Review of The Devil Pulls the Strings
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Vilja Puustinen
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- Latest Review: The Devil Pulls the Strings by J. W. Zarek
Review of The Devil Pulls the Strings
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Devil Pulls the Strings" by J. W. Zarek.]
When Boone Daniels almost kills his best friend, Flynn, in a joust at a renaissance fair, Boone promises to take Flynn’s place in a very important gig for Flynn’s band, The Village Idiots. When Boone goes to New York to meet up with Professor Stone before the gig, he runs into Sapphire, Professor Stone’s assistant, and together they are almost hit by Professor Stone’s dead body. As they try to run away, they end up in the middle of a centuries long feud between mystical societies, and Boone discovers, that he has played an important part much longer than he realizes.
The Devil Pulls the Strings by J. W. Zarek is a fast paced, interesting read, with vivid descriptions and a lot of action, so these 230 pages go by in a flash. Boone Daniels has synesthesia, possible due to an accident involving a horse when he was younger, and this leads to many great and funny descriptions of scenes and environments. The story leads Boone to hidden societies, governed by mystical laws and beings. The secret societies are well planned out with complex histories and goals. This gives a great foundation for further books in this series, where we can explore this universe further. The story takes a lot of inspiration from folklore and myths, where one of many examples is Baba Yaga from Slavic folklore. The time travelling sequences are also a very interesting way to bring 19th century history to the rest of the story, that is taking place today. It was very fun when I discovered that the rumors about Paganini and the devil, that features in the book, are very much real rumors from that time.
As mentioned, the book introduces a very evolved mystical world. With Boone’s visions, time travelling and quantum tunneling, there is a lot to keep track of, at the same time as you are being introduced to new societies. It helps that Boone is also new to a lot of it and things are explained to him and the reader along the way. However, it was a bit much at times and I ended up having to reread some parts to make sure I understood.
Even though, the book was at times confusing, I give this book a 4 out of 4 stars. A complex world indicates a more interesting book, and this really is an interesting book. The book was a joy to read, and I loved how the story builds on different mythologies and drags inspiration from anything fantasy related. I could not find any errors and the book appears to be exceptionally well edited.
I recommend this book to everyone who loves fantasy. I believe the book will have a special place in the hearts of music lovers, and with a special treat to those who love renaissance fairs and folklore.
******
The Devil Pulls the Strings
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
When Boone Daniels almost kills his best friend, Flynn, in a joust at a renaissance fair, Boone promises to take Flynn’s place in a very important gig for Flynn’s band, The Village Idiots. When Boone goes to New York to meet up with Professor Stone before the gig, he runs into Sapphire, Professor Stone’s assistant, and together they are almost hit by Professor Stone’s dead body. As they try to run away, they end up in the middle of a centuries long feud between mystical societies, and Boone discovers, that he has played an important part much longer than he realizes.
The Devil Pulls the Strings by J. W. Zarek is a fast paced, interesting read, with vivid descriptions and a lot of action, so these 230 pages go by in a flash. Boone Daniels has synesthesia, possible due to an accident involving a horse when he was younger, and this leads to many great and funny descriptions of scenes and environments. The story leads Boone to hidden societies, governed by mystical laws and beings. The secret societies are well planned out with complex histories and goals. This gives a great foundation for further books in this series, where we can explore this universe further. The story takes a lot of inspiration from folklore and myths, where one of many examples is Baba Yaga from Slavic folklore. The time travelling sequences are also a very interesting way to bring 19th century history to the rest of the story, that is taking place today. It was very fun when I discovered that the rumors about Paganini and the devil, that features in the book, are very much real rumors from that time.
As mentioned, the book introduces a very evolved mystical world. With Boone’s visions, time travelling and quantum tunneling, there is a lot to keep track of, at the same time as you are being introduced to new societies. It helps that Boone is also new to a lot of it and things are explained to him and the reader along the way. However, it was a bit much at times and I ended up having to reread some parts to make sure I understood.
Even though, the book was at times confusing, I give this book a 4 out of 4 stars. A complex world indicates a more interesting book, and this really is an interesting book. The book was a joy to read, and I loved how the story builds on different mythologies and drags inspiration from anything fantasy related. I could not find any errors and the book appears to be exceptionally well edited.
I recommend this book to everyone who loves fantasy. I believe the book will have a special place in the hearts of music lovers, and with a special treat to those who love renaissance fairs and folklore.
******
The Devil Pulls the Strings
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: The Devil Pulls the Strings by J. W. Zarek
