Reviews with content warning for Gore - The Devil and the Dark Water

I read Stuart Turton's previous book, The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, a couple of years back, and found that the ending let it down for me (purely a matter of personal taste, it has a twist that didn't work for me but that I know a lot of other people love). However, I was still impressed by the ambitious and unique concept, and when I read the synopsis of The Devil and the Dark Water I found it also had an exciting premise (helped by the fact that it is heavily reminiscent of Return of the Obra Dinn, one of my favourite video games which also happens to feature a big mystery centred around a ship in a historical setting that sets out on a catastrophic journey that is plagued by potentially-supernatural happenings). So, I was more than willing to give the author another chance. And I'm glad that I did, because this was a really good mystery.

The setting of this book is executed brilliantly - you can really feel the growing tension on the ship as the rumours of a devil grow and become more frantic. The characters are all also really well written - I particularly really enjoyed the companionship that Sammy and Arent had. I also liked how Arent was the main "investigator" due to Sammy being imprisoned, it was an interesting subversion of the usual "detective & sidekick" trope.

I'm still trying to work out exactly how I feel about the ending - it was good but there were maybe a couple of details that I didn't quite pick up on throughout the book that I really should have in order for the reveals to have their intended impact. However, I will say that I did love how it kept me guessing, and how there were a number of little things that were slowly tied together as the truth came to be revealed. Overall, this was a great read, and I'll definitely be looking out for future books by Stuart Turton

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oliverlang's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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v171's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Michelle Obama voice: Stuart you have done it again, constantly raising the bar for us all, and doing it flawlessly.

I shouldn't be surprised that this was my first 2021 5 star read, but I'm just so blown away! I say it all the time, but I'm not big on murder mysteries, but this one really had everything, I don't know where to begin. The setting was so vivid and well developed. The atmosphere and culture of the world and setting was conveyed very naturally without blocks of exposition. The characters we were supposed to like were charming, and the characters we were supposed to hate were loathsome, but neither in a heavy handed way. I did find some of the dialogue to be a bit rushed and unnatural, but it was easy to look beyond. There were a few underlying themes around sexism and class disparity that were touched on in interesting ways. The author did a great job of painting a more... gritty? realistic?... picture of sailors than the oft romanticized versions we see today. This added to the danger and suspense for the female characters of the book, without using needless violence towards women as a tool for character development.

It goes without saying, but if you liked Evelyn Hardcastle, or if you like Agatha Christie-esque murder mysteries, you'll love this. I can't recommend it enough.

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yambooks's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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lilifane's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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tashadandelion's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny mysterious fast-paced

Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I don't even know where to start with this book. OK, I'll start with the quality of the writing mechanics -- smooth and readable, a page-turner's worth of fast-moving, byzantine plot. Then there's the actual plot itself -- completely impossible to guess where it's going, and the switchbacks on the road to the climax are dizzying and constant. In a word, this plot is BONKERS. No, you will never, ever guess it before the full insanity is unveiled to you, because it's intricate, complicated, and you're not given enough hints to figure it all out (maybe, like 25% of it you'll kind of-sort of have a suspicion about in all fairness but the rest? Nah.). So don't bother -- just read along and enjoy the rollercoaster. Oh, and if it bothers you when the author goes on and on about pockets in clothing in the early 17th century or people speak to each other using modern-day phrasing, just Stuff Those Feelings right down, because his afterword openly apologizes to people who care about such things and he admits to throwing out realistic details like that because, well, he feels like it. Points for the honesty and cutting us pedants off at the pass! Anyway, if you like intricate mysteries with a touch of historical weirdness, or maybe if you're just someone who really, really hates the people who hunted witches and demons in the 17th century, this book is totes for you. If you hate boats, avoid.

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