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A review by jessferg
Carter Beats the Devil by Glen David Gold
4.0
I've read this twice, 12 years apart. I had forgotten the details but still think this is as good a book as I did in 2001.
It reads like a thriller - good pacing, some suspense - but the writing takes it's time and is beautifully done. A few characters aren't fleshed out enough but you still get a good sense of their assets and flaws which allows the plot to carry out believably.
I know nothing about magic and found that part a lot of fun, and it is a lot of the book, but I am sure even an amateur magician will see many flaws as the author himself admits no one should use his escape scenes as a plan. A fun read but definitely higher on the literary scale than one would expect.
I seem to remember that when I read this in 2001 it was about the same time I read The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay and I thought there were some similarities in the writing and contexts so I guess I'll recommend it to Chabon fans but I also think fans of general historical fiction will find this amusing.
It reads like a thriller - good pacing, some suspense - but the writing takes it's time and is beautifully done. A few characters aren't fleshed out enough but you still get a good sense of their assets and flaws which allows the plot to carry out believably.
I know nothing about magic and found that part a lot of fun, and it is a lot of the book, but I am sure even an amateur magician will see many flaws as the author himself admits no one should use his escape scenes as a plan. A fun read but definitely higher on the literary scale than one would expect.
I seem to remember that when I read this in 2001 it was about the same time I read The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay and I thought there were some similarities in the writing and contexts so I guess I'll recommend it to Chabon fans but I also think fans of general historical fiction will find this amusing.