Reviews

Diavola by Jennifer Thorne

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This is a clearly talented author who went out of her way to write the most thoroughly unpleasant, shitty family and then forced us to spend hours upon godforsaken hours with them. The fact that I even made it halfway through is a testament to her ability to write a compelling narrative. But it just got so incredibly repetitive and boring seeing the MC be a total doormat for her terrible family, I lost all interest in the ghost story, what little there was of it.

dorann's review

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3.75

I love a gothic novel! The first 75 percent I loved then the part when she went back to the US lost me with the pacing until the end.

rowan2323's review

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dark funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

maestrocp's review

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dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

lilayyy's review

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3.0

More stereotypical than I wanted. Everyone should’ve died and I would’ve been more happy

kdmr's review

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

jlannh's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

kacyreadsbooks's review against another edition

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dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

The tension and underlying resentment between each family member was so acute, it makes me thankful I don’t have to worry about people in my life like that. I loved following Anna, the black sheep of the family, and I feel like if I had to be the protagonist in a horror, I’d want to be like her.

Haunted house stories are my favorite, and the creepy elements in Diavola were well executed. I definitely felt the lingering effects of it because my husband was out of town this weekend and I may have left all the lights on in the house 😅

Between the palpable dysfunction and the horrifying / cursed Italian countryside, this was a five star read for me!