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Der raffinierte Mr. Scratch
John Scratch ist der berühmteste Fernsehmoderator der Welt. Vor laufenden Kameras klingelt er an einem Haus, in dem ein glücklich verheiratetes Paar lebt. Als die beiden ihm öffnen, sagt er: "Sie bekommen 10.000.000 Dollar, wenn Sie sich jetzt trennen und nie mehr wiedersehen." Der Mann lehnt ab. Die Frau nicht. Niemand bekommt Geld, doch die Ehe ist zerstört. Manche behaupten, nur der Teufel könne eine solche Show moderieren. Nun, sie haben Recht ...
444 pages, Paperback
First published July 3, 2012
300 people are currently reading
2576 people want to read
About the author
Michael Poore
8 books296 followersMichael Poore’s short fiction has appeared in Glimmer Train, Southern Review, Agni, Fiction, and Asimov’s. His story “The Street of the House of the Sun” was selected for
The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2012
. His first novel,
Up Jumps the Devil
, was hailed by The New York Review of Books as “an elegiac masterpiece.” Poore lives in Highland, Indiana, with his wife, poet and activist Janine Harrison, and their daughter, Jianna.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 267 reviews
May 31, 2019
Buddy read with the MaHalos
I have to give this 5 stars because there was so much I loved about this book.
First, there was Michael Poore's style of writing. It was so addicting! I would wake up at 3am just to get another hour of reading in.
Second, there was the offbeat humor. The humor wasn't forced or too much. A little jab here and there, and I would sometimes find myself crying with laughter. I do have an odd sense of humor, and I'm glad to find an author that shares that same type of humor.
Last and best of all, was the history. Oh my stars! Up Jumps the Devil was so rich in bringing forth profound feelings of historical events. True, some of the details were fiction but the moral of the story was clear and well executed.
March 14, 2012
(Disclaimer! my wife acquired and edited this book.)
I've always thought that one of the highest kinds of praise you can give a novel is to call it original. Up Jumps the Devil is completely that, not to mention madcap, imaginative, and hilarious. And its heart is so obvious on every page that by the end you want nothing more than to clap Mike Poore on the back and sit down with him over beers.
The narrative’s non-linear: The Devil (a.k.a. John Scratch) has adopted America as his "pet nation" billions of years after being expelled (as Lucifer) from heaven and mourning Arden, the angel whom he loves and who's reluctant to leave the safety of heaven. On earth, his simple philosophy is honed in part by the way God commandeered the creation process: "If anything, the Devil seemed to think that the world should do what came naturally, that everything natural was just fine, and that questions of Good and Evil were silly. He did what he did to help a better future come faster.”
Over time the Devil has, quite literally, seen it all, from ancient Rome to Woodstock. He was there when Ben Franklin invented electricity, when George Washington beat back the British at Trenton, when Nat Turner rose up in rebellion. He became one with JFK during the Cuban missile crisis and his assassination, he was caught in the battle of Gettysburg, and he was there in Hiroshima when the atomic bomb exploded. After remembering his intimate experiences with these characters and places (my favorite parts of the novel; and let’s not forget his encounters with Jesus and Pocahantas) the Devil befriends three 1960's bandmates who sell him their souls in exchange for fame and wealth. Their involvement with the Devil, who undergoes his own human-like trials and temptations, frames the rest of the story, which evolves into a critique of our overzealous, war-obsessed, notoriety-hungry culture.
While the Devil can unleash mischief and turn himself (and anyone else) into any physical form imaginable, Mike Poore’s vision is really of an essential rebel who brings out the naughtier angels of our nature (for the better). “The world without the Devil,” he writes, “was a world without certain kinds of of fun. The kind you keep to yourself, like if women’s shoes excite you or you like to eat dirt. It would be a world where the urges were shallow and sleepy, where you wanted to go to Mars less, wanted to get in shape less, wanted to do it doggie-style less.” In other words, a world that’s boring as hell.
I've always thought that one of the highest kinds of praise you can give a novel is to call it original. Up Jumps the Devil is completely that, not to mention madcap, imaginative, and hilarious. And its heart is so obvious on every page that by the end you want nothing more than to clap Mike Poore on the back and sit down with him over beers.
