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Burn, Beautiful Soul
Basil the demon king has come to a crossroads. He has grown tired of life underground and regretful of the atrocities he has committed to maintain his hold on power. Wanderlust leads him to the surface, to live freely among humans. Considering the state of the world, most humans seem unfazed by his arrival - but not all. A religious zealot with murderous intentions and a vengeful biker gang seek his end. Meanwhile, Basil must contend with two internal the disturbing dreams that suggest he once walked the earth as a human; and the pull of the underworld, drawing him back to deal with the troubles he left behind - namely, a cunning foe who craves the throne, a monstrous kraken, and an ancient evil as cold and dark as the soil.
- GenresHorror
360 pages, Paperback
Published November 16, 2020
5 people are currently reading
1314 people want to read
About the author
William J. Donahue
17 books53 followersWilliam J. Donahue lives in a small but well-guarded fortress somewhere on the map between Philadelphia and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. When he's not writing fiction, entertaining his cats, or wandering quietly in the woods, he works as a magazine editor and features writer.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
October 26, 2020
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me the Earc to read and review.
“FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS LIFE HE WISHES HE HAD WINGS. HE HAS FOUND A GOD.”
Burn, Beautiful Soul by William J. Donahuetells the story of Basil, a demon who has had enough of Hell, or as they call it Our Fiery Home, and so he leaves it to go into the big, wide world. Or America. A small place in America, that now has to deal with a devil. Something some people don’t seem to mind, while others are out there to destroy Basil for reasons that vary.
The book deals with multiple POVs. While most of the time it follows Basil, we also get to know more Devils and some other people that live in the town. Besides that, there is also the first person POV who is later revealed to be the person Basil dreams of being. Due all this, it took me some time to get into it. Even though I do love reading multiple POVs, it always takes me some time to separate them. It didn’t help that they didn’t have anything different from them. The writing style was the same everywhere, which was nice, and I did like the more flowery descriptions it gave me. They did add to the atmosphere and weren’t too long, so that was something I enjoyed for sure.
I do feel like I read more of a comedy piece that didn’t really know it was a comedy. What I mean with that is that even though it has a scary atmosphere, we are dealing with a devil who decided to work in the advertisement world and enjoys that. People don’t really seem to mind he wasn’t wearing any pants either. Because of this, I found it hard to get a grip on what this book was trying to do, since it wasn’t really a comedy nor a supernatural scary story nor, basically, anything else.
So even though I did like what I was reading, I couldn’t really make out what I was supposed to be reading. I liked the atmosphere, the characters were also fun though some could be fleshed out a bit more, so we know them more than besides their motivation to kill Basil. Overall, I had a good time reading it, so I take it.
“FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS LIFE HE WISHES HE HAD WINGS. HE HAS FOUND A GOD.”
Burn, Beautiful Soul by William J. Donahuetells the story of Basil, a demon who has had enough of Hell, or as they call it Our Fiery Home, and so he leaves it to go into the big, wide world. Or America. A small place in America, that now has to deal with a devil. Something some people don’t seem to mind, while others are out there to destroy Basil for reasons that vary.
The book deals with multiple POVs. While most of the time it follows Basil, we also get to know more Devils and some other people that live in the town. Besides that, there is also the first person POV who is later revealed to be the person Basil dreams of being. Due all this, it took me some time to get into it. Even though I do love reading multiple POVs, it always takes me some time to separate them. It didn’t help that they didn’t have anything different from them. The writing style was the same everywhere, which was nice, and I did like the more flowery descriptions it gave me. They did add to the atmosphere and weren’t too long, so that was something I enjoyed for sure.
I do feel like I read more of a comedy piece that didn’t really know it was a comedy. What I mean with that is that even though it has a scary atmosphere, we are dealing with a devil who decided to work in the advertisement world and enjoys that. People don’t really seem to mind he wasn’t wearing any pants either. Because of this, I found it hard to get a grip on what this book was trying to do, since it wasn’t really a comedy nor a supernatural scary story nor, basically, anything else.
So even though I did like what I was reading, I couldn’t really make out what I was supposed to be reading. I liked the atmosphere, the characters were also fun though some could be fleshed out a bit more, so we know them more than besides their motivation to kill Basil. Overall, I had a good time reading it, so I take it.
