Reviews

Doubleday, are you fucking kidding me? Why are you publishing this? One villain is a woman of color, described in the most despicable stereotypical language; the other is disfigured . Women are "broken," and "icy" and "glacial," particularly queer ones. The author apparently also has a thing for penis length, as readers are exposed to a number of references about it. This book is racist, misogynist, and appalling. Oh, and it gets a ton of info on early film history wrong, too.

Readers, want a book about silent film and the occult that doesn't include all of thus utter garbage? I recommend Silvia Moreno'Garcia's Silver Nitrate, which is brilliant.

2000kzkz's review

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4.0

This book had a slow start and I was confused at some points (I blame that on how fast I was reading), but wow was this a story. I was kept guessing the entire time on who everyone’s real identities were and how everything was related. It was a great book with a fantastic ending.

sammarcario's review

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challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

theduchess93's review against another edition

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5.0

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

WOW this was a compelling read! There were definitely some cringey men-writing-women bits, but the atmosphere and world-building made up for it. Clearly this author did his research on this period of film history and Hollywood! The "lost" film itself was described in such a visceral, haunting way that I felt like I'd watched it myself. The final plot twist was a bit predictable, but the journey there made it worth it.

zenzi2read's review

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dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.25

Content Warnings

cathyatratedreads's review

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4.0

This mystery hops between two time periods but is primarily set in 1920s Hollywood. It goes back to a few earlier ones as well, filling out the dark and very well-hidden back stories of some dangerous players. It’s a period piece, transporting readers to a glamorous time in old Hollywood just before “talkies” started being made. It’s a thriller, in which danger lurks in every corner; it has elements of horror and the supernatural, with women who practice some shady/dark arts.
I enjoyed the journey through the eras and the mystery, as the very capable heroine tried to uncover the truth in what became an increasingly odd and unsettling case. Satisfying.

Read my full review, including a rating for content, at RatedReads.com: https://ratedreads.com/devils-playground-mystery-horror-book/

*I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

richtate's review against another edition

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dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.75

This is a wonderful book for fans of early silent cinema and the crossover into the talkies. The story is awfully niche although well researched and full of Easter eggs.

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