The narrative’s non-linear: The Devil (a.k.a. John Scratch) has adopted America as his "pet nation" billions of years after being expelled (as Lucifer) from heaven and mourning Arden, the angel whom he loves and who's reluctant to leave the safety of heaven. On earth, his simple philosophy is honed in part by the way God commandeered the creation process: "If anything, the Devil seemed to think that the world should do what came naturally, that everything natural was just fine, and that questions of Good and Evil were silly. He did what he did to help a better future come faster.”
Over time the Devil has, quite literally, seen it all, from ancient Rome to Woodstock. He was there when Ben Franklin invented electricity, when George Washington beat back the British at Trenton, when Nat Turner rose up in rebellion. He became one with JFK during the Cuban missile crisis and his assassination, he was caught in the battle of Gettysburg, and he was there in Hiroshima when the atomic bomb exploded. After remembering his intimate experiences with these characters and places (my favorite parts of the novel; and let’s not forget his encounters with Jesus and Pocahantas) the Devil befriends three 1960's bandmates who sell him their souls in exchange for fame and wealth. Their involvement with the Devil, who undergoes his own human-like trials and temptations, frames the rest of the story, which evolves into a critique of our overzealous, war-obsessed, notoriety-hungry culture.
While the Devil can unleash mischief and turn himself (and anyone else) into any physical form imaginable, Mike Poore’s vision is really of an essential rebel who brings out the naughtier angels of our nature (for the better). “The world without the Devil,” he writes, “was a world without certain kinds of of fun. The kind you keep to yourself, like if women’s shoes excite you or you like to eat dirt. It would be a world where the urges were shallow and sleepy, where you wanted to go to Mars less, wanted to get in shape less, wanted to do it doggie-style less.” In other words, a world that’s boring as hell.
July 28, 2012
If Richard Brautigan and Hunter Thompson were to have had a love-child (and I shudder at the thought) then Michael Poore would have been the result. Mike writes with a toss-away ease, tongue firmly embedded in cheek and wit honed to rapier sharpness.
I have to confess several things in writing this review. The first is that Mike is a part of the increasingly famous Highland Writers Group in NW Indiana. He has written stories with another member of the group, Ted Kosmatka, who has a new science-fiction novel out called "The Games" with Ballentine Books. HWG currently has either five or six published authors that I know of and I am also a member.
I've known Mike for several years. In that time, I have babysat his dog, Jake, drank gallons of Jack Daniels, eaten a half-ton of food at Buffalo Wild Wings (both of whom should be financing his book tour!) and have logged hours of discussion and debate with him, some of which I recognize in the book. So yeah, Mike is a good friend.
However, being friends, I know that he will tell me if my writing isn't making it and I'll tell him if something sucks. I listened to several chapters of this book as it was being written (we read our work aloud at the HWG workshops) and have watched as it metamorphasized. But this is the first time I've read the book in it's entirety.
This is a rollicking good read!
Many people have criticized some of the minor points in the book, such as the affection that cows seem to have for the devil. I believe that is an attempt to weed out those readers that don't have a sense of humor and are too full of themselves. I mean, we have some Christian writers in our group and even they found some of that funny!
This is a book about the Devil as a fallen angel. Lucifer is what some call him. He prefers the name "John Scratch." And he thinks that Earth has the potential to be better than heaven. (Somewhere in my reading over the last five decades, I read a quote that said (I have to paraphrase), "If going to Heaven means that I am going to boringly sing hosannah's for the rest of eternity to a God that has the ego and mannerisms of a spoiled 4 year old brat, then send me to Hell. I'll be happier there!"
That is what this book is about.
God IS spoiled. He steals Scratch's girlfriend. And Scratch spends Centuries trying to make Earth better than Heaven so that he can lure her back and she will stay with him.
Along the way, Scratch learns what it is to be Human.
(And one has to wonder... was that God's intent as well?) LOL
No, this is NOT a religious book, though it does poke fun at narrow-minded thinking. It also pokes fun at those of us that really don't know what we want, but wish for something better. The moral of the story is, "Be careful what you wish for, you may get it... just not the in the manner or way you expected."
