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brandonssmead's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
bear_reads_books's review against another edition
3.0
She was my only
Clare has lost her demon, known simply as Her. She was driven out of Clare and Clare hasn't been the same since. Clare would do anything to get her back and Her knew this would happen and left instructions for Clare. What follows is her attempt to get her demon back.
Well, I must say this book was not what I expected. It was just okay. A little too much in some ways, not enough in others. It's supposed to be Southern Gothic horror and maybe it's a light version of that. The main character despite her behavior seemed juvenile. She smoked, drank and cursed. Did pretty much whatever she wanted but somehow she came across as naive.
She hooks up with the preacher's son who also happened to be present for her exorcism. Roy is definitely child like and sheltered, believing everything he's been taught his whole life. Their interactions were a bit weird, two strange kids a lot younger mentally than they really are.
I don't know exactly what I'm supposed to take away from this book. It didn't really go anywhere. And if I think too hard about certain aspects of it I might get angry. But overall I just might think meh. Hence the three stars, don't hate it, don't love it. Moving on.
Clare has lost her demon, known simply as Her. She was driven out of Clare and Clare hasn't been the same since. Clare would do anything to get her back and Her knew this would happen and left instructions for Clare. What follows is her attempt to get her demon back.
Well, I must say this book was not what I expected. It was just okay. A little too much in some ways, not enough in others. It's supposed to be Southern Gothic horror and maybe it's a light version of that. The main character despite her behavior seemed juvenile. She smoked, drank and cursed. Did pretty much whatever she wanted but somehow she came across as naive.
She hooks up with the preacher's son who also happened to be present for her exorcism. Roy is definitely child like and sheltered, believing everything he's been taught his whole life. Their interactions were a bit weird, two strange kids a lot younger mentally than they really are.
I don't know exactly what I'm supposed to take away from this book. It didn't really go anywhere. And if I think too hard about certain aspects of it I might get angry. But overall I just might think meh. Hence the three stars, don't hate it, don't love it. Moving on.
lunaballz's review against another edition
2.0
A solid "meh". The premise sounded great, but it didn't quite deliver for me. It couldn't seem to decide whether it was YA or middle grade.
The characters didn't speak like teenagers; they often recounted their dreams to each other but not just weird regular dreams, they described them like poetry. And if Roy didn't describe it flowery enough, Clare made him retell it.
It also fell into the "I'm not like other girls" trope.
And if you're looking for an exorcist-like book, it disappoints there, too. It's much more of a slower mystery, with paranormal elements.
Basically, if they took out the swearing and condensed the first half of the book where not much happens, it'd be a great middle grade book!
The characters didn't speak like teenagers; they often recounted their dreams to each other but not just weird regular dreams, they described them like poetry. And if Roy didn't describe it flowery enough, Clare made him retell it.
It also fell into the "I'm not like other girls" trope.
I've had boys like me before, too. I've been one of the desired ones. It's the dirty secret of the jock that he always wants the weird girl.. It wasn't even relevant to the story?
And if you're looking for an exorcist-like book, it disappoints there, too. It's much more of a slower mystery, with paranormal elements.
Basically, if they took out the swearing and condensed the first half of the book where not much happens, it'd be a great middle grade book!
quillbot's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
raveisbored's review against another edition
5.0
This was a beautifully written story. It was powerful and emotional. I felt every bit of what Clare felt. I cried and laughed with her.
The story is written in a way that runs smoothly and narrated in such a pretty way. Everything is described in a magical way that adds to the story being told.
The characters were practical and real. They had layers that made it feel like you were talking to a real person. Their problems were something I'm sure many can relate to. Loneliness, grief, greed. It was all presented in an approachable manner. I found myself sympathizing with the side characters. Even the ones who did awful things.
Definitely going to be recommending this to people who want something deep and mysterious.
The story is written in a way that runs smoothly and narrated in such a pretty way. Everything is described in a magical way that adds to the story being told.
