Genre
Fantasy/horror
Setting and Context
The novel is largely set in modern-day New York City across its many boroughs.
Narrator and Point of View
The novel is told from a third-person perspective.
Tone and Mood
The tone is suspenseful and eerie. The mood is unsettling and horrifying.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Apollo Kagwa is the novel's protagonist; the supernatural entities that oppose Apollo are the novel's protagonist.
Major Conflict
The major conflict of the novel revolves around Apollo's attempts to piece together what happened to his wife and his life after she commits an act of violence.
Climax
When Apollo confronts the ancient, troll-like creature that likes to kidnap kids.
Foreshadowing
Emma eventually getting over her post-partum depression is foreshadowed early on in the book.
Understatement
The severity of the horror of the kidnapping of the kids is understated throughout the start of the novel.
Allusions
There are allusions to myths, folktales, and literary works.
Imagery
LaValle employs rich imagery to describe the rare books Apollo deals with.
Paradox
Apollo's love for his children paradoxically lead to him betraying people he claimed to love.
Parallelism
n/a
Metonymy and Synecdoche
n/a
Personification
New York City itself is personified throughout the novel.