Good job, my friend!
I have to confess several things in writing this review. The first is that Mike is a part of the increasingly famous Highland Writers Group in NW Indiana. He has written stories with another member of the group, Ted Kosmatka, who has a new science-fiction novel out called "The Games" with Ballentine Books. HWG currently has either five or six published authors that I know of and I am also a member.
I've known Mike for several years. In that time, I have babysat his dog, Jake, drank gallons of Jack Daniels, eaten a half-ton of food at Buffalo Wild Wings (both of whom should be financing his book tour!) and have logged hours of discussion and debate with him, some of which I recognize in the book. So yeah, Mike is a good friend.
However, being friends, I know that he will tell me if my writing isn't making it and I'll tell him if something sucks. I listened to several chapters of this book as it was being written (we read our work aloud at the HWG workshops) and have watched as it metamorphasized. But this is the first time I've read the book in it's entirety.
This is a rollicking good read!
Many people have criticized some of the minor points in the book, such as the affection that cows seem to have for the devil. I believe that is an attempt to weed out those readers that don't have a sense of humor and are too full of themselves. I mean, we have some Christian writers in our group and even they found some of that funny!
This is a book about the Devil as a fallen angel. Lucifer is what some call him. He prefers the name "John Scratch." And he thinks that Earth has the potential to be better than heaven. (Somewhere in my reading over the last five decades, I read a quote that said (I have to paraphrase), "If going to Heaven means that I am going to boringly sing hosannah's for the rest of eternity to a God that has the ego and mannerisms of a spoiled 4 year old brat, then send me to Hell. I'll be happier there!"
That is what this book is about.
God IS spoiled. He steals Scratch's girlfriend. And Scratch spends Centuries trying to make Earth better than Heaven so that he can lure her back and she will stay with him.
Along the way, Scratch learns what it is to be Human.
(And one has to wonder... was that God's intent as well?) LOL
No, this is NOT a religious book, though it does poke fun at narrow-minded thinking. It also pokes fun at those of us that really don't know what we want, but wish for something better. The moral of the story is, "Be careful what you wish for, you may get it... just not the in the manner or way you expected."
Good job, my friend!
August 5, 2012
This book was recommended by Christopher Moore at a book signing, and I was glad when it finally came out (Christopher Moore had an advance copy). I can certainly see why he recommended it -- lots of the book is very much what Christopher Moore might have conceived of if he had ever written a book about the devil. There are also parts of it that reminded me of a Carl Hiaasen book, especially the parts about the "ick" factor of fame.
Throughout the book, though, there is also a strong emotional current -- an unusual love story that is not only between two characters, but also between the main character and humanity. He struggles to figure out what makes humans tick and, as humans evolve in various civilizations, his own views keep changing. While the ending felt as if it screeched to a halt (madcap pace suddenly much stiller, perhaps a bit abruptly), it also captured the wonder the protagonist has for the best of humans.
I gather this is the author's first novel (though he has published short stories in various collections). What a terrific debut! I look forward to reading whatever he does next.
Throughout the book, though, there is also a strong emotional current -- an unusual love story that is not only between two characters, but also between the main character and humanity. He struggles to figure out what makes humans tick and, as humans evolve in various civilizations, his own views keep changing. While the ending felt as if it screeched to a halt (madcap pace suddenly much stiller, perhaps a bit abruptly), it also captured the wonder the protagonist has for the best of humans.
I gather this is the author's first novel (though he has published short stories in various collections). What a terrific debut! I look forward to reading whatever he does next.
January 23, 2019
Me, "Can you bring my book with you when you come up?"
Husband, "Sure, what's it called?"
Me, "Up Jumps the Devil"
Husband, "What's it look like?"
Me, "It has a picture of the devil roasting marshmallows in the street on the cover."
Husband, after a pause, "You've changed a lot since I first met you."
This book is certainly not for everyone but it is for me. If you enjoy reading stories with dark humor and slightly (or completely) fucked up characters you should pick this one up! Michael Poore ranks up there with authors such as Neil Gaiman, Kurt Vonnegut and Christopher Moore. His second novel, Reincarnation Blues, is one of my all-time favorite books.
