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A review by pomegranatepanacea
The Devil's Detective by Simon Kurt Unsworth
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Definitely not a feel-good read, but a thoroughly enjoyable one. The action is tense and is one of my favorite aspects of the story. It is very violent and profane, and there are vivid descriptions of dead bodies. If that is upsetting to you, then I don't recommend it.
The mystery is well-written as well, in my opinion. There is enough information that a reader could figure things out before Fool if they are paying attention, but not so much that Fool seems stupid.
Something that irked me was the descriptions of masses of bodies; they usually (if not always) mention exclusively pale, white, pinkish skin tones. I don't recall any characters being non-white, and definitely not a named character.
The story is miserable and many people die in it, but it is a misery that I enjoyed.
The mystery is well-written as well, in my opinion. There is enough information that a reader could figure things out before Fool if they are paying attention, but not so much that Fool seems stupid.
Something that irked me was the descriptions of masses of bodies; they usually (if not always) mention exclusively pale, white, pinkish skin tones. I don't recall any characters being non-white, and definitely not a named character.
The story is miserable and many people die in it, but it is a misery that I enjoyed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, and Excrement
Moderate: Child death, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, and Grief
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content