February 4, 2021
Horror comedy is difficult to get right. To leave a lasting impression, you have to tread the extremely fine line between providing laugh-out-loud moments and turning on a dime to deliver macabre scenarios that put the characters in peril and make you care for them. In movie world, Shaun of the Dead and Evil Dead II/III are the standouts for this; I can't think of any novels that do the same....except this one. Donahue is so good at offering a laugh with one hand and a blood-encrusted gut punch with the other that I couldn't help wishing this was only the start of Basil's forays across the USA.
There are shades of A Confederacy of Dunces to Burn, Beautiful Soul. It's a typical picaresque novel featuring a shameless, slightly villainous hero who is nevertheless more principled than many of the people he meets as he tries to understand human society. Here, the greatest trick the devil ever pulled is this: the arrival of Basil, a demonic figure who bears more than a passing resemblance to Satan, is met with a shrug. I find that hilarious. That would be so typical us. "The Devil's here." "Wasn't he here already?" "I dunno, maybe." "Who cares." This is where the root of the comedy lies, and Donahue builds on that by setting the action in the fictional town of Beak, which I'm guessing is in Iowa. It's a place where people grow corn, write copy about farm equipment, visit strip clubs called Cheeky's, but have a restaurant with a dress code. What I like especially is that Basil's status as a demon is secondary to his status as an outsider. That's what the townspeople can't get to grips with - that he doesn't come from their ecosystem, so they either despise him, ignore him or, at best, see him as an object of curiosity. Does that make it a satire about the integration of refugees/immigrants into wider society? Maybe, maybe not. The narrative is just opaque enough to keep the reader guessing and let them draw any conclusion they like.
The writing is a joy. Written in the present tense (the best I've seen since I read Rabbit, Run a while ago), it is immediately engaging, draws the reader into the world, fleshes out the town of Beak and its inhabitants. Sometimes it skirts the fringes of purple prose, but never once did I think "ah, that's too much". It's an example of a text that benefits from the abundant use of adjectives - it heightens the comedic tone and gives the novel a unique tone of voice.
One more thing: the Scarface-esque ending at the copywriting office was awesome. Pure action. I guess the novel was building up to it, but it still took me by surprise when it actually happened. And it still managed to be funny. Another one more thing: the parts set in 18th/19th-century London reminded me a lot of Hunger.
Overall: this book needs more attention. It's a gem.
There are shades of A Confederacy of Dunces to Burn, Beautiful Soul. It's a typical picaresque novel featuring a shameless, slightly villainous hero who is nevertheless more principled than many of the people he meets as he tries to understand human society. Here, the greatest trick the devil ever pulled is this: the arrival of Basil, a demonic figure who bears more than a passing resemblance to Satan, is met with a shrug. I find that hilarious. That would be so typical us. "The Devil's here." "Wasn't he here already?" "I dunno, maybe." "Who cares." This is where the root of the comedy lies, and Donahue builds on that by setting the action in the fictional town of Beak, which I'm guessing is in Iowa. It's a place where people grow corn, write copy about farm equipment, visit strip clubs called Cheeky's, but have a restaurant with a dress code. What I like especially is that Basil's status as a demon is secondary to his status as an outsider. That's what the townspeople can't get to grips with - that he doesn't come from their ecosystem, so they either despise him, ignore him or, at best, see him as an object of curiosity. Does that make it a satire about the integration of refugees/immigrants into wider society? Maybe, maybe not. The narrative is just opaque enough to keep the reader guessing and let them draw any conclusion they like.
The writing is a joy. Written in the present tense (the best I've seen since I read Rabbit, Run a while ago), it is immediately engaging, draws the reader into the world, fleshes out the town of Beak and its inhabitants. Sometimes it skirts the fringes of purple prose, but never once did I think "ah, that's too much". It's an example of a text that benefits from the abundant use of adjectives - it heightens the comedic tone and gives the novel a unique tone of voice.
One more thing: the Scarface-esque ending at the copywriting office was awesome. Pure action. I guess the novel was building up to it, but it still took me by surprise when it actually happened. And it still managed to be funny. Another one more thing: the parts set in 18th/19th-century London reminded me a lot of Hunger.
Overall: this book needs more attention. It's a gem.
October 18, 2020
One hell of an anti-hero! Can you like him? Pity him? Hate him? Root for him? Or maybe all of the above. The author does an excellent job of portraying "Hell" as a place of horrors, with crafty use of implied combined with enough detail to make you cringe. No romanticizing the depths here. Interesting flip with Basil wanting out and wanting beauty, and getting above ground to see hate just as strong as below - a slight philosophical message floating around. I kept thinking of Hellboy if he'd stayed below ground. Not for the timid, some very violent scenarios, but a good story and definitely non-typical characters. Here's an author to watch.