If you liked this book you have to read Reincarnation Blues, this book feels like a warm-up in comparison. Now I just need Poore to write more!
Husband, "Sure, what's it called?"
Me, "Up Jumps the Devil"
Husband, "What's it look like?"
Me, "It has a picture of the devil roasting marshmallows in the street on the cover."
Husband, after a pause, "You've changed a lot since I first met you."
This book is certainly not for everyone but it is for me. If you enjoy reading stories with dark humor and slightly (or completely) fucked up characters you should pick this one up! Michael Poore ranks up there with authors such as Neil Gaiman, Kurt Vonnegut and Christopher Moore. His second novel, Reincarnation Blues, is one of my all-time favorite books.
If you liked this book you have to read Reincarnation Blues, this book feels like a warm-up in comparison. Now I just need Poore to write more!
December 30, 2020
I wasn't planning on finishing out the year with a Great American Novel, but there you have it.
August 29, 2012
This is another great debut novel. I read three in a row that were 4 star novels- and I had a rough week, so I’m glad that the books did not let me down. I encourage you to not only follow Michael on Twitter, but if you get a chance and he’s at a nearby book store, go buy the book and go to his events. He is quirky, extremely down-to-earth, and gracious to all. Again- BUY THE BOOK.
The book is about John Scratch, aka The Devil. The book goes back and forth in time, through the ages. You get an interesting and slightly sarcastic take on things through The Devil’s eyes(and may I say, I was charmed by the Devil as he is portrayed here). The Devil also has a soft spot- for Arden, an angel that he was friends with before angels were angels(I know that sounds ma-cheese-mo, but I know not a better way to put it). Arden goes back and forth in various forms and bodies, trying to live with The Devil in his new domain, but she seems destined and wanting to return to Heaven. There is the matter of amazing sex between them, but really, after the cows, well- I say no more, you have to buy the book and read it. And wait for it. This part, not the amazing sex or the cows. Or if you like that sort of thing, then….wait on.
Though you see that The Devil has moments of attempting humanity throughout history as well as through his feelings for Arden, you also realize that he has that nasty side that can’t be ignored, nor can his enemies ignore it. That sets up the conclusion of this book. I don’t think I was really surprised by the end because I had a feeling I knew how it was going to end(about 40 pages from the end of the book). I shouldn’t have been surprised, as Devil is a book that courses through many different scenarios and times in history, and the facts are-the facts, maam. There are no surprises(it’s kind of hard to re-write history unless you’re writing in the alternate history format, but Poore keeps it fresh by writing those scenes in such a manner that you can’t help but be entertained. And entertained I was! I cannot tell you enough how much I enjoyed this. I didn’t enjoy that it had to end, but I will do my best to keep it going by selling the crap out of it.
The book is about John Scratch, aka The Devil. The book goes back and forth in time, through the ages. You get an interesting and slightly sarcastic take on things through The Devil’s eyes(and may I say, I was charmed by the Devil as he is portrayed here). The Devil also has a soft spot- for Arden, an angel that he was friends with before angels were angels(I know that sounds ma-cheese-mo, but I know not a better way to put it). Arden goes back and forth in various forms and bodies, trying to live with The Devil in his new domain, but she seems destined and wanting to return to Heaven. There is the matter of amazing sex between them, but really, after the cows, well- I say no more, you have to buy the book and read it. And wait for it. This part, not the amazing sex or the cows. Or if you like that sort of thing, then….wait on.
Though you see that The Devil has moments of attempting humanity throughout history as well as through his feelings for Arden, you also realize that he has that nasty side that can’t be ignored, nor can his enemies ignore it. That sets up the conclusion of this book. I don’t think I was really surprised by the end because I had a feeling I knew how it was going to end(about 40 pages from the end of the book). I shouldn’t have been surprised, as Devil is a book that courses through many different scenarios and times in history, and the facts are-the facts, maam. There are no surprises(it’s kind of hard to re-write history unless you’re writing in the alternate history format, but Poore keeps it fresh by writing those scenes in such a manner that you can’t help but be entertained. And entertained I was! I cannot tell you enough how much I enjoyed this. I didn’t enjoy that it had to end, but I will do my best to keep it going by selling the crap out of it.
