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courteneytunstead's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
justinkhchen's review against another edition
5.0
5 stars
A provocative and imaginative fable about death and grief, I would equate my experience reading A Fig For All The Devils to watching an R-rated Pixar animation directed by Tim Burton, it is wildly experimental, yet emotionally relatable and offers some very profound commentary on the rather macabre subject.
Readers expecting a mainstream, small town spooky tale about a teen's encounter with the Grim Reaper might be thrown off by its lyrical writing and philosophical tone, but I greatly appreciate C.S. Fritz's collection of obscure facts (I learned about 'brood parasite' through this... what a morbid behavior), and one-of-a-kind boundless imagination (from darkly humors to downright disturbing). If you enjoyed Mrs Death Misses Death by Salena Godden, and works by Josh Malerman, you'll find a lot of enjoyment in this.
Also, LOVE the cover design!
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**
A provocative and imaginative fable about death and grief, I would equate my experience reading A Fig For All The Devils to watching an R-rated Pixar animation directed by Tim Burton, it is wildly experimental, yet emotionally relatable and offers some very profound commentary on the rather macabre subject.
Readers expecting a mainstream, small town spooky tale about a teen's encounter with the Grim Reaper might be thrown off by its lyrical writing and philosophical tone, but I greatly appreciate C.S. Fritz's collection of obscure facts (I learned about 'brood parasite' through this... what a morbid behavior), and one-of-a-kind boundless imagination (from darkly humors to downright disturbing). If you enjoyed Mrs Death Misses Death by Salena Godden, and works by Josh Malerman, you'll find a lot of enjoyment in this.
Also, LOVE the cover design!
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**
mkw1lson's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I stated it in my notes while reading this book, and I'll state it again here.
This book feels like healing in the most fucked up way.
For anyone who has struggled with grief, disassociation, depression, or anything of the like - this will resonate. Fritz explains in his introduction at the beginning of the book that while the story is not true, it's also not not true. It is an exploration into his life and the darkness there, it is taking the horror-genre and using it so say something about life and death and how we cope.
I've seen some critique of the character of the Grim Reaper being too goofy and lighthearted, but faced there is a reason characters that have this tragic prolonged lifespan so often are - how else do you deal with it? And also, this is a character meant to comfort and help Sonny. Yes, he is a type of antagonist in this story, but the real antagonist is the prison of grief and disassociation that Sonny has become trapped in. I think it is actually painfully relatable to want something or someone like Death to come into your life in instances like that.
Similarly, I would not call this a hallmark ending. It is a hopeful ending because Sonny has found hope. He does so through Death, and Death decides to let him go, but is that so much of a surprise? We saw Death in the beginning, when he was just a man who had his life and his child robbed from him. If he sees himself becoming that, why would he continue to be that?
I loved this book. I read it in a couple of hours and I cried at least twice. It is a horror but I think it's important to look at it as the horror genre so often used to explain something difficult. It won't be for everybody, but for the people it is for, this book will seriously move you and feel deeply cathartic.
This book feels like healing in the most fucked up way.
For anyone who has struggled with grief, disassociation, depression, or anything of the like - this will resonate. Fritz explains in his introduction at the beginning of the book that while the story is not true, it's also not not true. It is an exploration into his life and the darkness there, it is taking the horror-genre and using it so say something about life and death and how we cope.
I've seen some critique of the character of the Grim Reaper being too goofy and lighthearted, but faced there is a reason characters that have this tragic prolonged lifespan so often are - how else do you deal with it? And also, this is a character meant to comfort and help Sonny. Yes, he is a type of antagonist in this story, but the real antagonist is the prison of grief and disassociation that Sonny has become trapped in. I think it is actually painfully relatable to want something or someone like Death to come into your life in instances like that.
I loved this book. I read it in a couple of hours and I cried at least twice. It is a horror but I think it's important to look at it as the horror genre so often used to explain something difficult. It won't be for everybody, but for the people it is for, this book will seriously move you and feel deeply cathartic.
squirrelgurl's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
lilsoliver's review against another edition
5.0
A beautiful ode to the history and meaning of death and grief. Horrifying in many moments and hilarious in others. The fact that this is C.S Fritz first novel is astounding.
hannahotis's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
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
4.5
weneedtotalkaboutbooks's review against another edition
2.0
Good premise, poor execution.
I was so excited, I started reading this today and read it in one sitting, witnessing a potential five star read dying in my arms.