December 14, 2022
That was bloody lovely :) I’ve never fancied myself a fan of horror comedy but this book has forced me to reconsider. A liiiiittle heavy on the SA stuff but otherwise perfectly balanced, beautifully written, and very engrossing.
November 2, 2020
First of all thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me the Earc to read.
I think I can start with the fact I expected this to be a five star read, which it definitely didn’t end up being. This for the reason that there were some themes (including the rape that kept coming back) pretty overused and really not necessary to add to the plot. Another thing that didn’t do it for me was the plot: it was predictable, which isn’t a bad thing per se, but in this case it made me bored a lot – a reason as to why it took me long to finish.
A few of the positive things are the characters. I liked some of them a lot, including Herbert and Boothe, although Basil didn’t make the cut. It would have been nice to read more about Herbert and his backstory. I also enjoyed how the setting was portrayed. It was easy to get into. The writing style was a plus as well, it was nothing too fancy or too simple. Then, lastly, the ending. It was nice how everything came together in the same way it started. Besides that, the last few words were powerful and a great way to end the book.
Altogether it was an okay read, but probably just not my thing.
I think I can start with the fact I expected this to be a five star read, which it definitely didn’t end up being. This for the reason that there were some themes (including the rape that kept coming back) pretty overused and really not necessary to add to the plot. Another thing that didn’t do it for me was the plot: it was predictable, which isn’t a bad thing per se, but in this case it made me bored a lot – a reason as to why it took me long to finish.
A few of the positive things are the characters. I liked some of them a lot, including Herbert and Boothe, although Basil didn’t make the cut. It would have been nice to read more about Herbert and his backstory. I also enjoyed how the setting was portrayed. It was easy to get into. The writing style was a plus as well, it was nothing too fancy or too simple. Then, lastly, the ending. It was nice how everything came together in the same way it started. Besides that, the last few words were powerful and a great way to end the book.
Altogether it was an okay read, but probably just not my thing.
October 23, 2020
My first NetGalley read and WOW. Absolutely beautiful descriptors. A nice slow burn. Reminded me so much of Horns, I definitely chuckled a few times. The ending is fantastic and exactly what I wanted it to be.
November 24, 2020
Please find my review for Born Beautiful Soul By William J. Donahue
June 18, 2022
What really caught my eye before I even knew what the book was about, was the cover. Props to the cover artist for that design. For the story, my, my, this is a little fun ride. I highly recommend this little adventure of Basil the demon. A demon whose home isn't hell but 'Our Fiery Home'. He's not Satan nor is he the devil himself, but a demon, a demon in a long line of demons who rule 'Our Fiery Home' since the casting out of their master from Heaven, or so the tales have said.
There's motorcycles, bikers, copy writers, a lawyer, a cop, a sleazy boss, shit (lots and lots of shit and blood and killing) and all the nasties that one would expect from hel- I mean 'Our Fiery Home'.
I won't go into detail or ruin anything, as I suggest you read it for yourself. On top of that, there's a double section or 'life' that might have something to do with our protagonist. So kindly, I do ask and well, so does Basil, be kind, be polite, be nice. He is only on the surface for a short while!
There's motorcycles, bikers, copy writers, a lawyer, a cop, a sleazy boss, shit (lots and lots of shit and blood and killing) and all the nasties that one would expect from hel- I mean 'Our Fiery Home'.
I won't go into detail or ruin anything, as I suggest you read it for yourself. On top of that, there's a double section or 'life' that might have something to do with our protagonist. So kindly, I do ask and well, so does Basil, be kind, be polite, be nice. He is only on the surface for a short while!
January 22, 2023
Burn, Beautiful Soul
This book is full of hilariously dark humor. The whole premise of the book at its core mocks the human understanding of good and evil and our biases based upon outward appearances. I found this book to be engaging from the first page to the last, with some plot twists throughout that were both unexpected and entirely foreseeable. I found myself rooting for the main character, the demon named Basil, whose only wish is to see beautiful things and write poetry and thus leaves behind his world of horror and mayhem and death to ascend to the human world above. What he finds and how he reacts and how "we" react is both dark and comical. This is a book worth reading.
