Che-Michelle Tales

Book: The Ballad of Black Tom

Author: Victor LaValle

Published: February 16, 2016

Drink choice: Cinnamon Apple Bourbon Smash/ Shot of Uncle Nearest

Type of Book: Novella

Stand Alone, Series, or Other: Stand Alone 

Genre: Cosmic Horror 

How long did it take me to read this book: 2 hours 

Audible/Google/Spotify audiobooks: No, but it is available on these Platforms.

Overall rating: 🥃🥃🥃out of Five Whiskey on rocks.

The Ballad of Black Tom

I wanted to read horror books for October (Than TIK-Tok saved me). I started this process in August, reading P. Djeli Clark’s “Ring Shout.” I must start the book over because life halted me from finishing it. But while trying to stay on track to read at least three horror books for Spooky Season. I read “The Ballad of Black Tom” by Victor LaValle. One thing is that this is a quick read; you can finish it in one day, or even in one afternoon. The Ballad of Black Tom is a 2016 novella by Victor LaValle that reimagines H.P. Lovecraft’s xenophobic story “The Horror at Red Hook” from the perspective of a Black protagonist in 1920s Harlem. The story follows Charles Thomas Tester, a young Black man who encounters an unnatural experience while navigating the racism and police brutality of the era. LaValle’s work uses Lovecraft’s cosmic paranoia to explore themes of race, class, and power, offering a critique of Lovecraft’s own racism while delivering a compelling narrative. 

Character development in this book was terrific. Charles begins the book as a young, idealistic man who transforms into an unrecognizable figure after witnessing the horrors of life. Charles character development reminds me, of when youth and naivete stripped from a struggling man. Charles reminds me of the some of the young men, I grew up with some finding their way out of the grips of poverty. Yet, there a Malone and other characters give Charles a hard time and take from him to the point he breaks. Malone’s character moving from a Nosy, Asshole Detective to becoming a shell of himself by the end of the story. Finalizing Malone, becoming the creepy man that children whisper to each other during Halloween. The side characters all have purpose and nuances to push the story to the pinnacle of Cthulhu Mythos and cosmic horror.

The reason I gave this book three out of five was pacing. The pacing felt terribly slow, it built an amazing story. It felt like we spent a lot of time with Malone and his side story, instead of Tom. I enjoyed how everyone in the story served a purpose, every character role needed to progress the story. Characters from the first chapter comb back later playing an integral role in the story. There is no standout scene that stays with me after the story concludes, except a Black man trying to make a way in a world stack against him, loses everything to survive. The instigator of this situation, Malone must live with fear and being a shell of himself.

Below, I have provided a recipe for a Cinnamon Apple Bourbon Smash from  halfbakedharvest.com. If you like your Whiskey straight, go pick up some Uncle Nearest and take a shot. You will need it to calm your nerves. As the book concludes, it will not make the hair on your arm stand up, but it will make you twitch and cover your eyes. If you want to be fancy, follow the recipe below by Tieghan Gerard. If you do not have time, be prepared to take a shot as the real story unfolds.

Cinnamon Apple Bourbon Smash

Author: Tieghan Gerard

Total Time:15 minutes

Ingredients

Spicy Cinnamon Syrup

▢1/2 cup of maple syrup

▢2 cinnamon sticks

▢1-inch fresh ginger sliced

▢1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Apple Smash

▢1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of spicy cinnamon syrup

▢1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) Bourbon

▢1 ounce (2 tablespoons) lemon or grapefruit juice

▢1 tablespoon apple butter

▢1-2 dashes orange bitters

▢ginger beer, for topping

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

1. To make the Spicy Cinnamon Syrup. In a medium pot, bring 1/2 cup of water, the maple, cinnamon, and ginger to a boil over high heat. Boil 2-3 minutes, then remove from the heat. Stir in the cayenne. Let cool, then strain the syrup into a glass jar. This syrup yields approximately six servings.

2. In a cocktail shaker, combine 1-2 tablespoons of cinnamon syrup, bourbon, lemon/grapefruit juice, apple butter, and orange bitters. Add ice and shake; then strain into a glass. Topped off with ginger beer. Garnish with apple slices, pomegranate airlines, and cinnamon sticks. If desired, light the cinnamon stick-on fire for a smoky effect.

3. To Make a Mocktail: Omit the bourbon and use 1/4 cup of apple cider with 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract. 

Until Next Time,

Che Michelle