Review of The Devil Pulls the Strings

[Elize Vermaak]

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

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5 out of 5 stars

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Boone Daniels is a musician from a small town in Missouri, who participates in Ren Faires along with his best friend, Flynn Michaels. The creator of the band the Village Idiots. In a jousting accident, Boone injures Flynn which lands him in hospital. With the Village Idiots scheduled for a gig in New York City, Flynn asks Boone to promise to stand in for him at the gig. Boone’s life is about to change forever based on a single promise to his best friend. From Secret Societies to Magic and murder, including the beautiful Miss Sapphire Anjou with her porkpie hat and violin. Does the Devil really pull the strings or is it all just imaginary…?

The Devil Pulls the Strings is one of the best supernatural fiction books I have read in a long time. The scenes are fast paced with just enough description to keep you captivated and curious, without dragging it on with filler phrases and scenes. It is evident that the author did extensive research on folklore before he created the characters and landmarks described in the book. The characters have their own personalities and unique characteristics, from the way they speak to their own experiences and opinions. I love how each character subtlety change and grow throughout the book. Even the creatures are well thought through and used strategically in key scenes.

The protagonist has visions and struggles with anxiety brought on by his synesthesia and eidetic memory along with his childhood trauma. These characteristics make him relatable and his struggles real. It is very endearing how his new friend assists him with coping techniques and assistance from a very unlikely source to ensure the protagonist is equipped to venture into his new journey. The violent scenes are written so well that it is not gruesome, even the faint of heart can get through it, but descriptive enough that you can follow the altercations in your mind’s eye. I find the balance between the supernatural and the mundane was exceptionally well written, including the explanations on the quantum tunnels, pocket dimensions and Boone’s inflictions.

Even though I was a little disappointed that the protagonist didn’t have visions throughout the storyline, the few in the beginning of the book complimented the scenes where the visions either come true or where the protagonist understood what they meant and what needs to be done. I am giving a well-deserved rating of 5 out of 5. This book is exceptionally well edited, with two grammar errors that I noticed throughout the book and contains only two instances where a profane word was used.

J.W. Zarek authored a well written book with interesting strong characters and a great storyline that keeps you wondering what is going to happen next. I strongly recommend this book for readers who love the supernatural and magical aspect of fiction.

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The Devil Pulls the Strings
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[Ben Madeley]

I really like the sound of this book, it comes across as being absolutely fascinating with a lot of different elements in it.