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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
mysterious
tense
I was so excited for The Devil and the Dark Water following Evelyn Hardcastle (one of my favorite mystery books of all time), but unfortunately, this book felt like a giant waste of my time. I listened to the audio and there were several moments where I wondered if I had zoned out or accidentally skipped a chapter, but no, the pacing is just confused after about the halfway mark. This is especially upsetting after a compelling start, but unfortunately, the narrative jumps around in a way that is too jarring to feel settled in any one scene. The second half felt so rushed that I ultimately wish I’d DNFed this book.
Side note: don’t believe other reviewers boasting this as “Sherlock Holmes meets Pirates of the Caribbean,” as these comp titles imply there’s a grand amount of swashbuckling action. It’s more just...Sherlock on a boat, mostly, with a dash of Agatha Christie. Except Sherlock isn’t around so Watson has to figure out how to hold his own for once. If you’re looking for a similar vibe to this book, I recommend the detective video game Return of the Obra Dinn.
Side note: don’t believe other reviewers boasting this as “Sherlock Holmes meets Pirates of the Caribbean,” as these comp titles imply there’s a grand amount of swashbuckling action. It’s more just...Sherlock on a boat, mostly, with a dash of Agatha Christie. Except Sherlock isn’t around so Watson has to figure out how to hold his own for once. If you’re looking for a similar vibe to this book, I recommend the detective video game Return of the Obra Dinn.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
tense
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Animal death, Domestic abuse
Minor: Torture
medium-paced
Another great twisty mystery novel. In classic Turin style, there are a wide array of characters, so grab your notebook or refer to the book’s inside cover to help you keep track. I didn’t know who did it or how they did it until it was revealed near the end. As with his other books, I was left replaying events and making connections and having aha moments for hours after I finished. Highly recommend!
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Prose was extremely uninspiring. The resolution didn't feel sufficiently built to or hinted at, and also in many ways did not feel unique enough for me to feel satisfied. The characters did not personally grip me. One boon is that the chapters are very short and every one of them contains some significant events or twist that provides some motivation to keep going. Personally, I should have shelved it 1/3 through.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape
It’s the curse of powerful men to heed only their own voices.
Delightful characters and a grim maritime ambience. Though this isn’t as memorable as Turton’s The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, it’s still very good and I look forward to him writing more novels in the future.
Spoiler
The story has a mostly depressing view of human nature, but the turn at the end where the heroes convince their deceptive former friends to join up, atone for past crimes, and Use Their Powers For Good™ definitely made me smile.(crosspost)