The Changeling

In Victor LaValle's "The Changeling," Apollo Kagwa, a bookseller with a complicated past shaped by his absent father, embarks on a terrifying odyssey when his new life as a husband and father unravels. After the birth of their son, Brian, Apollo and his wife, Emma, struggle with the exhaustion and anxiety of parenthood. Emma begins to exhibit alarming signs, culminating in a horrific act of violence and her subsequent disappearance, taking Brian with her. Devastated and bewildered, Apollo is thrust into a desperate quest to find his family, only to discover that everything he thought he knew—about his wife, his child, and even reality itself—is a lie. His journey through a dark, fantastical New York City delves into ancient myths, forgotten islands, and immigrant folklore, forcing him to confront a hidden world where monstrous truths lurk beneath the surface of everyday life and the boundaries between love and madness blur.