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A review by skywhales
Carter Beats the Devil by Glen David Gold
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
well! maybe i need to pick up more random books from the library because this was very very pleasantly surprising!
i've been really into the 1920s as of late for reasons (reasons are mostly tracy butler's lackadaisy, thanks for that) which was the main reason i picked this up but it wasn't exactly normally something i'd go for so part of me worried it'd be boring. but honestly? i was hooked. within the two categories of "books that i read to finish them" and "books that i read to find out what happens next" this fell largely in the latter category.
carter was very likable actually, i was kind of expecting him to be arrogant and a bit of an asshole but he was genuinely sweet, and i love characters who have a driving passion the way he does. i like that he's nice to kids and animals. i really loved his relationship with james. i am SUCH a sucker for loving yet realistic sibling relationships and their scenes together were so wonderful. also there's gay people in this book! i didn't even go in expecting that! just drawn to them i guess. the red necktie bit made me chuckle out loud (this book got like 3 audible laughs out of me which is pretty good tbh). i wish there were more women who weren't just someone's love interest but the women we got weren't too bad even if i do think they were kind of the weak spot of the book. rip annabelle, gone too soon. she'd be so disappointed to be the fridged wife. i liked her relationship with carter though. honestly i didn't like phoebe as much as annabelle and i couldn't really get a distinct read on her personality but the romance aspect of this book wasn't unbearable, it was sweet at times, which, you know, i'll accept.
this is relatively progressive for a book about the 1920s written in 2001? i mean they use the g slur a lot and "oriental" a couple times but the character who uses natives as props and cardboard villains in his act is the main antagonist and there are actual native characters who call him out for being a shithead which is. more than i'd expect from certain things today, tbh. and they were delightfully normal about the gay people.
i don't know a Lot about stage magic though i've read a good few books about it at this point and the technical mechanics flew over my head at certain times but i actually really enjoy reading fiction about stuff i don't know a lot about from the perspective of characters who do know a lot about it. i liked following carter's rise to glory and genuinely almost teared up at the ending which is like. WHAT! that alone is usually a certificate of quality from me.
genuinely might seek out this book to own it which is Nottt what i expected to come out of this reading experience! but it was honestly a delightful palate cleanser after the daughter of dr. moreau and just fucking fun to be honest! is this a romp? could i call this a romp?
i've been really into the 1920s as of late for reasons (reasons are mostly tracy butler's lackadaisy, thanks for that) which was the main reason i picked this up but it wasn't exactly normally something i'd go for so part of me worried it'd be boring. but honestly? i was hooked. within the two categories of "books that i read to finish them" and "books that i read to find out what happens next" this fell largely in the latter category.
carter was very likable actually, i was kind of expecting him to be arrogant and a bit of an asshole but he was genuinely sweet, and i love characters who have a driving passion the way he does. i like that he's nice to kids and animals. i really loved his relationship with james. i am SUCH a sucker for loving yet realistic sibling relationships and their scenes together were so wonderful. also there's gay people in this book! i didn't even go in expecting that! just drawn to them i guess. the red necktie bit made me chuckle out loud (this book got like 3 audible laughs out of me which is pretty good tbh). i wish there were more women who weren't just someone's love interest but the women we got weren't too bad even if i do think they were kind of the weak spot of the book.
this is relatively progressive for a book about the 1920s written in 2001? i mean they use the g slur a lot and "oriental" a couple times but the character who uses natives as props and cardboard villains in his act is the main antagonist and there are actual native characters who call him out for being a shithead which is. more than i'd expect from certain things today, tbh. and they were delightfully normal about the gay people.
i don't know a Lot about stage magic though i've read a good few books about it at this point and the technical mechanics flew over my head at certain times but i actually really enjoy reading fiction about stuff i don't know a lot about from the perspective of characters who do know a lot about it. i liked following carter's rise to glory and genuinely almost teared up at the ending which is like. WHAT! that alone is usually a certificate of quality from me.
genuinely might seek out this book to own it which is Nottt what i expected to come out of this reading experience! but it was honestly a delightful palate cleanser after the daughter of dr. moreau and just fucking fun to be honest! is this a romp? could i call this a romp?