This book is full of hilariously dark humor. The whole premise of the book at its core mocks the human understanding of good and evil and our biases based upon outward appearances. I found this book to be engaging from the first page to the last, with some plot twists throughout that were both unexpected and entirely foreseeable. I found myself rooting for the main character, the demon named Basil, whose only wish is to see beautiful things and write poetry and thus leaves behind his world of horror and mayhem and death to ascend to the human world above. What he finds and how he reacts and how "we" react is both dark and comical. This is a book worth reading.
February 14, 2021
I really enjoyed reading this book due to it's originality. It is about a demon who is restless, so he leaves his position as leader of the netherworld to experience life on earth. The author of this novel, William J. Donahue, is a very talented writer who could make a boring story a interesting read. I will look forward to reviewing his second novel if he decides to write one.
February 7, 2021
This was one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. Usually it takes me months to get through a book due to having a busy schedule but this one I finished in a week. I couldn’t wait to get back to it each day.
Basil, the Demon King, was such an excellent character. I loathed him at times because of some of the horrible things he had done but mostly I wanted to hang out with him and give him a hug. His friendship with Herbert was genuine and his love of all things beautiful was endearing. This book had it all- horror, a sprinkling of humor, strong bonds of friendship, betrayal, love- and it showed us that the worst of humanity is not necessarily the demons among us but the human neighbor next door.
Basil, the Demon King, was such an excellent character. I loathed him at times because of some of the horrible things he had done but mostly I wanted to hang out with him and give him a hug. His friendship with Herbert was genuine and his love of all things beautiful was endearing. This book had it all- horror, a sprinkling of humor, strong bonds of friendship, betrayal, love- and it showed us that the worst of humanity is not necessarily the demons among us but the human neighbor next door.
February 13, 2021
It was a good read.
February 6, 2021
A tale about a demon who decides he wants to see the beauty in the world above. He finds out that amongst the beauty is also horror. This book poses the questions "what is evil?" And "are you evil simply because of what you were born as?" Wonderful story about what humanity really means.
I won this book thru a goodreads.com giveaway.
I won this book thru a goodreads.com giveaway.
January 1, 2023
Love a story about Demons. Even they must tire of the lives they have and want more than just chaos and torture.
November 24, 2020
Burn Beautiful Soul follows the journey of Basil, a demon, who's had enough of the blood, guts, gore, and violence of the netherworld known as Our Fiery Home to spend some quality time in Nebraska. Oddly enough, no one in the small town of Beak seems terribly plussed about the appearance of tall, pantsless Satyr-like creature, with gigantic horns, and blackened skin. One of the funniest scenes in Burn Beautiful Soul involves Basil's job search with a state employment agency where he parlays his skills at ruthless domination into a bold, assertive leader with workforce management skills and lands a job as a copywriter for a shady ad agency. Basil's first day of work bagel welcome reception also was quite amusing, as one of the female employees objected to his lack of GD pants. All that being said, the fact that modern men and women were seemingly unphased by the otherworldly appearance of a demon is the a major theme throughout the book. Has the world really gone that bad? Can it be saved? If so, who will save it?
The worst of the human bad actors all allegedly were acting in the name of God to return Basil from whence he came. Basil develops some friendships with some of the humans he encounters. The book has poignant moments where Basil shares his insights about a co-worker, Herbert, and appreciates the directness of an attorney with an office in the same building as the ad agency where he works. In the end, Basil must return to his home and face more carnage and brutality before that home can be rebuilt, so to speak.
The writing is excellent, as is the world-building, and I appreciate the author's vivid imagination. I don't normally read horror. There were parts of this book that were very disturbing and require content warnings about graphic scenes of sexual violence, brutality, and murder.
The worst of the human bad actors all allegedly were acting in the name of God to return Basil from whence he came. Basil develops some friendships with some of the humans he encounters. The book has poignant moments where Basil shares his insights about a co-worker, Herbert, and appreciates the directness of an attorney with an office in the same building as the ad agency where he works. In the end, Basil must return to his home and face more carnage and brutality before that home can be rebuilt, so to speak.
The writing is excellent, as is the world-building, and I appreciate the author's vivid imagination. I don't normally read horror. There were parts of this book that were very disturbing and require content warnings about graphic scenes of sexual violence, brutality, and murder.
December 14, 2020
A raw and gritty experience that leaves you questioning just who the demon may really be, one bearing horns and hooves, or the one of flesh and blood living next door?
