A review by pomoevareads
Devil Is Fine by John Vercher

challenging dark emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Having just finished reading Devil is Fine by John Vercher my feelings are complicated. I had expectations about what this book was about and it began solidly on that path until it didn’t and veered into magical realism. I found myself wondering what I had gotten myself into but then was also so drawn to the writing quality. I began to feel the paralysis and pain the narrator feels. Guilt for not having had conversations with his son before he died, finding himself talking to the ‘ghost’ of his son, and sharing his feelings of grief and guilt with others, all felt relatable to me. 

The story, in which an unnamed biracial narrator is grieving the recent loss of his seventeen year old son and who then inherits a plantation from his white mother’s side of the family, is told in a style that is very meta. A book within a book and a man within his ancestors. 

The metaphors and imagery were strong and vivid. My focus became more centred as the story continued with a fluid feeling. 

Overall, while I was expecting a story of identity and connection to colonialism, I wasn’t expecting it to be told in such a way but it all landed well and with success. 

Thank you to @celadonbooks and @netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinions. Devil is Fine publishes June 18, 2024. 
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