July 9, 2023
Full of surprises and true laugh-out-loud moments, this story got better, richer, deeper as it went along. There’s a story of real human connection here, and Michael Poore’s devil is actually pretty close to human, himself. Not the most gripping read, but definitely a worthwhile tale with some profound “history” lessons mixed in.
December 20, 2024
3.5 stars.
One of the better interpretations of the Devil; usually books like this either don't give him powers or make him too sympathetic, so I was happy to see a better balance. The ending kind of fell flat for me, it feels like more should have happened or it should've ended the chapter before. The twist at the end did surprise me, and I found the main cast funny and interesting to read about.
One of the better interpretations of the Devil; usually books like this either don't give him powers or make him too sympathetic, so I was happy to see a better balance. The ending kind of fell flat for me, it feels like more should have happened or it should've ended the chapter before. The twist at the end did surprise me, and I found the main cast funny and interesting to read about.
June 20, 2012
This debut novel follows the format of Devil as protagonist seen in Glen Duncan’s I, Lucifer: Finally, the Other Side of the Story and Steven Brust’s To Reign in Hell: A Novel. Here, the backdrop of the Devil’s playground is America - running from the first settlers to land all the way to a more reality TV-ridden near future. Though some of the side trips fall more into the realm of world history, Poore returns his Devil time and again back to the U.S. of A. It is these asides, dreams and jaunts through history that provide the real meat of the story. Unfortunately, the overall frame doesn’t really hold up on its own. Without the tangents, there simply would not be much of a book at all. While the novel would definitely be stronger if the general premise had more solid footing, the sideways snippets and glimpses are interesting enough to hold the book up and keep readers flipping pages.
Poore strikes a good balance between humour and some nuggets of genuine wisdom. With a debut novel like this, it will be interesting to see where he moves from here and just what characters and subjects he will tackle next!
Poore strikes a good balance between humour and some nuggets of genuine wisdom. With a debut novel like this, it will be interesting to see where he moves from here and just what characters and subjects he will tackle next!
February 22, 2019
The Devil went down to Georgia…and Rome and Egypt and California. The Devil’s been all over the world and he’s still ambivalent about the two-legged creatures called Man that are roaming it. Taking the side of a Devil who doesn’t hate people or wishes to defy God (much), Mr. Poore has crafted one of the most sympathetic, warm and interesting takes on Old Scratch that I’ve ever read. His Devil is funny, mischievous, childish, menacing and playful—and not always as smart as he should be.
Mr. Poore hasn’t made the mistake of letting the other characters in his book go begging; there are few one-dimensional characters here (although the angel Arden remains a bit of a cipher almost until the end). But none can loom as large as Lucifer himself. This Devil—magical, mythical, scary and very lonely—wants to change the world into another Eden to lure away an angel from Heaven and you can’t help but applaud his efforts even as you wince at the results.
Is Heaven on Earth for humans even possible? What would you do to make the world a better place if you could? Questions like these and so many more fill the mind throughout Up Jumps the Devil, marking it as the best kind of novel…the kind that has you thinking, arguing, muttering and questioning long after you’ve read it.
Mr. Poore hasn’t made the mistake of letting the other characters in his book go begging; there are few one-dimensional characters here (although the angel Arden remains a bit of a cipher almost until the end). But none can loom as large as Lucifer himself. This Devil—magical, mythical, scary and very lonely—wants to change the world into another Eden to lure away an angel from Heaven and you can’t help but applaud his efforts even as you wince at the results.
Is Heaven on Earth for humans even possible? What would you do to make the world a better place if you could? Questions like these and so many more fill the mind throughout Up Jumps the Devil, marking it as the best kind of novel…the kind that has you thinking, arguing, muttering and questioning long after you’ve read it.
January 30, 2019
Michael Poore is my kind of writer. In the tradition of the great Kurt Vonnegut, he uses fantasy, the supernatural, and wry, biting humor to skewer the many faults and foibles of humankind. In Up Jumps the Devil, we follow the adventures and travails of a very human Devil through the centuries, randomly jumping around in time. Moore’s imagination and inventiveness are truly impressive. All the book’s characters have dimension and depth. For a debut novel, this one is a real winner. I’m extremely wary of giving out five-star reviews, so, for me, four means I recommend it very highly.
