Review of The Devil Pulls the Strings
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Fiona Kemm
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Review of The Devil Pulls the Strings
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Devil Pulls the Strings" by J. W. Zarek.]
The Devil Pulls the Strings by J. W. Zarek is the epitome of beautiful chaos, with an exceedingly lively and fast paced plot. We follow as the protagonist, Boone Daniels, embarks on an unexpected adventure into an ancient war between two mysterious societies. The journey is fraught with things that go bump in the night, from the fantasy of the Renaissance Fair to the beauty of yesteryear.
Boone Daniels leaves a small town in Missouri to replace his injured friend as the lead singer of a band called the Village Idiots, as they play in their biggest gig yet in New York. At least that’s what Boone thinks he's there to do. Encountering dangerous immortals and taxi cabs you pay for with a song, Boone and his new-found friend Sapphire attempt to unravel a murder mystery.
This book was a really fun read and allowed me to rediscover my love of the chaotic and energetic plot lines often found in fantasy novels. There was almost never a moment of peace for the characters; there was always a new problem or avenue to explore. As the reader, you begin the story just as clueless and confused as Boone, which makes his journey all the more gripping. By doing this, J. W. Zarek draws the mind in and doesn’t release you until the final word. Finally, I loved how J.W. Zarek integrated existing folklore, like Baba Yaga and the Wendigo, into his writing. This added depth to The Devil Pulls the Strings and a sense of continuity with some established myths and legends.
On the other hand, I felt that Boone Daniels could have benefited from more emotional depth, especially in how he deals with anger and grief on page 241. Boone appeared to be very unbothered here when you would expect a more visceral reaction. I will not quote this section as it contains some major spoilers, but the writing style felt almost juvenile and absolutely killed the flow of the story for me.
Overall, I would give The Devil Pulls the Strings 4 out of 5 stars; for the most part, the writing was excellent, and the story was fascinating. J. W. Zarek was able to keep me engaged throughout with this captivating yet chaotic tale. I deducted one star because of the lack of emotional depth in Boone Daniels.
I would recommend this book to young adults or anyone who enjoys a good but brief fantasy novel to entertain them. The Devil Pulls the Strings is an eclectic mix of all fictional genres that manages to strike a good balance without appearing too bizarre. Anyone who loves to read but often has trouble maintaining focus enough to finish the story could absolutely dive into this one. There was enough happening at each moment that I barely noticed time fly as I read it.
******
The Devil Pulls the Strings
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The Devil Pulls the Strings by J. W. Zarek is the epitome of beautiful chaos, with an exceedingly lively and fast paced plot. We follow as the protagonist, Boone Daniels, embarks on an unexpected adventure into an ancient war between two mysterious societies. The journey is fraught with things that go bump in the night, from the fantasy of the Renaissance Fair to the beauty of yesteryear.
Boone Daniels leaves a small town in Missouri to replace his injured friend as the lead singer of a band called the Village Idiots, as they play in their biggest gig yet in New York. At least that’s what Boone thinks he's there to do. Encountering dangerous immortals and taxi cabs you pay for with a song, Boone and his new-found friend Sapphire attempt to unravel a murder mystery.
This book was a really fun read and allowed me to rediscover my love of the chaotic and energetic plot lines often found in fantasy novels. There was almost never a moment of peace for the characters; there was always a new problem or avenue to explore. As the reader, you begin the story just as clueless and confused as Boone, which makes his journey all the more gripping. By doing this, J. W. Zarek draws the mind in and doesn’t release you until the final word. Finally, I loved how J.W. Zarek integrated existing folklore, like Baba Yaga and the Wendigo, into his writing. This added depth to The Devil Pulls the Strings and a sense of continuity with some established myths and legends.
On the other hand, I felt that Boone Daniels could have benefited from more emotional depth, especially in how he deals with anger and grief on page 241. Boone appeared to be very unbothered here when you would expect a more visceral reaction. I will not quote this section as it contains some major spoilers, but the writing style felt almost juvenile and absolutely killed the flow of the story for me.
Overall, I would give The Devil Pulls the Strings 4 out of 5 stars; for the most part, the writing was excellent, and the story was fascinating. J. W. Zarek was able to keep me engaged throughout with this captivating yet chaotic tale. I deducted one star because of the lack of emotional depth in Boone Daniels.
I would recommend this book to young adults or anyone who enjoys a good but brief fantasy novel to entertain them. The Devil Pulls the Strings is an eclectic mix of all fictional genres that manages to strike a good balance without appearing too bizarre. Anyone who loves to read but often has trouble maintaining focus enough to finish the story could absolutely dive into this one. There was enough happening at each moment that I barely noticed time fly as I read it.
******
The Devil Pulls the Strings
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: High Crimes Against the Crown by Patrick DeVaney