The story of Basil begins in Our Fiery Home, where he is feeling discontent with the dull surroundings of fire and brimstone, and yearns for a change of scenery, particularly that of the human world. He decides to leave his throne of power as the King of Our Fiery Home, and embarks on a journey to find more during his seemingly eternal life compared to human standards. Leaving behind all he has ever known; murder, torture, darkness, constantly looking overtones shoulder, he begins his quest to find beauty in the world.
Upon arrival to the surface, he quickly encounters a gang of vicious bikers in which he defends himself, and quickly makes himself a mark to the fiends walking the surface. Enduring many hardships during his visit to the surface, he is shown compassion and sheer abhorrence for the mere look of himself. Though an articulate and thoughtful individual, Basil finds that there are many changes he must make when he returns to his throne, and realizes that the beauty of the surface, while quite incredibly, certainly has its own flaws.
A great raw, gritty, and insightful read about the human perspective through the eyes of a demon, that is sure to have you turning the non-stop from start to finish.
The story of Basil begins in Our Fiery Home, where he is feeling discontent with the dull surroundings of fire and brimstone, and yearns for a change of scenery, particularly that of the human world. He decides to leave his throne of power as the King of Our Fiery Home, and embarks on a journey to find more during his seemingly eternal life compared to human standards. Leaving behind all he has ever known; murder, torture, darkness, constantly looking overtones shoulder, he begins his quest to find beauty in the world.
Upon arrival to the surface, he quickly encounters a gang of vicious bikers in which he defends himself, and quickly makes himself a mark to the fiends walking the surface. Enduring many hardships during his visit to the surface, he is shown compassion and sheer abhorrence for the mere look of himself. Though an articulate and thoughtful individual, Basil finds that there are many changes he must make when he returns to his throne, and realizes that the beauty of the surface, while quite incredibly, certainly has its own flaws.
A great raw, gritty, and insightful read about the human perspective through the eyes of a demon, that is sure to have you turning the non-stop from start to finish.
November 1, 2020
I can identify with Basil to a point. You're stuck in a job and after many years (or centuries) you grow bored of it and you crave change. Basil is sooo over ruling Hell and wants to head up to earth and humans. Basil needs a change!
The creds he had in Hell don't necessarily carry over to earth, even though he walks on two hooves and proudly displays his horns. Personally I don't think I'd pick a fight with a guy that looked like Basil, yet people do.
This is a tale that is touched with plenty of humor. There is quite a lot going on and I found myself being distracted by the frenetic activity and characters on earth and in Hell. Thank you #netgalley for allowing me to read and review #BurnBeautifulSoul
The creds he had in Hell don't necessarily carry over to earth, even though he walks on two hooves and proudly displays his horns. Personally I don't think I'd pick a fight with a guy that looked like Basil, yet people do.
This is a tale that is touched with plenty of humor. There is quite a lot going on and I found myself being distracted by the frenetic activity and characters on earth and in Hell. Thank you #netgalley for allowing me to read and review #BurnBeautifulSoul
December 17, 2020
Dark and disturbing, gripping and fascinating.
Even if it's out of my comfort zone I appreciated this creepy and interesting book.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Even if it's out of my comfort zone I appreciated this creepy and interesting book.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
May 7, 2022
I wrote this book, and I think it's pretty good. I'm biased, of course. I love this excerpt from a review by the folks from the Chicago Public Library: "The novel is strongest when playing on the absurdity of its central premise: a demon ginning up slogans for ag-state clients yields some funny moments. ... The creative plotting and plentiful humor make for an enjoyable work of satire."
December 10, 2020
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I like a good horror/comedy book, but this wasn’t exactly it. The POV’s made following a little difficult. I did enjoy it, but it took me a while to get into it.
I will try this author again though.
I like a good horror/comedy book, but this wasn’t exactly it. The POV’s made following a little difficult. I did enjoy it, but it took me a while to get into it.
I will try this author again though.
November 18, 2020
Dark, twisted and evil in all the right ways. This is not my usual type of book but I felt intrigued by the opening and glad I finished it. Definitely worth a read if you fancy something different
March 7, 2021
Burn, Beautiful Soul
How to begin to express the merits of this book? There are so many thoughts exploding in my head. I could talk about the writing – which is gorgeous and immediate. You’re right in the middle of the horror and gore and violent action one moment. Then the next moment you’re laughing or feeling the gentleness and goodness of someone’s being.