The characters were practical and real. They had layers that made it feel like you were talking to a real person. Their problems were something I'm sure many can relate to. Loneliness, grief, greed. It was all presented in an approachable manner. I found myself sympathizing with the side characters. Even the ones who did awful things.
Definitely going to be recommending this to people who want something deep and mysterious.
zaqlovesbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Honestly too so long to finish and it was satisfying in a sense. Like nothing changed on what the character wanted or needed and it will forever be something I will cherish a little.
rdyourbookcase's review against another edition
3.0
I had a hard time understanding what this book was trying to be. Mystery? Romance? Horror? The reader was just dropped into the story. Usually, the "exorcism," or whatever you choose to call it, is the highlight of a horror story plot. But when The Good Demon began, all of that was already over. I am glad that the author revisited some of those scenes in flashbacks to fill in the reader. It definitely made the story better.
By the end of the book, I decided that The Good Demon was horror, but I wasn't scared at all while reading it. It was more eerie and dark. How disappointing. It was a bit of a roller coaster, too. First the main character, Clare, felt one way and then another about everyone and everything around her. However, she always seemed disconnected from all that she observed - except, of course, her demon - which only caused me to feel no connection to Clare at all. Furthermore, I was not invested in her mission. Why would I root for a main character to get a demon back??? No good can come from that.
Overall, it was a fast read, and somewhat suspenseful, but not my favorite.
By the end of the book, I decided that The Good Demon was horror, but I wasn't scared at all while reading it. It was more eerie and dark. How disappointing. It was a bit of a roller coaster, too. First the main character, Clare, felt one way and then another about everyone and everything around her. However, she always seemed disconnected from all that she observed - except, of course, her demon - which only caused me to feel no connection to Clare at all. Furthermore, I was not invested in her mission. Why would I root for a main character to get a demon back??? No good can come from that.
Overall, it was a fast read, and somewhat suspenseful, but not my favorite.
maireoverthere's review against another edition
3.0
I really like that I was never really sure where the story was going to go. Also, super gory. Small town horror at its best.
haveyoumetlisa's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 at best, but definitely not good enough to round up to 3. Uneven writing and story, could/should have been at least 50 pages shorter...
vagrantshark's review against another edition
4.0
This review first appeared in The Stray Adult Wordpress blog, here
The world of young adult books is one that tends to be scoffed at by people over the age of eighteen. Probably closer to over the age of twenty-five if I’m to be perfectly honest here. Mainly due to the perception (and oftentimes reality) that the environment and age range for the characters is one that many people haven’t been a part of for years, if not decades. Not to mention the tendency for light-hearted affairs which contrast with the harsh tones of the “real world” that we endure. Settings of high school or college facilities and the understanding that the characters are still significantly dependent on a parental figure, isn’t always easy to digest as your bills pile up and your boss is calling for the third time today.
With all that said, it’s not impossible to see yourself as a thirty-something getting lost in a book with settings from a period long past. That’s the appeal to a degree. You may want to impart some kind of wisdom to a character that doesn’t seem to know who they are or what to do in situations you’ve dealt with many times over.
The Good Demon is a book of the young adult variety and follows Clarabella (Clare) as she contends with the loss of her “demon” that has been with her most of her life. The demon in question is one that, when it arbitrarily decides, can completely take over Clares body in moments of crisis. Following an exorcism of the “forced” variety, she sets out to get her demon back. Said exorcism was performed by a local minister and his sheepish son at the demand of an overburdening, drunk stepfather. After some time, Clare begrudgingly enlists the son of the preacher who exorcised her; a local thrift shop owner that believes she steals everything in sight but lost a daughter to this type of demon; a shamanistic old woman who chain smokes with more money than she cares to have; and plenty more characters of the American South. The twists and turns of gathering clues leads to a cult-like “First Family” that runs the entire town and has since its inception. All while Clare ends up falling (slightly) for the preacher’s son despite her internal struggle to despise him. Once confronting the First Family and entering another dimension, of sorts, the books pace quickens to a stampede that leaves Clare disavowing her demon and breaking it off with the preacher’s son to focus on reviving her relationship with her mother. A mother that very adamantly did what she could and took far more abuse after the death of her husband but at the cost of her mental health and relationship with Clare. Who ends up gathering the courage, along with Clare’s help, to leave her abusive current husband and start again.
