Book Review for The Devil’s Fairy tale by Greg Stewart
The Devil’s Fairytale, by Greg Stewart, is a fantastical adventure that uncovers the dark truth behind the disappearances of three children, all of whom suffer beneath the arrogance of a demonic deal gone horribly wrong.
The book is separated into five parts. The first part deals with Samantha Holderfast, a blind girl whose family has gone missing. The second part introduces Daniel Franzarat Jr., a boy who is trying to find his father after receiving a disturbing call about his father’s allegedly illegal activities. The third part follows Cassandra Boniface, a seventeen year old trying to find her younger brother. Part four deals with the authorities endeavoring to figure out the connection between the unsolved crimes and disappearances, and part five composes of the maniacal, dreamlike world of the Gate. Part six finally tells of the sickening fairytales Cassandra and Samantha are forced to go through, fairytales that were once enchanting in the eyes of society. The Devil’s Fairytale is a nightmarish fantasy that surrounds the victims of a Faustian contract, all while attempting to understand the difference between reality and fiction.
These children were innocent in all of this. Each had family and friends, each trying to figure out exactly what was going on and wanting get back to their loved ones. The adventures surrounding them were unbelievable, with death shrouding every corner. But despite that, they are still going to suffer because of the actions of the adults. Whether affected by the non action of a king, or the corruption of the officials, or even the silence of a father, they all played a role in trapping these children. It’s like the wolf from a black forest, luring them in and promising they’d rest for a while.
This brings me to the illusory atmosphere. Stewart does a particularly good job in forcing us to see through worlds we once thought would’ve been wonderful to live in. He masterfully decimates whatever childlike light we cling to in our past stories. From the triumph of running away from the wolf knocking on our door, to the usurping of an evil prince, there is no satisfaction in these victories. Because no matter how hard we try, we know these children are still trapped, and the further they go, the farther away from reality they get.
This book isn’t for everybody. It can be a bit confusing, but they mystery is well worth the wait. The eerie tension built into each detail is well executed. The adults and children, as well as the subtle, morbid way Stewart tells this story, is also wonderful. Thus, I would give this book a rating of a 3.8 out of 5 stars, and would recommend it to fans of Christian Nadeau, Lizella Prescott, and Christopher Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus.
