Review: Devil's Luck

Reviewed by Jen
 

It's amazing how much heart Carolyn Crane can shove in to such a small number of pages. I didn't care much for Simon in the Disillusionist novels. He wasn't always very nice to Justine; and he had an enormous chip on his shoulder. But with this novella, we learn why he is the way he is.  It makes him all the more compelling and it humanizes him in a way that was desperately needed.

Simon's unlikely love interest in the story is Fawna, a prognosticator who can't allow herself to live in the moment. She is a slave to her visions, allowing them to cage her as effectively as those who kept her prisoner most of her life. She's never liked Simon and the feeling has always been mutual, though it's really been more of a dislike for the other's gift: Simon's disdain for future-telling and Fawna's rejection of the way he lives with reckless abandon.

But all that changes with the events of one day. Fawna catches a glimpse of the freedom Simon gains with his rejection of fate. And she somehow becomes a partner in his lifestyle, someone who he could really share himself with. But the thing is, when all is said and done, Fawna still is who she is --and growing to care for Simon only makes it harder for her to let go of the future she has seen for him.

The characters were very engaging and the writing was so good, I just wanted there to be more. I loved seeing Packard again and the way Crane weaves in the backstory from the previous books is fantastic. I loved Simon's secret and how much that reveals about him. I loved Fawna's coat and the fearlessness she found with Simon. The only thing I didn't love was the ending. We have to take the future on faith and knowing what we know, that's a scary thing. I understand why it fleshed out the way it did, but deep down, I wanted the author to promise me it was all gonna be alright.

Still, I really enjoyed the story. I hope Crane decides to revisit the Disillusionist world again. She's created something really good. 4 stars.

Click to purchase: Amazon

Devil's Luck

by Carolyn Crane

Release Date: February 28, 2012