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A review by readingrobin
The Devil Aspect by Craig Russell
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The Devil Aspect is a book that's hard to put into words how to feel about it. There are so many layers to its Gothic atmosphere and the lingering malevolence you feel after turning that final page. It talks about the human capacity for violence and evil, the rise of facism in the late 1930s, the effect of superstition and mythology on our perception and rationalization of certain events, all while delivering a compelling and thrilling mystery. It's one of those mysteries where, if you play close attention, all the clues are there right before you, with a red herring or two thrown in for good measure. While I wasn't able to predict the exact outcome, once everything was revealed, I was able to say "Oh yeah, that makes sense." It's a puzzle you piece together without knowing the final image, only to nod in satisfaction when you're finally able to complete it.
I will admit, I'm not a fan of stories set in the World War II era, or even the years leading up to it, as I find them to be particularly one note and depressing. You're not going to find much levity or hope in this book, but Craig Russell did a great job of keeping the time frame as a sort of secondary setting rather than one that dominates the story. It feeds into the concept of evil being naturally drawn to the asylum housing the most sadistic and dangerous criminals, as well as giving context to the characters' opinions and values. It also leaves the reader with a sense of defeat towards the end, that, even though the story is over and evil has been exposed, there are still horrendous things coming for them. It's a dark place to leave the story, but it's definitely appropriate.
If you are a fan of dark thrillers and mysteries, you'll probably have a great time with this one. Just be aware that there is a lot of disturbing content, such as cannibalism, murder including children, discussion of pedophilia and rape, demonic goings on, discussions of eugenics, etc.
I will admit, I'm not a fan of stories set in the World War II era, or even the years leading up to it, as I find them to be particularly one note and depressing. You're not going to find much levity or hope in this book, but Craig Russell did a great job of keeping the time frame as a sort of secondary setting rather than one that dominates the story. It feeds into the concept of evil being naturally drawn to the asylum housing the most sadistic and dangerous criminals, as well as giving context to the characters' opinions and values. It also leaves the reader with a sense of defeat towards the end, that, even though the story is over and evil has been exposed, there are still horrendous things coming for them. It's a dark place to leave the story, but it's definitely appropriate.
If you are a fan of dark thrillers and mysteries, you'll probably have a great time with this one. Just be aware that there is a lot of disturbing content, such as cannibalism, murder including children, discussion of pedophilia and rape, demonic goings on, discussions of eugenics, etc.