Besvikelse
2 stars
Var väldigt underhållen av Turtons debut, men denna var mest seg och tråkig. Gillade inte alls hur den utvecklade sig. En besvikelse.
480 pages
English language
Published Oct. 7, 2020 by Sourcebooks, Incorporated.
Devil and the Dark Water
3 stars
(11 reviews)
It's 1634 and Samuel Pipps, the world's greatest detective, is being transported from the Dutch East Indies to Amsterdam, where he is facing trial and execution for a crime he may, or may not, have committed. Travelling with him is his loyal bodyguard, Arent Hayes, who is determined to prove his friend innocent, while also on board are Sara Wessel, a noble woman with a secret, and her husband, the governor general of Batavia.
But no sooner is their ship out to sea than devilry begins to blight the voyage. A strange symbol appears on the sail. A dead leper stalks the decks. Livestock are slaughtered in the night. And then the passengers hear a terrible voice whispering to them in the darkness, promising them three unholy miracles. First: an impossible pursuit. Second: an impossible theft. Third: an impossible murder. Could a demon be responsible for their misfortunes?
With Pipps …
It's 1634 and Samuel Pipps, the world's greatest detective, is being transported from the Dutch East Indies to Amsterdam, where he is facing trial and execution for a crime he may, or may not, have committed. Travelling with him is his loyal bodyguard, Arent Hayes, who is determined to prove his friend innocent, while also on board are Sara Wessel, a noble woman with a secret, and her husband, the governor general of Batavia.
But no sooner is their ship out to sea than devilry begins to blight the voyage. A strange symbol appears on the sail. A dead leper stalks the decks. Livestock are slaughtered in the night. And then the passengers hear a terrible voice whispering to them in the darkness, promising them three unholy miracles. First: an impossible pursuit. Second: an impossible theft. Third: an impossible murder. Could a demon be responsible for their misfortunes?
With Pipps imprisoned, only Arent and Sara can solve a mystery that stretches back into their past and now threatens to sink the ship, killing everybody on board…
'A glorious mash-up of William Golding and Arthur Conan Doyle' Val McDermid 'A superb historical mystery: inventive, twisty, addictive and utterly beguiling ... A TRIUMPH' Will Dean
From the author of the dazzling The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, winner of the Costa Best First Novel Award, comes an audacious and original new high concept murder mystery.
Sergio reviewed Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton
Review of 'Devil and the Dark Water' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Just an incredibly entertaining book that delivers on its premise in exactly the ways I'd hoped and more. If the idea of edgy Sherlock Holmes on an East Indian Company boat being threatened by a supernatural entity as part of an extremely convoluted mystery that's full of convenient coincidences and backstabbing plots sounds appealing in the least, you oughta grab this, and that's just what's in the blurb. It's well written, moves at a good pace, is never dull and has some good surprises up its sleeve.
Sharyl reviewed Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton
Review of 'Devil and the Dark Water' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Author Stuart Turton has written another clever and creative novel with engaging characters and mystifying happenings. The only thing I'll give away is the fact that the reader does not have all the information needed to solve this mystery ahead of the denouement. So, surprise!
I do recommend this one. Enjoy!
Pretense reviewed Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton
Review of 'Devil and the Dark Water' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
I read Turton’s debut novel, The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, a short while before this book came out. So when a friend told me this was coming out, I knew I had to read it at some point. While Evelyn was a brilliant debut novel, I feel that Turton has really honed his skills in The Devil and the Dark Water. While not without its flaws, Devil really pushed me along its storyline—every time I ventured a guess, Turton was of course a step ahead. I even made notes on paper! I was very invested—sorry, term papers, I swear I’ll get to you and stop procrastinating this weekend.
The characters are well-developed and fleshed out, and I found myself suspecting all of them at one point or another. Such is the state of mind Turton puts you in. I don’t find myself reading mystery often, and Turton …
I read Turton’s debut novel, The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, a short while before this book came out. So when a friend told me this was coming out, I knew I had to read it at some point. While Evelyn was a brilliant debut novel, I feel that Turton has really honed his skills in The Devil and the Dark Water. While not without its flaws, Devil really pushed me along its storyline—every time I ventured a guess, Turton was of course a step ahead. I even made notes on paper! I was very invested—sorry, term papers, I swear I’ll get to you and stop procrastinating this weekend.
The characters are well-developed and fleshed out, and I found myself suspecting all of them at one point or another. Such is the state of mind Turton puts you in. I don’t find myself reading mystery often, and Turton makes me regret that—but also, if I’m reading any mystery, I’m glad it’s him. (It makes me want to revisit Agatha Christie, whom I haven’t read since my youth.) People are complex, and Turton doesn’t shy away from that—each character has their own secret, their own vices and virtues. This means that the characters don’t fit easy tropes or roles, leaving the reader guessing their intentions until the very end.
There are some clunky writing moments, and minor plot holes that were not fully addressed. For example, spoilers: Who is the lady in grey that Crauwels sees at dinner? Why does Sammy (dressed as the leper) spare Arent after seeing his father's rosary, or did he always intend to spare Arent? How did Pieter conveniently have a past as an assassin, and why did he not recognize his new wife as the young daughter whose family he had ruined? These questions didn't really have neat answers, and I'm sure you can explain them away somehow, but they still nag me. The ending we get is satisfying and consistent with the plot, but Turton doesn’t baby the reader, wrapping it all up in neat bows. Real life is messy, and the ending is realistic—not all questions are dealt with—but that’s the nature of reality, and that is what the characters settle for as well. I found myself wanting more explanations, but Turton trusts the reader to get lost in the story, the details, and especially the nuance. This is easily a book I can expect to reread, which isn’t something I do much. (And I need to reread Evelyn, too…)
Whether you like history, ships, mysteries, or a good whodunit, there’s probably something in this book for everyone. I came in expecting Turton’s tricks from Evelyn, and I can see hints and echoes of that work here; but ultimately, the author is giving the reader an entirely new and well-crafted world to dive into. It isn’t always a perfect execution, but it’s a damn good one. Also, what is it with books starting with ‘The Devil’ that end up being fantastic…? The other example I have at hand is The Devil in the White City, which is one of my favorite books. It isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it’s happened twice.
P.S. More spoilers: I just want to add, I love a good revenge story. The end started giving me The Count of Monte Cristo vibes, and I loved it. Also, I called Sammy being in on it from the start, and I am proud of that.
