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A review by justinkhchen
Diavola by Jennifer Thorne
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
4.25
Delightfully evolved into something unexpected, judging by its creepy cover, I was expecting Diavola to be dark and atmospheric — a 'serious' horror novel. So as the story progressed, I was taken aback (in a good way) by the gradual emergence of its manic humor. If you don't want comedy in your horror, this will likely throw you off, but the combo totally subverted my expectation and worked.
Kudos to Jennifer Marie Thorne for creating this cast of memorable characters: the protagonist is flawed but completely relatable (such a Millennial!) — we also happened to share a similar profession; the bit regarding hot dog killed me in its absurdity and accuracy. And the family members surrounding her are fully rendered as people I love to hate (I wouldn't have mind one bit if the novel gave them even worse outcome by the end).
Diavola ended up delivering what I wanted, and more — the European haunted house vibe was spot on, the addition of an over-the-top dysfunctional family drama, and the almost 'buddy comedy' feel towards the end really made this a great summer horror read. I listened to the excellently narrated audiobook, which further added to the immersion.
**The Book Troop Book Club May 2024 Selection**
Kudos to Jennifer Marie Thorne for creating this cast of memorable characters: the protagonist is flawed but completely relatable (such a Millennial!) — we also happened to share a similar profession; the bit regarding hot dog killed me in its absurdity and accuracy. And the family members surrounding her are fully rendered as people I love to hate (I wouldn't have mind one bit if the novel gave them even worse outcome by the end).
Diavola ended up delivering what I wanted, and more — the European haunted house vibe was spot on, the addition of an over-the-top dysfunctional family drama, and the almost 'buddy comedy' feel towards the end really made this a great summer horror read. I listened to the excellently narrated audiobook, which further added to the immersion.
**The Book Troop Book Club May 2024 Selection**