Den Of Geek Book Club: The Devil’s Intern
Donna Hosie's The Devil's Intern builds a world that Kaci wants to return to, in this month's fiction book club choice...
I’m of two minds when it comes to this book. On the one hand, it has some captivating world building and most of the characters are interesting and likeable. On the other, I feel like it focuses on the wrong plot, if that makes sense. By that I mean that stories about not changing the past have been told over and over again, so the idea of not changing their deaths, however unfair, isn’t exactly new ground. The plot to deal with Hell’s overcrowding and get back at Up There, on the other hand…now that is something I am interested in reading about.
As far as the rest of it, I feel like there are too many plot holes for me to really get on board with the story. Why does Septimus do what he does? Why get involved? What was he hoping to accomplish? And why bother telling us about the plot Septimus and Sir are cooking up, only to never actually deal with it? Surely there was a simpler way of introducing the time travel aspect.
I also wish we’d spent more time dealing with Mitchell’s mom and brother. It all happens so quickly and then he’s over it. I’d like to actually deal with those emotions rather than have them pushed aside so quickly. Everything feels rushed towards the end, and it leaves things emotionally hollow in a way they weren’t in the first half.
All of this said, however, I would happily read a sequel to this book if one existed. I like the world building (the Skinwalkers are terrifying) and the characters and I’m fascinated by the way Hell and Up There seem to work (who even gets to go to Up There other than babies, anyway?). I’d love to see Sir’s plot actually play out. So like I said, I’m of two minds when it comes to this book. I’m unsatisfied by it, yet ultimately I want more of it.
Aliya will be back next with William Friedkin: Films Of Aberration, Obsession And Reality by Thomas D. Clagett. Until then, hit up the comments and let me know what you thought of The Devil’s Intern!
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