Review of The Devil Pulls the Strings

[Khasheem]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Devil Pulls the Strings" by J. W. Zarek.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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The Devil Pulls the Strings is one of the best books I have read so far. Witty, engaging, and humourous to boot.

Boone Daniels, a young man whose hobby is participating in the renaissance fair, goes to New York at the behest of his best friend, Flynn Michaels. He wants him to play the role of lead singer in his place. What can Boone do but agree? So, off he goes to New York, only to discover that the city that never sleeps has much more hidden in plain sight than he ever thought was possible.

Boone goes across time and space, in and out of portals and elevators, to stop life as he knows it from crumbling at his feet. Along the way, we meet several characters, like Sapphire, the French ambassador’s daughter, who knows just enough to keep the plot going but not enough to solve it, along with Professor Wickham, who knows but doesn’t tell, and Detective Rizos, who only makes sense when he feels like it. Then we have a large supporting cast, who, at this point, mainly serve to amplify the insanity of the world Boone has stumbled into.

J.W. Zarek has perfected the book. The writing style is simple, but never once did it feel monotonous. The exposition was not heavy-handed, and I finished the whole book in one sitting. The plot unrolls itself with great finesse, several gasp-worthy foreshadowing moments, a witty sense of humour, and a strong understanding of interdimensional magic physics. I loved that part. The world-building is on point, and not once did I suspect that something did not belong in this world. It is immaculate. The creatures, the gods, assassins, prophecies, powers, spells, music, everything flows into each other seamlessly.

If I had a problem with this book, it would be the names. I really did think Flynn and Boone were brothers for three fourth of the book, but they aren’t. A little cameo from the members of Village Idiots would have been nice since we only meet them for a page or two.

I recommend this book to everyone who is looking for a fast-paced modern fantasy read. It goes double if you are a classical music fan or interested in Paganini. However, those who dislike reading descriptions of panic attacks, claustrophobia, and violence might want to stay away.

I loved the book for its plot, humour, pace, characters, and prose. The book is exceptionally well edited. For these reasons, I rate it four out of four stars.

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The Devil Pulls the Strings
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