Scan barcode
A review by betwixt_the_pages
Another Faust by Dina Nayeri, Daniel Nayeri
4.0
A devilish debut by a brother-sister team invites us into the world of the elite Marlowe School, where some gifted students are having a hell of a year.
One night, in cities all across Europe, five children vanish — only to appear, years later, at an exclusive New York party with a strange and elegant governess. Rumor and mystery follow the Faust teenagers to the city’s most prestigious high school, where they soar to suspicious heights with the help of their benefactor’s extraordinary "gifts." But as the students claw their way up — reading minds, erasing scenes, stopping time, stealing power, seducing with artificial beauty — they start to suffer the sideeffects of their own addictions. And as they make further deals with the devil, they uncover secrets more shocking than their most unforgivable sins. At once chilling and wickedly satirical, this contemporary reimagining of the Faustian bargain is a compelling tale of ambition, consequences, and ultimate redemption.
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Quick Reasons: retelling; quirky, imaginative world and characters; lots of action and suspense; some unforeseen plot twists; a good amount of giggle-worthy references and scenes; general high school drama
I read Dr. Faustus in college, and when I read the back of this novel and realized it was a sort-of-retelling of the same story as Faust and Mephistopheles, I knew I needed to read it; you don't see many retellings of that particular story, after all (at least, I don't think you do) and this one seemed especially intriguing.
The world building, while lacking in a few different distinct departments (for instance, I didn't really get a true sense of the setting, or how the magic came about—apart from the fact that Mephistopheles, as a minion of the devil, has the ability to take and receive “gifts” on a whim), the characters are thoroughly explored, the story is well-researched, and the modern day setting brings a subtle sense of paranormal WRONG that just feels so, so right.
There are characters you will love immediately, characters you won't be certain of until much later on, and characters you will love at first...and find you loathe at the end. The writing, while simplistic, has some GORGEOUS moments nonetheless—profound and wisened quotes that I will be thinking about for a long time to come.
And for being a brother/sister collaboration, this story is pretty seamless—I couldn't for certain tell you where one sibling ended and the other picked up at any given moment, for instance. It's as if they mind-melded...and found a balance between the both of their styles. An intriguing—and difficult!--feat to accomplish, for sure.
While this isn't my favorite retelling (I've read others this year a bit less confusing overall, a bit more intriguing), I enjoyed the read immensely, and found myself caught off-guard at several of the biggest plot twists. A definite must-read for lovers of Faust, Dr. Faustus, and Mephistopheles stories; this book will make you reconsider what it means to “sell your soul”...because it's something you do every day. Always.
One night, in cities all across Europe, five children vanish — only to appear, years later, at an exclusive New York party with a strange and elegant governess. Rumor and mystery follow the Faust teenagers to the city’s most prestigious high school, where they soar to suspicious heights with the help of their benefactor’s extraordinary "gifts." But as the students claw their way up — reading minds, erasing scenes, stopping time, stealing power, seducing with artificial beauty — they start to suffer the sideeffects of their own addictions. And as they make further deals with the devil, they uncover secrets more shocking than their most unforgivable sins. At once chilling and wickedly satirical, this contemporary reimagining of the Faustian bargain is a compelling tale of ambition, consequences, and ultimate redemption.
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Quick Reasons: retelling; quirky, imaginative world and characters; lots of action and suspense; some unforeseen plot twists; a good amount of giggle-worthy references and scenes; general high school drama
I read Dr. Faustus in college, and when I read the back of this novel and realized it was a sort-of-retelling of the same story as Faust and Mephistopheles, I knew I needed to read it; you don't see many retellings of that particular story, after all (at least, I don't think you do) and this one seemed especially intriguing.
The world building, while lacking in a few different distinct departments (for instance, I didn't really get a true sense of the setting, or how the magic came about—apart from the fact that Mephistopheles, as a minion of the devil, has the ability to take and receive “gifts” on a whim), the characters are thoroughly explored, the story is well-researched, and the modern day setting brings a subtle sense of paranormal WRONG that just feels so, so right.
There are characters you will love immediately, characters you won't be certain of until much later on, and characters you will love at first...and find you loathe at the end. The writing, while simplistic, has some GORGEOUS moments nonetheless—profound and wisened quotes that I will be thinking about for a long time to come.
And for being a brother/sister collaboration, this story is pretty seamless—I couldn't for certain tell you where one sibling ended and the other picked up at any given moment, for instance. It's as if they mind-melded...and found a balance between the both of their styles. An intriguing—and difficult!--feat to accomplish, for sure.
While this isn't my favorite retelling (I've read others this year a bit less confusing overall, a bit more intriguing), I enjoyed the read immensely, and found myself caught off-guard at several of the biggest plot twists. A definite must-read for lovers of Faust, Dr. Faustus, and Mephistopheles stories; this book will make you reconsider what it means to “sell your soul”...because it's something you do every day. Always.