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Mary R. (San Jose, CA)
Madness, Mayhem and True Friendship
The Devil in Silver by Victor Lavalle is a fantastic book. This is a book that will grab you from the first page and won’t let you go until the end and then it will haunt you for days. It is not a scary book in the horror sense, but a book about love and friendship and slaying your own demons – real and imagined. The meaning of the title will surprise you and the embedded symbolism makes this book a real pleasure to read and decode. It is not a reboot of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, but just as compelling.
Trezeline B. (Columbia, MD)
The Devil in Silver
A very interesting character study of a working class white man from Queens, NY. Is he mentally Ill? You decide. The workings of Public Mental Institutions are also explored. Every character in the story is very well developed. You become very involved in their lives and learn a great deal. A really good read.
Nancy O. (Hobe Sound, FL)
Simply superb. It's hard to find books that are better than this one.
There has been a veritable bumper crop of excellent novels this year, and I've just added The Devil in Silver to my favorites list. Set inside a New York hospital's psychiatric unit, this novel is anything but the book of "literary horror" it's being touted as. While there is a "Devil" involved, and there are other real-life horrors to be found, the focus is more on the newest inmate, a man named Pepper -- whose only familiarity with mental institutions before his admission is One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest -- and a lively cast of characters who also populate the unit. It's also a novel about the importance of
…more being able to understand other people's points of view, appreciating others for who they really are, and so much more.
I absolutely loved this book. It's a mix of dark humor that made me laugh (including some pop-culture refs that fit in perfectly) and satire that is spot on the money. At the same time, there are some incredible discoveries made by the characters in this book that made me step back and take a look at myself as well. The writing, as with all of Victor LaValle's novels, is excellent and to use that old cliche, it's a novel that will haunt you long after you've put it down. But what truly stands out here are the people in this book, "bonkers and beautiful" all at the same time. I really can't do justice to this novel here, but I can recommend it without any reservations. It is simply stunning, for a multitude of reasons I'd need pages to express; it's also one you have to experience for yourself. (less)Is there any such thing as an "intellectual" horror story? Before I read,
The Devil In Silver, I probably would have said, "Yes, but you don't see it often enough."
Don't think that because the bulk of this story occurs in a mental hospital, that you're going to read the typical "mental hospital" type story. And don't think because the Devil (yes, THAT devil) is a main character that you're going to read a typical horror story.
You will be reading an intelligent, witty, original story about a man who is committed to a 72 hour stay in a hospital psych ward that turns into a much longer stay than expected. You will
…more be reading about a microcosm of life that is influenced by the people that inhabit the psych ward and the devil that influences them.
The dialogue is snappy. The characters are interesting. The storyline is engrossing. It is definitely worth the read. (less)I enjoyed reading this book. Many times I wondered who were the crazies and who the sane . Though it took place in an insane 'hospital', it could have been in any small town, neighborhood or large city under slightly different circumstances. Mr. Lavalle talks about how he came up with his characters and that only reinforced my feeling that this was an interesting and unique metaphor for life in general.
Perhaps my only complaint was the over-length of the book. Some good editing would make it less tedious and a more satisfying read.
This book could be read and enjoyed by a variety of ages - teens up. There are
…more lessons for all in its pages. (less)This was thrilling, scary, and fun all put together. Pepper never knew what would happen when he gets put in a mental institution in Queen, NY because the jails were overcrowded. No worries, he only has to be in for 72 hours. Little does he know what he will be dealing with, colorful inmates and of course the thing that comes out at night they call the devil. Can he escape and kill the devil too? A fast-paced read that was very enjoyable.
Barbara K. (Brooklyn, NY)
Reach out and say "hello"
Although this tale is beautifully written, infused with humor and rich descriptions, I found the story a little difficult to follow at times; I wasn't sure where it was going. However, the beautiful use of language made this a worthwhile read.
It was sad to read about the lack of concern 'the system' has for certain 'throw-away' people, subduing them , but making no attempt to better their lives.
In the end however, we get to see that even if it takes great courage, trying to reach out to others to help free them from their misery with a smile and a "hello" can brighten a person's life and change his world for the better.
Bess W. (Marlton, NJ)
The Devil in Silver
I wasn't sure how I would enjoy a "horror" story, but this is not a typical horror story--and I did enjoy it! The horror is the public mental institution. The characters are great, individually and also their relationships with each other and they will keep you reading.
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