"To my little star. Follow the path of Anubis. I know you can do it."
All the Devils is a fine work of dark academia and it has held me gripped for the past couple of days. It is certainly one of the best ARCs I have read this year and I am grateful to Penguin Random House for sending it to me. It is a dark, atmospheric tale of ancient gods, monsters, magic and the fine line between life and death.
The story begins when Andromeda is mourning the death of her sister Violet, yet a chance discovery makes her wonder if Violet is really dead after all, or if the body is fake. She decides to enrol at her sister's old school, Ravenswood, in order to solve the mystery of what exactly happened there and why her sister suddenly disappeared, then turned up dead.
This is a book that is rooted in mythology and Egyptology. Andy must learn to read old symbols and hieroglyphic messages, as well as unravel a series of clues and signs left behind by her sister. The result is a novel that descends deeper and deeper into darkness, with plenty of action to keep you turning the pages.
Although it is set in an elite school, much of the story takes place in the shadowy Underworld, as Andy seeks out the gods and ghouls who can help her to discover if her sister is dead or alive. There is a touch of romance included and a very satisfying dénouement which is full of adventure, strange twists and dark thrills.
Its a difficult book to review without giving away any spoilers, but if you enjoy reading stories based on ancient mythology then you will probably like this one. It doesn't stick to one single pantheon of gods, but mixes together all the deities connected with the Underworld, so you have Anubis and Hecate in the same story. This can be a little jarring to those of us who are familiar with the different pantheons, but it doesn't spoil the storyline and it all makes sense in the end. This novel ends in such as way that it sets up the premise for a sequel too, so it certainly looks like there is more to come.
Although I read this novel back in the spring when I was healing from an operation to mend my two shattered wrists, following a serious riding accident, I wasn't allowed to share it until closer to its release date. I must say though, that All the Devils is the perfect read for foggy autumn days, so grab a cup of cocoa and snuggle under a blanket as you descend into the Underworld with Andromeda and her gods and monsters.
Happy Reading!
BB Marie x
AD: This book is published by Penguin Random House and will be released on 19th September 2024 in hardcover, digital and audio formats. It is available for pre-order now. The cover is subject to change.
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