March 5, 2013
This book is basically the biography of the devil. This is one of the smartest, funniest, all-around best books I've ever read. An absolute joy. I hope this is just the first of many.
December 18, 2022
Read quite awhile ago, but one of my favs
November 9, 2018
John Scratch is the devil himself. Really... he's
the Devil
. Lucifer (as he was formerly known as) didn't see eye to eye with God and so he stayed on Earth to watch over mankind.
They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions and really that describes the Devil himself in this novel. He believes he's basically good, the same as humans: filled with good intentions though they don't always pan out.
In Up Jumps the Devil we learn the story of the Devil from his disagreements with God and the heartache of losing his soul mate, the angel Arden, more than once when she couldn't deal with life on Earth and returned to the safety of Heaven.
Settling in what eventually becomes America, the Devil offers a glimpse into major historical events from the time of the Pilgrims arrival up to the reality TV hungry present day.
At the heart of the story are three musicians who make a deal with the Devil in the 1960's, exchanging their souls for fame and fortune. When their hopes for a continued music career are dashed, the Devil gives them each the nudge they need to strike out in new directions and help make the country a better place.
The Devil is just as flawed as the humans he hopes to influence and undergoes a crisis of faith -- not in God but in humanity, while struggling with his still (multipe millenials-long) broken heart.
Up Jumps the Devil is part social commentary, part love story, and all original! Michael Poore's wicked humor is sharp and creates a cast of flawed characters that are all vaguely familiar and worthy of some sympathy... even the Devil himself.
For more full reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions and really that describes the Devil himself in this novel. He believes he's basically good, the same as humans: filled with good intentions though they don't always pan out.
In Up Jumps the Devil we learn the story of the Devil from his disagreements with God and the heartache of losing his soul mate, the angel Arden, more than once when she couldn't deal with life on Earth and returned to the safety of Heaven.
Settling in what eventually becomes America, the Devil offers a glimpse into major historical events from the time of the Pilgrims arrival up to the reality TV hungry present day.
At the heart of the story are three musicians who make a deal with the Devil in the 1960's, exchanging their souls for fame and fortune. When their hopes for a continued music career are dashed, the Devil gives them each the nudge they need to strike out in new directions and help make the country a better place.
The Devil is just as flawed as the humans he hopes to influence and undergoes a crisis of faith -- not in God but in humanity, while struggling with his still (multipe millenials-long) broken heart.
Up Jumps the Devil is part social commentary, part love story, and all original! Michael Poore's wicked humor is sharp and creates a cast of flawed characters that are all vaguely familiar and worthy of some sympathy... even the Devil himself.
For more full reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
November 8, 2018
At the very beginning, I thought it was funny in a sarcastic way and expected it to be enjoyable. Perhaps if you’re depressed and want to think of all the ways humanity can be a horror as a prelude to just giving up - this’d be right up your alley. Not what I was looking for. Tad slow moving. For the sarcastic pessimist looking to dig themselves deeper, might be just the thing.
August 23, 2020
I thought this would be more of a Robert Johnson type book with the devil collecting musicians souls. This is merely one of the many different sides to Michael Poore's devil. Mainly wants to make Earth better than Heaven to show up God. Lots of good quotes and points for the reading challenge.
death is a door. That is all...
death is a door. That is all...
January 27, 2018
An interesting read. Clever, funny, and occasionally moving. This is a book best read quickly as it jumps around a lot. Dates, locations, etc. You could easily get lost if you let it sit too long.
April 8, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Great plot, fantastic characters, compelling writing. Highly recommend.
August 20, 2020
Gorgeous prose. Worth a read for sure.
July 3, 2021
Updated for the second try at this:
Sometimes you need to wait until you're ready for a story.
Coming off of Poore's second novel, Reincarnation Blues I felt primed to return to his first and try it again. While Up Jumps the Devil kind of gets lost in itself somewhere just after the half-way point (probably when I found it wearisome and irritating the first time around), I found it more enjoyable this time and stayed with it.
