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ellelainey's review
5.0
Book – The Devil You Know
Author – Camilla Quinn
Star rating - ★★★★★
No. of Pages – 91
Cover – Creepy!
POV – 3rd person, multi-POV, present tense
Would I read it again – Yes!
Genre – LGBT, Assassin, Contemporary
Content Warning – memories of violence, kidnap, torture, dissociative identity disorder
** COPY RECEIVED THROUGH NETGALLEY **
This was a refreshing and original take on the whole assassin/mafia enforcer theme.
Present tense is usually not my friend, but I really liked how it was used here to provide a more intimate view of the personalities at play. The characters were both real and slightly typical of the mafia genre, well developed and explored, without any kind of info dump for back stories. I loved the father/daughter dynamics between Tom and Jessie; the chemistry between Tom/the Devil and Doro. The POV was split between all of the main characters – Tom and his split personality, the Devil; Jessie; and Doro. They all got to show their own thoughts and experiences, which really helped explore the delicate dynamics between them all. It also helped with the isolation of the location, making the story much more character and plot focused. I particularly loved the bit about using Christmas music as torture.
Overall, it was a great exploration of the genre, with originality and great characters. I'd love to read more with these characters, but I also really love the perfectly ambiguous and HFN ending.
~
Favourite Quote
“His instructors used to speak of this man, spun of flames and nightmares. They spoke of his violence, his ingenuity, his insight. He used to think they exaggerated.
As he drifts into the darkness, he realized they did not.”
Author – Camilla Quinn
Star rating - ★★★★★
No. of Pages – 91
Cover – Creepy!
POV – 3rd person, multi-POV, present tense
Would I read it again – Yes!
Genre – LGBT, Assassin, Contemporary
Content Warning – memories of violence, kidnap, torture, dissociative identity disorder
** COPY RECEIVED THROUGH NETGALLEY **
This was a refreshing and original take on the whole assassin/mafia enforcer theme.
Present tense is usually not my friend, but I really liked how it was used here to provide a more intimate view of the personalities at play. The characters were both real and slightly typical of the mafia genre, well developed and explored, without any kind of info dump for back stories. I loved the father/daughter dynamics between Tom and Jessie; the chemistry between Tom/the Devil and Doro. The POV was split between all of the main characters – Tom and his split personality, the Devil; Jessie; and Doro. They all got to show their own thoughts and experiences, which really helped explore the delicate dynamics between them all. It also helped with the isolation of the location, making the story much more character and plot focused. I particularly loved the bit about using Christmas music as torture.
Overall, it was a great exploration of the genre, with originality and great characters. I'd love to read more with these characters, but I also really love the perfectly ambiguous and HFN ending.
~
Favourite Quote
“His instructors used to speak of this man, spun of flames and nightmares. They spoke of his violence, his ingenuity, his insight. He used to think they exaggerated.
As he drifts into the darkness, he realized they did not.”
melaniebopp's review
Please tell me this novella has a sequel! The reader follows the story of Tom the former assassin/interrogator with his daughter and Doro the new assassin sent to kill him. Not exciting enough for you? Oh, I forgot to mention - Tom has disassociative identity disorder, an inner (and sometimes outer) persona he refers to as the Devil.
I was surprised at how fleshed out the characters were with only about 28K words. Dreams became well-integrated flashbacks, conversations between Tom and his Devil helped flesh out his inner demons (so to speak), and Tom's daughter's presence brings a lightness to the whole story without diffusing the tension.
It's not a romance, not really, but there is a subtle hint that suggests there's something more. And that something leaves the reader wanting more.
Fair warning - there is violence, but it's not gratuitously so. That said, if depictions of violence are a problem for you, you may want to give it a pass.
I was surprised at how fleshed out the characters were with only about 28K words. Dreams became well-integrated flashbacks, conversations between Tom and his Devil helped flesh out his inner demons (so to speak), and Tom's daughter's presence brings a lightness to the whole story without diffusing the tension.
It's not a romance, not really, but there is a subtle hint that suggests there's something more. And that something leaves the reader wanting more.
Fair warning - there is violence, but it's not gratuitously so. That said, if depictions of violence are a problem for you, you may want to give it a pass.
thequeerbookish's review
4.0
Actual rating: 3.5
Why isn't there more?!
I really enjoyed reading The Devil You Know. If it weren't as short, there would have been the potential of a 5 star rating. Sadly it is rather short and therefore it feels a little bit rushed at times.
I would have loved to dive even further into Tom's head, his past and his DID. I can't tell you how realistic and sensitive this is handled though because I'm not ownvoices. But I can tell you that it isn't wrongly called schizophrenia like it is so often found in media and in everyday use.
The way Tom and The Devil 'interact' (for a lack of better word right now) with each other and with other people was really captivating.
I didn't connect as strongly with Doro and Tom's daughter (I should have written down her name somewhere), but I was still interested in them. I was a little bit baffled at times about Doro's reactions about Tom but if we get a better look into his past and a in detail development between them? No more doubts on my side about this. (It would be too spoilery to tell you what exactly I mean if you haven't read this book).
I don't know why this was labelled as a romance on NetGalley though. There is the potential of one in a sequel - if there ever is one - but in The Devil You Know there is none. But maybe it would be rather a dark romance?
Please let there be a sequel? I need a sequel.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.
Why isn't there more?!
I really enjoyed reading The Devil You Know. If it weren't as short, there would have been the potential of a 5 star rating. Sadly it is rather short and therefore it feels a little bit rushed at times.
I would have loved to dive even further into Tom's head, his past and his DID. I can't tell you how realistic and sensitive this is handled though because I'm not ownvoices. But I can tell you that it isn't wrongly called schizophrenia like it is so often found in media and in everyday use.
The way Tom and The Devil 'interact' (for a lack of better word right now) with each other and with other people was really captivating.
I didn't connect as strongly with Doro and Tom's daughter (I should have written down her name somewhere), but I was still interested in them. I was a little bit baffled at times about Doro's reactions about Tom but if we get a better look into his past and a in detail development between them? No more doubts on my side about this. (It would be too spoilery to tell you what exactly I mean if you haven't read this book).
I don't know why this was labelled as a romance on NetGalley though. There is the potential of one in a sequel - if there ever is one - but in The Devil You Know there is none. But maybe it would be rather a dark romance?
Please let there be a sequel? I need a sequel.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.
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