In Tommy Tester, Victor LaValle has created a flawed but sympathetic character. Human and supernatural forces are descending on Red Hook, and Black Tom is caught in the middle. But when he catches the attention of Robert Suydam, a wealthy, reclusive scholar of ancient traditions, he finds himself in deep with New York’s magical underworld. Tommy puts on a good appearance in his second-hand suit, hustling the arcane by skirting the rules without ever breaking them. He calls himself an entertainer, and hustles for room and board for himself and his father, a middle-aged man made old by back-breaking labour as a bricklayer. They come looking for magic, whether evil or good, and nothing will convince them it isn’t here.”Ĭharles Thomas Tester could be called a scammer, a swindler, a con, or a charlatan. This is true of Manhattan, but even the outer boroughs, too, be it Flatbush Meadows in Queens or Red Hook in Brooklyn. “People who move to New York always make the same mistake.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |