A review by screamdogreads
The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton

adventurous dark tense slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Every so often, a book comes along that consumes you. When you've finished it, you feel as if you've surrendered a piece of yourself to the book. You miss it, you miss the characters, the setting... You yearn for more, yet you're delighted at where the tale ended. That's what The Devil and the Dark Water is.

So this is how men go to the devil, he thought bitterly. Cap in hand and short of hope, all their prayers gone unanswered.

This genre defying, modern day murder mystery seamlessly blends devilry on the high seas, with an enigmatic detective duo, reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes. Pipps and Hayes are tasked with solving the unsolvable, capture the devil himself before he brings a ship and all of its occupants to ruin. Tackling the nature of belief and superstition, this book shows just easily man will prove himself the real devil when he's all out of options.

Immersive and inventive, Turton does a brilliant job of involving the reader in the story. This book blends and twists itself to become whatever the reader desires, be that a gothic mystery about making pacts with the devil, or a nautical tale of terror and desperation. The Devil and the Dark water is an expertly crafted masterpiece. 

As of writing this review, this is my second favorite book of 2020. Stuart Turton has wormed his way into my cold heart and made himself one of my favorite authors.