A review by darquedreamer
Diavola by Jennifer Marie Thorne

dark tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

This one was not what I expected after reading the synopsis. It had a super slow start. The first 15ish% was more like a contemporary family drama with the barest of sprinkles of ghostly intrigue. It picked up with the supernatural aspects and comedy around 20% but then quickly went back to dragging in pace and plot.

There wasn't nearly enough "haunted house" aspects as promised from the synopsis. The characters were vastly unlikeable, and I got more history and internal monologue about the main character's sex like than I cared to know. The ending barely made sense because the horror and ghost story didn't build at a steady enough pace.

I should have dnf'd it, but I kept expecting it to get better and make sense. The only thing I experienced from the synopsis was the "feelings of irritation." The true horror was found within the characters that were all horrible to each other.

Thanks for the e-arc Netgalley.