The story abounds with enough archetypes to thrill the soul of any Jungian psychologist. It even has dreams. The main character, Basil, is among other things a demon king who comes up from his home beneath the earth. And he’s not just a demon, but a poet, a copywriter and a hero with a conscience. He’s also aware of his own shadow. He’s refreshing, compelling, smart, loyal, observant, courageous, kind and touching, very touching. He takes exquisite pleasure in bathing in the river and in feeling the breeze. He doesn’t like the dark and he cries when he’s hurt. He tells the truth. There is much more to say about Basil but I will add only this. He’s someone I’d like to know and I miss him now that I’ve finished the book.
There is also some very funny and astute satirical social commentary. Basil’s meeting with Mary Jane Pix when he’s looking for a job is priceless as is Mary Jane herself - both times we encounter her. Then there are the big questions of existence which pass through Basil’s mind. He “ponders the mechanics of time.” And “he asks himself if he’s doing what is intended of him by his maker.” “Each day he finds new reasons to believe the universe has no boundaries.” His dreams make him wonder if he once walked the earth as a human. Yet he’s much finer and has more integrity than many of the humans he encounters in the Nebraska town where he lives while he’s above ground.
I finished Burn, Beautiful Soul yesterday but it’s still very much with me today and I suspect will be for days to come. I am sorry I have only 5 stars at my disposal with which to recognize the merits of this book.
Susan Plunket
How to begin to express the merits of this book? There are so many thoughts exploding in my head. I could talk about the writing – which is gorgeous and immediate. You’re right in the middle of the horror and gore and violent action one moment. Then the next moment you’re laughing or feeling the gentleness and goodness of someone’s being.
The story abounds with enough archetypes to thrill the soul of any Jungian psychologist. It even has dreams. The main character, Basil, is among other things a demon king who comes up from his home beneath the earth. And he’s not just a demon, but a poet, a copywriter and a hero with a conscience. He’s also aware of his own shadow. He’s refreshing, compelling, smart, loyal, observant, courageous, kind and touching, very touching. He takes exquisite pleasure in bathing in the river and in feeling the breeze. He doesn’t like the dark and he cries when he’s hurt. He tells the truth. There is much more to say about Basil but I will add only this. He’s someone I’d like to know and I miss him now that I’ve finished the book.
There is also some very funny and astute satirical social commentary. Basil’s meeting with Mary Jane Pix when he’s looking for a job is priceless as is Mary Jane herself - both times we encounter her. Then there are the big questions of existence which pass through Basil’s mind. He “ponders the mechanics of time.” And “he asks himself if he’s doing what is intended of him by his maker.” “Each day he finds new reasons to believe the universe has no boundaries.” His dreams make him wonder if he once walked the earth as a human. Yet he’s much finer and has more integrity than many of the humans he encounters in the Nebraska town where he lives while he’s above ground.
I finished Burn, Beautiful Soul yesterday but it’s still very much with me today and I suspect will be for days to come. I am sorry I have only 5 stars at my disposal with which to recognize the merits of this book.
Susan Plunket
February 22, 2021
Notice: this was a free book but my opinions are my own... What an interesting concept for a book. To be absurdly broad it's about a kind hearted demon's sabbatical advice ground and his personal growth along with his insight to humans from an outside perspective. I enjoyed it, there was an entire side plot that I think was unnecessary and took away from the book... But. Over all it was entertaining and I looked forward to reading it.
April 24, 2022
DNF at 24%
I couldn't sympathize with any character, and I found everything so unbelievable that I couldn't take it anymore. I guess this one is meant to be a satirical kind of fantasy, but I was expecting something much more different.
No podía simpatizar con ningún personaje, y todo me parecía tan poco creíble que no pude más. Supongo que esta pretende ser una especie de fantasía satírica, pero esperaba algo mucho más diferente.
I couldn't sympathize with any character, and I found everything so unbelievable that I couldn't take it anymore. I guess this one is meant to be a satirical kind of fantasy, but I was expecting something much more different.
No podía simpatizar con ningún personaje, y todo me parecía tan poco creíble que no pude más. Supongo que esta pretende ser una especie de fantasía satírica, pero esperaba algo mucho más diferente.
August 2, 2021
A well orchestrated story with meaty intent, dotted with humor and a realism that entraps the reader into Basil’s journey above the surface and the perceptions he makes via demon eyes. A refreshing perspective of delightful fiction, the author dabbles in casting a light on each character and how they interact with an interesting and clever creature with subtle poetic ingenuity.
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