Reviews - The Devil in America

79 reviews for:

The Devil in America

Kai Ashante Wilson

4.06 AVERAGE

zlwrites's review

4.0

Abrupt but bleak and damning.

courtcat's review against another edition

4.0

Graphic, but very compelling. Novella-length!

helenid's review against another edition

4.0

Warned against the devil, Easter ensures she only listens to the angels. Her mother warns her of their families fate, trying to keep her free; of the white folk and the African devils.

I probably should've listened to 'dad' at the end.

carmenghia's review

4.0

This book ends brutally. Short, but brutal.

I love the cover art so much, and it plays well with the story.

katewm's review

3.0

It seems like everyone loves this story - but I thought it was just okay? I mostly enjoyed the prose, but the story was confusing and jumped straight from boring to brutal. I still don't understand the actual plot (not for lack of trying). It's definitely ambitious, but I don't think he really pulled it off. Perhaps it's just not for me.

rach_reads1's review

3.0

Every year it’s one we hear about and God knows how many just the family mourns.

A really harrowing deeper meaning to this short story. There's some really well written characters and interesting African magic hinted at between quotes of terrible historical moments. The story itself is quite confusing as it jumps around and doesn't fully explain some things. Overall it's an incredibly sombre and thought provoking read.

bill_muganda's review

3.0

Click here to read the novella for free

Tor.com

Thank you tor for the free book.

Scant years after the Civil War, a mysterious family confronts the legacy that has pursued them across centuries, out of slavery, and finally to the idyllic peace of the town of Rosetree. The shattering consequences of this confrontation echo backwards and forwards in time, even to the present day.

This was one trippy, dark, unsettling little book... I wasn't expecting anything going into this book, I actually didn't want to know anything about the plot as the book is just over 100 pages. It was confusing at first as I was trying to settle into the writing style but once I did, the book got under my skin. Filled with African lore and mythology about the devil and emphasis on the importance of passing down generational tales and how they were destroyed by slavery just blew my mind. Kate Wilson truly understands her craft in regards to storytelling and shattering the reader's heart in such a limited space as well as making you think. I know I sound vague but the best way to experience and appreciate this little book is going into it blind.