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A review by woahshereads
Devil Is Fine by John Vercher
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
2 Stars - I don't know I just didn't like it to be honest.
Devil Is Fine by John Vercher follows a biracial man who talks conversationally with his recently deceased teenage son with whom he had a difficult relationship with. Through these conversations, he seems to be losing himself to hallucinations, panic attacks, and sleep paralysis - not to mention he broke his years long sobriety and seemingly resorted to mixing medication with alcohol. If that wasn't enough? He inherits a plantation.
This had so much potential but the casual writing style made it hard to follow at times. The flashbacks were even more so difficult to understand, I wasn't sure who or where we even were in them. The main character is also insufferable, no wonder his "woke" teenage son didn't enjoy his company. It was hard to feel bad for the MMC when all I could think about was how his son deserved better but it was too late..which I think is maybe part of the point? But honestly, I couldn't tell you the point of this book.
I think I would have enjoyed this so much more if we spent more time in the subplots (jellyfish significance, maybe therapy for self-absorbed narcissistic men who desperately need it, difficult familial relationships AND RECOGNIZING THEM, inheriting a plantation as a biracial man in a town that wants no recognition of such thing, etc. Instead we spent way too much time in this man's subconscious.
At then end he turns into a jellyfish or he unalives himself, I am not sure which.
Thank you to the NetGalley team for the Advance Readers Copy!
Devil Is Fine by John Vercher follows a biracial man who talks conversationally with his recently deceased teenage son with whom he had a difficult relationship with. Through these conversations, he seems to be losing himself to hallucinations, panic attacks, and sleep paralysis - not to mention he broke his years long sobriety and seemingly resorted to mixing medication with alcohol. If that wasn't enough? He inherits a plantation.
This had so much potential but the casual writing style made it hard to follow at times. The flashbacks were even more so difficult to understand, I wasn't sure who or where we even were in them. The main character is also insufferable, no wonder his "woke" teenage son didn't enjoy his company. It was hard to feel bad for the MMC when all I could think about was how his son deserved better but it was too late..which I think is maybe part of the point? But honestly, I couldn't tell you the point of this book.
I think I would have enjoyed this so much more if we spent more time in the subplots (jellyfish significance, maybe therapy for self-absorbed narcissistic men who desperately need it, difficult familial relationships AND RECOGNIZING THEM, inheriting a plantation as a biracial man in a town that wants no recognition of such thing, etc. Instead we spent way too much time in this man's subconscious.
At then end he turns into a jellyfish or he unalives himself, I am not sure which.
Thank you to the NetGalley team for the Advance Readers Copy!