Review of The Devil Pulls the Strings

[Bakang Monyatsi 1]

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

---

3 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

After his best friend's near-death experience by his lance at a joust gone wrong. Boone Daniel makes him a promise on his death bed, to stand in for him at his band’s gig and travel to New York City to perform at the Ren Faire. There he is met by falling dead bodies and Sapphire Anjou who is professor Stone's assistant and the main act at the Ren Faire, together they are dragged into a world of magic and music; a century old feud between the Dragons and Nymphs and the Lavender and Roses societies. They uncover the truth behind the Ren Faire and have to work together to stop Sinti from summoning the devil and Baba Yaga from destroying New York City. But no one knows who Sinti is and nothing is as it seems. Will he be able to overcome his greatest fear?

Courage, tenacity, and loyalty are the words that come to mind when I think of the lessons derived from this book. Despite all the challenges thrown their way in a world they barely know anything about, Boone and Sapphire forge through it. Endangering their life to fight for what they believe is right and just.

In the devil pulls the strings, J. W. Zarek expertly combines the olden and modern days, magic and reality; creating a balanced atmosphere. With his creativity and word play he manages to vividly paint the picture in your mind and make you feel you are there experiencing what they are experiencing and feeling what they are feeling. The characters are relatable.

What I did not like about the book was the over use of onomatopoeias, it just ruined the pacing of the story and takes the reader out of the book all together. It is also a bit slow, there were plots that he dragged that I felt there was no need to drag and dwell much into them. That in turn made me want to skip a few pages just to read what happens next.

I give this book three out of four stars following the number of errors I found and the excessive use of onomatopoeic words which made the book a bit dull and look unprofessionally edited. Despite all of that it still managed to keep the reader entertained and engaged, a lower rating would not do it justice. If you are a young adult who is a lover of classical music, paranormal activities and ancient folklore history this one is for you.

******
The Devil Pulls the Strings
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon