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A review by lolalastname
Satan's Affair by H.D. Carlton
dark
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
0.5
In both Haunting Adeline and Hunting Adeline, Sibby’s presence in the narrative felt odd and out of place. Though I didn’t have high expectations going into Satan’s Affair, I had the tiniest sliver of hope that this novella would make sense of her character. Boy, was I wrong.
To put it plainly, I don’t know why this novella exists. Many fans of the series urge newcomers to read Satan’s Affair before reading Haunting Adeline “to avoid spoiling the twist.” I disagree. The novella was published between the release of books 1 and 2- long after Haunting’s social media virality. The “twist” isn’t a twist at all, simply Sibby’s most identifiable trait (and the punchline of every scene she’s in). The upcoming 2 novels starring Sibby as the lead render Satans Affair little more than a rushed exposition dump.
The most damning strike against Satan’s Affair is its own prose. While Sibby’s point of view is a nice break from Adeline and Zade’s grating internal monologue, it comes with its own problems. I tried and failed not to notice the writer behind the curtain, but the authors overwhelming presence in the narration completely broke my immersion in the story. I didn’t read Sibby’s thoughts and feelings- the writer told them to me, and explained exactly how to feel about them. The constant shift between first person present and past tense at random intervals was also extremely distracting.
Even though Satan’s Affair is full to the brim with blood, guts, and gore , it lacks the tooth and grit needed to get me to buy what it’s selling.
To put it plainly, I don’t know why this novella exists. Many fans of the series urge newcomers to read Satan’s Affair before reading Haunting Adeline “to avoid spoiling the twist.” I disagree. The novella was published between the release of books 1 and 2- long after Haunting’s social media virality. The “twist” isn’t a twist at all, simply Sibby’s most identifiable trait (and the punchline of every scene she’s in). The upcoming 2 novels starring Sibby as the lead render Satans Affair little more than a rushed exposition dump.
The most damning strike against Satan’s Affair is its own prose. While Sibby’s point of view is a nice break from Adeline and Zade’s grating internal monologue, it comes with its own problems. I tried and failed not to notice the writer behind the curtain, but the authors overwhelming presence in the narration completely broke my immersion in the story. I didn’t read Sibby’s thoughts and feelings- the writer told them to me, and explained exactly how to feel about them. The constant shift between first person present and past tense at random intervals was also extremely distracting.
Even though Satan’s Affair is full to the brim with blood, guts, and gore , it lacks the tooth and grit needed to get me to buy what it’s selling.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Death, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Police brutality, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Antisemitism, Misogyny, Body horror, Death of parent, Ableism, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, Cursing, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Incest, Slavery, Infidelity, Infertility, Trafficking, and Miscarriage