Like Reincarnation Blues, Up Jumps the Devil is non-linear. The story quite literally jumps across time and space. It is, by turns, darkly irreverent, wickedly funny and caustic in its observances of human nature. Given the plot is about the Devil seeking to understand humanity and to lift them up so they'll create an Earth that is better than Heaven, this isn't surprising. Of course, being the Devil his motivation for this, at least initially, is to win back his girlfriend, but it isn't too long before he's far more involved in humanity than he ever thought he would be - or wanted to be.
I'd say if you're a fan of Christopher Moore then this should be right up your alley (in fact, at times you'll be hard-pressed to find to tell the difference between Moore's writing and Poore's). Carl Hiaasen would be another good comparison, too.
From the first reading:
While off beat, darkly humoured stories are normally right up my alley, I couldn't connect with this one. I just found this to be overly precocious, like a really smart child who becomes juuuust a bit too annoying, you know? What starts out as fun and enjoyable becomes a bit wearisome and vaguely irritating.
I suspect I may come back to this and give it another go, but right now I don't feel inclined to stick with it.
Sometimes you need to wait until you're ready for a story.
Coming off of Poore's second novel, Reincarnation Blues I felt primed to return to his first and try it again. While Up Jumps the Devil kind of gets lost in itself somewhere just after the half-way point (probably when I found it wearisome and irritating the first time around), I found it more enjoyable this time and stayed with it.
Like Reincarnation Blues, Up Jumps the Devil is non-linear. The story quite literally jumps across time and space. It is, by turns, darkly irreverent, wickedly funny and caustic in its observances of human nature. Given the plot is about the Devil seeking to understand humanity and to lift them up so they'll create an Earth that is better than Heaven, this isn't surprising. Of course, being the Devil his motivation for this, at least initially, is to win back his girlfriend, but it isn't too long before he's far more involved in humanity than he ever thought he would be - or wanted to be.
I'd say if you're a fan of Christopher Moore then this should be right up your alley (in fact, at times you'll be hard-pressed to find to tell the difference between Moore's writing and Poore's). Carl Hiaasen would be another good comparison, too.
From the first reading:
While off beat, darkly humoured stories are normally right up my alley, I couldn't connect with this one. I just found this to be overly precocious, like a really smart child who becomes juuuust a bit too annoying, you know? What starts out as fun and enjoyable becomes a bit wearisome and vaguely irritating.
I suspect I may come back to this and give it another go, but right now I don't feel inclined to stick with it.
July 5, 2012
Michael Poore is a skillful writer, and his new novel, "Up Jumps the Devil," is a good book. There's not much of a plot to this droll narrative that's mainly about John Scratch (a/k/a the Devil) and a musical trio with whom he forges a Faustian bargain just before the 1969 Woodstock music festival. At times, the book reads more like a diary or journal, skipping back and forth in time as Scratch confronts the nature of love gained and lost and perhaps gained again between himself and the inconstant soul mate of his endless life, and between himself and humanity (particularly humanity as represented by the birth and development of America over four centuries). So long as the dearth of a gripping plot is forgiven, there's much to recommend this novel. Poore's well-developed principal characters are sufficiently flawed to be interesting, though far from consistently endearing. After the woe of thinking about them subsides, Scratch's pointed observations about the human condition in a celebrity-obsessed culture insatiable for immediate gratification while drowning in incessantly vacuous so-called reality programming are frequently funny, and always provocative. Scratch is an astute dealer in bartering human souls in "Up Jumps the Devil," but after all's said and done America's is the soul whose price even the Devil can't quite put his claw on.
February 15, 2013
The Devil hooks up with a group of rock musicians just before they go their separate ways and helps them achieve their goals (in exchange for their souls, of course). In between following each of those characters, he recalls his experiences at various points in history: with George Washington at Trenton, at Gettysburg, with Pocahontas, etc. It's mostly kind of fun, though with a little too much drugs, pointless sex, and greed for my tastes. More serious is that the author doesn't seem to know how seriously to take himself. At times, it just seems to be a romp; at other times it gets serious, even a little preachy. The Devil really does seem to want the best for humanity, is generally more hopeful about them than about a changeless heaven filled with angels,* but is constantly disappointed by humans' inhumanity. And it's never at all clear what it means for humans to sell their soul to him. All in all, a fun but flawed read.
