Review: Devil Is Fine by John Vercher

Devil Is Fine by John Vercher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided both a digital and audio ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.  The audiobook is wonderful, I highly recommend it!  Dion Graham does a wonderful job with the narration, giving each character a distinct voice and delivering on the emotion.

This was quite a moving and emotional story.  It deals with some very heavy topics, so make sure you check trigger warnings before diving in.  I'm not sure my review will do this book justice, but I'll try my best.

This follows our main character in the wake of his teenage son's death.  He and his son Malcom had a bit of a combative relationship, and our narrator struggles with his choices as a father and a man after Malcom's passing.  His struggles increase when he finds that Malcom was set to inherit a large plot of land from his own estranged grandfather, as next of kin it is his to deal with.  He intends to sell the land but comes to find that it has historical significance and further causes our narrator to struggle with his biracial identity.  

As I was reading this I was reminded of Octavia E. Butler's Kindred, this is told in jumps between the past and the present.  Vercher blurs the lines of reality and uses time jumps in such an interesting way.  You can't tell if our main character is actually experiencing what is described to the reader or if he is hallucinating from a cocktail of bourbon and medication.  Either way the things he is experiencing is horrifying and makes him question everything.

I thought this book was beautifully done.  There is a bit of magical realism, and you aren't sure exactly what is happening or if it is happening at all.  Our main character is dealing with alot, and it really makes you think about racism, religion, parenting, grief, and so much more.  Books told from a more stream of consciousness format are hit or miss for me, but it really works well in this book.  It is as if he is having a casual conversation with you about his life as it unfolds.  I also tend to shy away from books about loss of a child, as a mom it hits a bit close to the heart, but this is so well written and engaging.  I do highly recommend it!

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