“All good literature is fantasy. The word ‘realism’ – I don’t buy it. Every writer sees reality from their own point of view, and they bend what they see to make it fit into a story.” — Francesco Dmitri
Joke review: “… the more highbrow reader will surely appreciate how Bardugo plays with a lighthearted Hegelian concept and complicates it within an esoteric historical fantasy plot…”
The novel is a good split between the two genres, though with a more overt presence and vibe of science fiction. I would predict it would be more readily enjoyed by general fans of science fiction that aren’t too into horror compared to the converse.
The plot of Civil War actually doesn’t matter at all. It’s just a backdrop of events to explore the worst of human selfishness.
So here then is a restart/reworking of the old Into the Wardrobe/Retro Childhood Review feature (sticking with the clever first name). If you happen to see something covered that YOU remember reading many years ago and enjoying – or despising – let us know!
Diavola is interesting as a gothic horror through the inclusion of modern-day family vacation chaos and emotion. But it also follows a unique path from the setup and haunting and predictable responses to an original take on consequences and after-effects.
