A review by zrals
The Devils of Loudun by Aldous Huxley

challenging dark emotional informative reflective slow-paced

2.75

There are parts of The Devils of Loudun that are two-star, and parts that are four-star, so I'm giving it three stars to split the difference. When Huxley focuses on the historical scenario of Loudun in the early 17th century, and the people involved with the "possessions" in the town, Devils is a real historical page-turner with interesting characters in a strange circumstance. When Huxley waxes on about human nature in broad, universalizing terms, it's overly confident and boring, which is an unpleasant combination for a popular history. That said, when Huxley is on, his writing is drily funny and informative, with a striking amount of sympathy for some of the historical figures he focuses on. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Torture, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Chronic illness, Sexual violence, and Suicide attempt