Ratings89
Average rating3.8
"The wildly imaginative story of one man's thrilling odyssey through an enchanted world to find his wife, who has disappeared after having seemingly committed an unforgivable act of violence, from the award-winning author of The Devil in Silver and Big Machine"--
"Apollo Kagwa has had strange dreams that have haunted him since childhood. An antiquarian book dealer with a business called Improbabilia, he is just beginning to settle into his new life as a committed and involved father, unlike his own father who abandoned him, when his wife Emma begins acting strange. Disconnected and uninterested in their new baby boy, Emma at first seems to be exhibiting all the signs of post-partum depression, but it quickly becomes clear that her troubles go far beyond that. Before Apollo can do anything to help, Emma commits a horrific act--beyond any parent's comprehension--and vanishes, seemingly into thin air. Thus begins Apollo's odyssey through a world he only thought he understood to find a wife and child who are nothing like he'd imagined. His quest begins when he meets a mysterious stranger who claims to have information about Emma's whereabouts. Apollo then begins a journey that takes him to a forgotten island in the East River of New York City, a graveyard full of secrets, a forest in Queens where immigrant legends still live, and finally back to a place he thought he had lost forever. This dizzying tale is ultimately a story about family and the unfathomable secrets of the people we love"--
Reviews with the most likes.
This novel was a refreshing read; it wasn't full of shocking plot twists, but it kept me wondering where the story would take us next. A fairytale for adults, it had many horror elements without being scary. It has more tense and creepy scenarios. I had no intention of reading it because I am a Halloweenie, but then I saw the trailer for the TV show adaptation and became more interested. And then someone said it's not scary, so I gave it a shot, and I am happy I did. Except for one slow moment in the book where I was impatient for the plot to pick up. This book was a solid, good read, and I'll check out Victor Lavelle's other works.
What a page turner. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which I found creepy-but-not-too-creepy. I'm a bit confused about some of the fantastical elements but they're still well-done. Off to go cover my MacBook camera with tape...