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The Ballad Of Black Tom by Victor LaValle

A well written, interesting take on Cthulhu’s mythos, with an engaging main character to start–Black Tom. Unfortunately, at the midpoint the book shifts protagonists (due to madness), where it’s somewhat less successful.

The story of New York as its various barely connected cities, each with their own character, was great to read and experience. I had little idea that the city’s boroughs were so stratified; that Harlem was black and cool, yes, but the degree of suspicion and exclusion out on the lines was a solid reminder that less than 100 years ago the world was very different.

Tom is a great hustler, and his POV feels consistent, rich, and full of intriguing detail. His relationship with his father, work, and Lovecraftian mysteries were all interesting. The police officers, on the other hand, are shallow to start-particularly from Tom’s POV, but we’re barely asked to ally with them once the story is theirs.

In the end, I really enjoyed the first half–and some of the details of 1920s life all through.