the book.

Enchanting story, enchanting voice.

This was an enchanting story told with an enchanting voice. I love Victor's fiction and this is his best yet. I'm expecting more great works from him in the future. I was leery about him performing the audio version because an author reading their own work can often turn out to be a distraction, or worse. I was more than pleasantly surprised. I could listen to him read from the dictionary his voice is so good. I loved every minute of this.

Awesome

This is the best black fairytale I've read thus far. Victor LaValle never, ever disappoints.

Captivating!

This book takes you on a wild adventure filled with fantastical creatures and real life fears. An emotional rollercoaster.

A Fascinating Tale with a Dash of Eerie

Going into this story, I didn't have much hope for it, because I prefer science fiction. However, this story is worth every cent. It is a complex story written by an author who used unwavering restraint in unravelling this tale. It is both creepy and intriguing.

The author should have hired a narrator other than himself. He speaks slowly and with no enthusiasm.

Other than the narrator, great work.

One of the best

This book is definitely one of the creepiest stories I've listened to on Audible. I loved that it was set in Queens.

What a wild ride

Such a great combination between modern world mystery and legends of the old world. Between stories within a story and the adventures of each character, this makes for an exceptional read.

WOW! JUST...WOW

I never knew where this was going. I loved the ride tho! LOVE LOVE LOVED IT@

It was pretty good, but a little confusing

I was quickly drawn in, and very much enjoyed the first half of the book. But in the last third or so, it got very confusing. The historical aspect of the story was muddled and kinda lost me, I just didn't really understand the old man's story and the rest of the book was based on that. So everything after that was pretty weird and confusing. It was okay I guess. I finished it, I did want to find out how it ended, but I'd like to know maybe one chapter more about how it was explained to everyone else.

An Excellent Modern Fairy Tale

I will keep this brief because I REALLY want to type a long winded gush about this. This is the best audio book I have listened to in years without question. The story was fresh. The characters felt lived in. I can't talk about this one without giving things away, but I highly recommend it to everyone. Victor LaValle's performance of his work has me wanting him to read anything and everything else to me. 10's across the board. I'm about to listen to it again.