*Given the chance to return to be forgiven & return to heaven, he rejects it. "Leave his Earth behind? Even if it was stupid and hopeless and doomed to rut in its own blood, it was ten times better than THIS. Heaven was the only conceivable thing WORSE than doom and stupidity. It was peaceful, but it was the kind of peace that came with nothing ever changing."
*Given the chance to return to be forgiven & return to heaven, he rejects it. "Leave his Earth behind? Even if it was stupid and hopeless and doomed to rut in its own blood, it was ten times better than THIS. Heaven was the only conceivable thing WORSE than doom and stupidity. It was peaceful, but it was the kind of peace that came with nothing ever changing."
March 4, 2012
This was a surprisingly good book. It started off a little shaky for me (cows, really?) but I was soon engrossed in the great writing and interesting, if macabre twist on everything. I love the different moments in history that the Devil had his hand in and how at the end of it all, he's not really evil. Just a little selfish, maybe.
I was given this book because it's "comparable to Christopher Moore" and while I can see why they made that comparison, it's really not true at all. Moore's books have a very strong sense of the absurd that runs throughout all of his books (some more strongly than others), but this book doesn't. It has the twisted characters but it's much more down to earth -- which is a strange thing to say for a book about the Devil! I also love that it takes us until the end of the book before we finally learn about Pocahontas. It's a good payout for reading the story.
All in all, a strangely engrossing read that will have you thinking about it long after it's over. I look forward to seeing an official copy, if only to see if the odd error I noted is still present.
I was given this book because it's "comparable to Christopher Moore" and while I can see why they made that comparison, it's really not true at all. Moore's books have a very strong sense of the absurd that runs throughout all of his books (some more strongly than others), but this book doesn't. It has the twisted characters but it's much more down to earth -- which is a strange thing to say for a book about the Devil! I also love that it takes us until the end of the book before we finally learn about Pocahontas. It's a good payout for reading the story.
All in all, a strangely engrossing read that will have you thinking about it long after it's over. I look forward to seeing an official copy, if only to see if the odd error I noted is still present.
August 8, 2012
this book was so good i almost put it down so i wouldn't finish it. very witty stuff. this author can say in one line what most authors can't say in paragraphs. the Devil has run-ins with george washington, ben franklin (who outsmarts him), Nat Turner, rock stars who sell their souls for fame, money and the chance to change the world. how can you not love a book with chapter headings like "people don't have to take your shit if you don't have any money" and "favorite foods and good and evil"? definitely recommend this book and this author.
October 8, 2012
This book reminded me of Heinlein's 'On a Pale Horse'--devil as sympathetic character--I was kind of intrigued by the idea of the devil as the necesary rebel--the counterpoint--to creation--kind of like testosterone--a motivator for all action--I am never really a fan of stories that portray God as distant and kind of stupid--still, I found this book to be interesting and to have some challenging thoughts--
August 18, 2012
There is SO VERY MUCH going on in this book, and the balance of rebellious mischief and raw, aching, hopeful love for people-animals is impressive. Poor, billion-year-old Devil! Friends: go read this. I REALLY want to discuss this with you all someday.
Also, cover art: easily my favorite this year.
Also, cover art: easily my favorite this year.
April 23, 2018
What a fun read. Following the devil from heaven to his life on earth - jumping back and forth between momentous times in human history and present day; as he tries to shape humans into something "more". The devil in this story waivers between what you expect and what is not expected. Not a religious story and very much character driven, which I love.
September 9, 2012
Whoa! I've finally made it through this awesome novel! The only thing I'm sorry about is that I've been to lazy to read it (I've been reading it for Idunno, a month or so). This book definitely deserves to be read in one sitting, it really is that good. Big recommendation from my part.
November 28, 2012
This wasn't bad. Sadly, it wasn't great, either--the "surprise" ending was telegraphed more than halfway through the book, and although I did chuckle occasionally it wasn't laugh-out-loud funny. And in a lot of places it was just droll for droll's sake.
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