I will admit that I read this a fair amount of time ago and it did take me longer than normal to finish due to wavering interest at times. Jimmy Carjoleas isn’t a bad writer, per se, but the characters at times do turn up flat and the pace for a large portion of the book left me struggling to garner interest. That said, it wasn’t as often as one would think and for the vast majority, I was engaged by and large. Every interaction was interesting and I could easily see the characters in my mind by the descriptions given. What was more of a struggle was how quickly the pace ratcheted up to eleven by the last third of the book. It was around this time that I had a difficult time understanding where the characters were, what was happening, and piecing it all together to make sense without frustrating myself so much as to retire it. In all, The Good Demon was a fun read in the young adult category and considering I was intrigued by the title (and back cover description) enough to purchase it from an Ollie’s Bargain Outlet on the second sight of it, leaves me happy to have done so. Definitely give it a go if you see it for cheap or at your local library.
The world of young adult books is one that tends to be scoffed at by people over the age of eighteen. Probably closer to over the age of twenty-five if I’m to be perfectly honest here. Mainly due to the perception (and oftentimes reality) that the environment and age range for the characters is one that many people haven’t been a part of for years, if not decades. Not to mention the tendency for light-hearted affairs which contrast with the harsh tones of the “real world” that we endure. Settings of high school or college facilities and the understanding that the characters are still significantly dependent on a parental figure, isn’t always easy to digest as your bills pile up and your boss is calling for the third time today.
With all that said, it’s not impossible to see yourself as a thirty-something getting lost in a book with settings from a period long past. That’s the appeal to a degree. You may want to impart some kind of wisdom to a character that doesn’t seem to know who they are or what to do in situations you’ve dealt with many times over.
Spoiler
The Good Demon is a book of the young adult variety and follows Clarabella (Clare) as she contends with the loss of her “demon” that has been with her most of her life. The demon in question is one that, when it arbitrarily decides, can completely take over Clares body in moments of crisis. Following an exorcism of the “forced” variety, she sets out to get her demon back. Said exorcism was performed by a local minister and his sheepish son at the demand of an overburdening, drunk stepfather. After some time, Clare begrudgingly enlists the son of the preacher who exorcised her; a local thrift shop owner that believes she steals everything in sight but lost a daughter to this type of demon; a shamanistic old woman who chain smokes with more money than she cares to have; and plenty more characters of the American South. The twists and turns of gathering clues leads to a cult-like “First Family” that runs the entire town and has since its inception. All while Clare ends up falling (slightly) for the preacher’s son despite her internal struggle to despise him. Once confronting the First Family and entering another dimension, of sorts, the books pace quickens to a stampede that leaves Clare disavowing her demon and breaking it off with the preacher’s son to focus on reviving her relationship with her mother. A mother that very adamantly did what she could and took far more abuse after the death of her husband but at the cost of her mental health and relationship with Clare. Who ends up gathering the courage, along with Clare’s help, to leave her abusive current husband and start again.
I will admit that I read this a fair amount of time ago and it did take me longer than normal to finish due to wavering interest at times. Jimmy Carjoleas isn’t a bad writer, per se, but the characters at times do turn up flat and the pace for a large portion of the book left me struggling to garner interest. That said, it wasn’t as often as one would think and for the vast majority, I was engaged by and large. Every interaction was interesting and I could easily see the characters in my mind by the descriptions given. What was more of a struggle was how quickly the pace ratcheted up to eleven by the last third of the book. It was around this time that I had a difficult time understanding where the characters were, what was happening, and piecing it all together to make sense without frustrating myself so much as to retire it. In all, The Good Demon was a fun read in the young adult category and considering I was intrigued by the title (and back cover description) enough to purchase it from an Ollie’s Bargain Outlet on the second sight of it, leaves me happy to have done so. Definitely give it a go if you see it for cheap or at your local library.