The Synopsis
The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle (Tor.com, February 16, 2016) is the cat’s pajamas when it comes to Lovecraftian horror re-imagined. With grit, soul, and a touch of jazz-age flair, for this Ballad of Black Tom Review, we swing into 1920s Harlem. Charles Thomas Tester is a street-smart hustler who plays a mean guitar, but runs an even meaner long-con to support himself and his father. When a delivery to an occultist opens a forbidden doorway, Tom finds himself tangled in mystical forces beyond his understanding. As racism, magic, and cosmic horror collide, Tom must decide who he really is and what he’s willing to become when the world sees only his skin, not his soul. The Ballad of Black Tom is a haunting remix of Lovecraft’s “The Horror at Red Hook”.
What I Liked About It
The Ballad of Black Tom‘s backdrop immerses us in a smoky, spellbinding vision of 1920s New York. Unlike Below the Grand Hotel, this is not from a lavish hotel, but from the back streets and tenements of Harlem, where life and danger is both supernatural and brutally hard.
Tom’s character is an unforgettable shapeshifter. Not in body like a supernatural being, but in spirit. Part grifter, part artist, part avenging angel. His arc from downtrodden dreamer to something necessarily darker is as tragic as it is triumphant. The way LaValle unfolds this transformation is masterful.
Every sentence simmers with tension, atmosphere, and social commentary. It’s like reading a noir detective novel with a Lovecraftian underbelly.
Valle takes Lovecraft’s original story and reshapes it into something more fierce and poignant. The real monsters? Not just the ones beyond the veil, but the ones who walk the streets in uniforms or hide behind wealth and entitlement.
The novel hums with the magic of the blues and has a beat much like The Wild Party. I felt the rhythm even when not on the page, a continuous pulse behind Tom’s every move.
Favorite Quotes from The Ballad of Black Tom
[SPOILERS]
“I’ve never killed a man before today. I’ve never wanted to. I always thought that made me better than the ones who did. Now I’m not so sure.”
“People who live in Queens don’t like the way the city sounds. That’s why they move out there. So the city has to whisper.”
“You’re a pest. An infestation. But pests survive. That’s what I intend to do.”
“He played a final chord on his guitar, but the sound that came out was not music. It was something older. Something blacker.”
“It wasn’t death that frightened him. It was being forgotten.”
What I Wanted More Of
While The Ballad of Black Tom is a tightly-written novella, I would’ve gladly spent more time walking the shadowy streets of Harlem with Tom. More glimpses into his inner world before the darkness took root, would’ve deepened the experience.
The otherworldly horror, while potent, takes a bit to fully surface. I wouldn’t have minded more page time with the monstrous beings beyond the veil. A few more glimpses of the woman/thing that he originally met as well.
Some of the supporting characters (like Malone and Howard) felt a bit more symbolic than fleshed out. A touch more humanity or conflict in them would’ve made Tom’s choices hit even harder.
As always, I wanted to spend more time in the swanky, jazzy moments. I would have loved more scenes (superfluous to the plot or not), with richer description and more time spent, especially anything with music.
Overall
My Ballad of Black Tom: Vintage Book Review is here in time for spooky season. As with most horror, this too is a thoughtful read that’s as socially relevant as it is spine-chilling. Victor LaValle doesn’t just remix Lovecraft—he confronts him. This novella is a jazz-infused ghost story with a protagonist who walks the line caught between conscience and combustible anger.
If you’re craving horror with substance, atmosphere, and soul, The Ballad of Black Tom is a must. It’s short enough to read in one sitting, but will haunt your thoughts for weeks.
Vintage Enthusiast Rating
Fashion: ♥♥♥
Music: ♥♥♥♥
Dance: ♥
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Do you enjoy horror that subverts the classics? How do you feel about protagonists who make terrible choices for understandable reasons? Do you think horror can be a tool for social justice? Have you read any other vintage horror books that hit deep?
Tam Francis is a writer, blogger, swing dance teacher, avid vintage collector, and seamstress. She shares her love of this genre through her novels, blog, and short stories. She enjoys hearing from you, sharing ideas, forging friendships, and exchanging guest blogs. For all the Girl in the Jitterbug Dress news, give-aways, events, and excitement, make sure to join her list and like her FB page! Join my list ~ Facebook page
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