The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton

After The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle was such a hit, it’s no surprise that this one also took the world by storm. I was excited to read it, I don’t think that I had pre-ordered it, most likely getting it on the day it came out instead, still being able to snag it at a slightly discounted price on book depository. It’s hard to say whether readers of the first book would like this one. I really enjoyed Seven Deaths but this one took a little more work for me to get through. But I did, and though it took a little longer than I may have wanted to, it’s time for my thoughts.

As with the previous book, there is a little information on the layout of the setting, in this case, a boat, and a page dedicated to the important people in the story, which covers most, if not all, of the cast. With that, and aside from being the same genre, are the only similarities between the two books. Which is good, this isn’t a sequel and set in a completely different area, but the classes of the characters remain the same. In that sense, it’s easy to note the various tropes which the author enjoys exploring, such as alternate and almost supernatural histories and the status of various persons, it’s enjoyable for the most part. I don’t entirely like comparing authors books to each other, but did find this one both harder and easier to follow at times. As the plot unfolds on a ship, various ranks of generals are on said boat, something that can get a little tricky to follow to someone who isn’t used to referring to people by titles.  

I found this book a little challenging to get through. Though the plot was continuing at a steady pace and action continued to build, the climax and resolution of the story felt a little rushed (why does this seem to be a trend? I feel like I’ve said these exact words before … ). Rushed may not be entirely the best word as everything is explained to the readers; we get the background and the reasoning behind what all went down on the ship and the ties between the characters and all the intricacies of the drawn-out scheme. Over the course of The Devil and the Dark Water, there are multiple unanswered questions and intricacies that, though all get answered, I was surprised at some getting answered as quickly as they did, or when a secret is needed to be kept, why is it that those who it is being hidden from find out a handful chapters down? That didn’t quite sit well with me. Of course, it all makes sense at the end but there are few to no hints that present themselves, though many characters do have a suspicious quality to them, and you see how all the pieces fall into place and why X needed to know about Y at this point and not another.

The three-star rating comes from a place of confusion and slight dissatisfaction with the overall piece. I didn’t hate it, there were several moments which I enjoyed, but the confusion with the various ranks and family ties left me a little exhausted after a few chapters, and having to flip back and forth isn’t really an efficient way to get through any piece of text. I would say that it’s more of a personal issue that I have with the book and nothing against the author, method of writing, etc. The inclusion of Dutch names leaves more intrigue to the plot, setting the characters further from his previous novel, though I enjoyed this aspect, it may not be for everyone. So one star for confusion, or let’s say half star, and the remaining would have to be for the plot. As mentioned, to me it was a little slow and then ever so slightly rushed. Additionally, I found it a little challenging to engage with what was happening at times. There were moments where I was on the edge of my seat reading, but other chapters had me rereading sentences because I had missed something, it’s a little hard to put into words but there was something that was not there for me with this book. Despite this, it was still enjoyable and a relatively quick read which is easy to put down due to its short chapters, one of those books that divide its action relatively well with clear moments of ups and downs, which on the other hand can make it hard to put down.

Wouldn’t call this a must-read, but it is a good read that I recommend to those who like a little bit of mystery, history, and some unexplained supernatural elements to their reads. Great for any time of year and really any mindset (unless you’re me and can’t keep track of names and ranks). I don’t read many books that are historical or set on boats so this was something new for me that was unique and am glad I picked it up.