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Devil Makes Three by Ben Fountain

Devil Makes Three

A Novel

by Ben Fountain

  • Critics' Consensus (15):
  • Readers' Rating (32):
  • Published:
  • Sep 2023, 544 pages
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There are currently 32 reader reviews for Devil Makes Three
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Amy S. (Tucson, AZ)

A Compelling History Lesson
I'm so grateful to have received this book-requested specifically because I knew so little about Haiti, other than as a country embroiled in constant turmoil and disaster.
It took me a long time to read because I often found myself putting the book down to research the events being described.

Sadly, the situation in Haiti was/is even worse than I imagined. The depth of Haiti's troubles really hit me as Fountain described the intake process at the hospital. My heart hurts. His knowledge on the subject is vast!

Yet, Fountain also shows the resilience of the Haitian people and their refusal to give up on theirmore
Sharon J. (Raleigh, NC)

Devil Makes Three Review
I have always been intrigued by Haitian history and had the usual stereotypical knowledge of the country and its people. But after reading Devil Makes Three, by Ben Fountain I felt I had been transported into the cultural and political mecca of this complex country during the 1990's. Everything from Coup d'etat, Vodou beliefs and political and violent power plays set in a very poor nation were undercurrent for many story lines. I found the characters very diverse and authentic. While the story slowed at times, I felt like it paralleled the Haitians lives during this time period. Told through the eyes of Matt, anmore
Darlene B. (New Castle, PA)

Violent Coup in Haiti USAID = Freedom and Prosperity for All?
"Getting medicine into Haiti depends on knowing who to bribe... The embargo just makes the price go up."

I was excited to receive a copy of 'Devil Makes Three' by Ben Fountain because I thoroughly enjoyed his previous novel, Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk'. There is a general theme which runs through Ben Fountain's writing... an open skepticism of the foreign policy of the United States government.

'Devil Makes Three' begins with a brutal military coup which displaces President Aristide in Haiti in 1991. Although the story eloquently and sympathetically portrays the economic and social hardships andmore
Eileen C. (New York, NY)

Love in Times of Turmoil
Haiti is a place of contradictions. Full of beauty and culturally rich, it has also been hit, time and again, by political turmoil and humanitarian crises. Its prominent place in the news recently makes this deeply humane book, set in 1991 after the overthrow of President Aristide, even more timely and interesting. Reminiscent of the best of Graham Greene's work, Fondant writes deftly about both the characters who are white Americans as well as those from a prominent, wealthy Haitian family. It is a tense, compelling novel. If you are at all interested in Haiti and what happens when we lose sight of other people'more
Karen G. (Norfolk, MA)

I learned a lot
This book is long but well worth it. I feel I learned something on almost every page. When names or events were mentioned I often looked them up. All were accurate and factual. The characters were very well developed and stayed true to their given characters. There was so much detail and so much to think about. I did not realize how little I knew about Haiti but felt better that the historical and political events were familiar. Devil Makes Three is definitely worth the investment of your time.
M K. (Minneapolis, MN)

Devil Makes Three
Devil Makes Three is a riveting detective novel, a thriller with political intrigue, many interwoven love stories and rise and collapse of Haiti after the coup replacing Aristide, the first democratically leader of their country. It's a long involved saga with many layers of chaos, deception, and truth. The novel is a roller coaster ride worth holding on tight. I enjoyed this gorgeous novel about what happens when a democratic country falls apart.
Lynne Z. (San Francisco, CA)

Nothing Has Changed After 32 Years
"U.S. Embassy Urges All Americans to leave Haiti" - September 2023
Ben Fountain writes a compelling and comprehensive history of Haiti, that begins in September 1991 with a violent coup - a broken country filled with political instability, mismanagement, substandard infrastructure, corruption and violence. The novel feels like it's set in 2023.

Fountain develops a host of intriguing characters, but the main protagonist is definitely Haiti. This is such a book of place. The author's knowledge of the country is remarkable. He is able to describe everything in infinite and exquisite detail - geography, politicalmore
Linda O. (Jacksonville, NC)

The Devil in Haitian Life
If the devastation caused by hurricanes and earthquakes or the political upheavals that have resulted in so much poverty and violence have stirred any empathy for the Haitian people, Devil Makes Three might be the book for you. The story begins as the 1991 coup to overthrow Aristide takes place. Almost overnight the country changes; massacres, bodies in the streets, a mayor killed and beheaded, and the beginning of major drug and arms trafficking. Some of Ben Fountain's characters you like, some you don't, and some you don't trust, but all are memorable.

American Matt Amaker and Haitian-Canadian Alix Variel aremore

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