There are some beautiful poetic lines, and I appreciate the moral questions this story tries to answer, but the characters behaved like caricatures, and the whole story felt rushed from the halfway point onwards.
SPOILER QUESTIONS:
- why does Jess see a massive black moth on her mother’s face, when the book explains that only who is dying can see Death? Was that just a gigantic moth not related to Death? Why including this scene? 🤔
- the protagonist is 13yo, and sometimes he forages mushrooms for their landlord in exchange for $25 per bucket. His mother has a full time job. The one time he doesn’t bring a basket of mushrooms to the landlord he tries to evict them??
- what happens to Eugene’s 6yo son? Wasn’t he in the house when Eugene dies, since Sonny’s mum was at work? Does he dies in the fire, if the fire is real? This kid is introduced randomly at some point and then forgotten by the end.
- Death explains to Sonny that he appears to him a the grim reaper, because that’s how the kid imagined death to look like… Why does an Icelandic man living in Iceland 1000 years ago see Death as Baba Yaga, when she comes from Slavic mythology/folklore?
- Sonny’s mum saying to Sonny to be careful where he leaves his “toys” when Terry (Eugene’s 6yo son) is around, because they can be dangerous… and by toys she means: an hourglass, a pair of MASSIVE GLASS SCISSORS and a candle 💀
- why do these kids not go to school? Have I missed something
- Did I misunderstand or was Jess taking her mother pills? She was swallowing one pill for every pill she was giving her mum, daily. Not sure what medication could a dementia patient be, but would that not have any consequences on a teenager?
- when Sonny finds his mum on her knees, covered in blood, one eye purple, “her nose looked broken”… they chat for a moment and then he tucked her on the sofa. No ice pack on the face, no trying to stop the blood… I’m guessing the nose wasn’t broken? The state of her face is never mentioned after this
- - -
Books I’d recommend instead:
- cosmic horror on grief: This thing between us by Gus Moreno
- Death as a character (poetic, sentimental and serious): The Book Thief or (satirical and philosophical): Mort by Terry Pratchett
- fantasy/horror coming of age that reads like a fairytale: The ocean at the end of the lane by Neil Gaiman
I was so excited, I started reading this today and read it in one sitting, witnessing a potential five star read dying in my arms.
There are some beautiful poetic lines, and I appreciate the moral questions this story tries to answer, but the characters behaved like caricatures, and the whole story felt rushed from the halfway point onwards.
- why does Jess see a massive black moth on her mother’s face, when the book explains that only who is dying can see Death? Was that just a gigantic moth not related to Death? Why including this scene? 🤔
- the protagonist is 13yo, and sometimes he forages mushrooms for their landlord in exchange for $25 per bucket. His mother has a full time job. The one time he doesn’t bring a basket of mushrooms to the landlord he tries to evict them??
- what happens to Eugene’s 6yo son? Wasn’t he in the house when Eugene dies, since Sonny’s mum was at work? Does he dies in the fire, if the fire is real? This kid is introduced randomly at some point and then forgotten by the end.
- Death explains to Sonny that he appears to him a the grim reaper, because that’s how the kid imagined death to look like… Why does an Icelandic man living in Iceland 1000 years ago see Death as Baba Yaga, when she comes from Slavic mythology/folklore?
- Sonny’s mum saying to Sonny to be careful where he leaves his “toys” when Terry (Eugene’s 6yo son) is around, because they can be dangerous… and by toys she means: an hourglass, a pair of MASSIVE GLASS SCISSORS and a candle 💀
- why do these kids not go to school? Have I missed something
- Did I misunderstand or was Jess taking her mother pills? She was swallowing one pill for every pill she was giving her mum, daily. Not sure what medication could a dementia patient be, but would that not have any consequences on a teenager?
- when Sonny finds his mum on her knees, covered in blood, one eye purple, “her nose looked broken”… they chat for a moment and then he tucked her on the sofa. No ice pack on the face, no trying to stop the blood… I’m guessing the nose wasn’t broken? The state of her face is never mentioned after this
- - -
Books I’d recommend instead:
- cosmic horror on grief: This thing between us by Gus Moreno
- Death as a character (poetic, sentimental and serious): The Book Thief or (satirical and philosophical): Mort by Terry Pratchett
- fantasy/horror coming of age that reads like a fairytale: The ocean at the end of the lane by Neil Gaiman
joy_ong's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
pink_moon96's review against another edition
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
2.75
audreysprinkleanna's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
There was an appropriate mixture of horror and humor. The frightening parts were so well done I could feel them. It was very imaginative and genre bending.