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A Fig For All The Devils
An abused, grief-stricken, and impoverished Sonny has all but given up on life. That is, until he meets death, by way of the Grim Reaper. The Reaper, a junk food loving, poetry reading, cigarette-addicted entity, has no time to waste as he searches for a suitable successor who would become “Death” for the next millennium. By training the boy in the ways of death and dying, Reaper grooms his young apprentice and through suspenseful and horror-laced events, he unknowingly gives Sonny something he never A reason to live.
215 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 31, 2021
203 people are currently reading
13472 people want to read
About the author
C.S. Fritz
37 books132 followersCasey "C.S." Fritz grew up on a farm in Oregon, where he milked cows and had a pet pig. To escape the endless chores of cleaning chicken coops and watering tomatoes...Casey would draw.
As a young child, Casey's family moved to Arizona. It was there beneath the fiery gaze of the Southwestern sun, that he spent most of his life. Graduating school, marrying the love of his life and having two wild kids. It was also there that C.S. Fritz's work began to take traction with local galleries and art publications.
C.S. Fritz now is an award-winning author and illustrator with published children's titles as...
The Cottonmouth Trilogy, Good Night Tales, The Moonman Cometh, Seekers, and Good Night Classics!
Fritz's debut novel, A Fig For All The Devils released Halloween, 2021. Fig won best in horror with the IBPA's and is now in the works to be a major motion picture.
Other horror works by Fritz are, All Creatures Living Beneath The Sun, and Cabbage.
As a young child, Casey's family moved to Arizona. It was there beneath the fiery gaze of the Southwestern sun, that he spent most of his life. Graduating school, marrying the love of his life and having two wild kids. It was also there that C.S. Fritz's work began to take traction with local galleries and art publications.
C.S. Fritz now is an award-winning author and illustrator with published children's titles as...
The Cottonmouth Trilogy, Good Night Tales, The Moonman Cometh, Seekers, and Good Night Classics!
Fritz's debut novel, A Fig For All The Devils released Halloween, 2021. Fig won best in horror with the IBPA's and is now in the works to be a major motion picture.
Other horror works by Fritz are, All Creatures Living Beneath The Sun, and Cabbage.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 647 reviews
March 29, 2022
There are so many things about this book I loved but just enough things I hated to bring it back down to 3 stars.
The chapters are short and the writing is beautiful. I love how each chapter title was in a different font than the rest.
I also loved the talk of grief and death.
What I didn't like was how immature and 'quirky' Death was. He's been the Grim Reaper for 1000 years and he talks like that? I don't think so. Also, I really didn't like the ending. It was very Hallmark.
It didn't do it for me but I see it's merits.
The chapters are short and the writing is beautiful. I love how each chapter title was in a different font than the rest.
I also loved the talk of grief and death.
What I didn't like was how immature and 'quirky' Death was. He's been the Grim Reaper for 1000 years and he talks like that? I don't think so. Also, I really didn't like the ending. It was very Hallmark.
It didn't do it for me but I see it's merits.
May 9, 2023
A good-quality fantasy horror about death, grief and the coming of age of a teenage boy named Sonny.
"Fear no more the heat o' the sun,
Nor the furious winter's rages,
Thou thy worldly task hast done,
Home art gone, an ta'en thy wages..."
This is the beautifully poetic and raw story of a grief-stricken and impoverished boy who has more or less given up on life. That is until he meets a curious incarnation of death.
With some deeply profound messages and beautiful writing, this book had me captivated from the very beginning.
Despite the dark themes within, I found this to be an extremely comforting, emotional and thought-provoking work.
A solid debut novel and one I would recommend to friends without any hesitation.
"Every single thing in the universe is affected by time, even me. Whether it's a beetle, a human, or your stars above, all things gradually age and eventually decay as time traverses. Don't be fooled Sonny, time is life's most precious of gifts. Time is tangible and once it's gone, it's gone."
Overall a great read with a good mix of dark, deep and meaningful messages.
"The main question one is faced with is…is what they are seeing truly real, or is it just a hallucination?"
"Fear no more the heat o' the sun,
Nor the furious winter's rages,
Thou thy worldly task hast done,
Home art gone, an ta'en thy wages..."
This is the beautifully poetic and raw story of a grief-stricken and impoverished boy who has more or less given up on life. That is until he meets a curious incarnation of death.
With some deeply profound messages and beautiful writing, this book had me captivated from the very beginning.
Despite the dark themes within, I found this to be an extremely comforting, emotional and thought-provoking work.
A solid debut novel and one I would recommend to friends without any hesitation.
"Every single thing in the universe is affected by time, even me. Whether it's a beetle, a human, or your stars above, all things gradually age and eventually decay as time traverses. Don't be fooled Sonny, time is life's most precious of gifts. Time is tangible and once it's gone, it's gone."
Overall a great read with a good mix of dark, deep and meaningful messages.
"The main question one is faced with is…is what they are seeing truly real, or is it just a hallucination?"
February 3, 2022
This may be one of the best books I've ever read, and I literally read it all in one sitting. The author's writing style is just beautiful. It was a perfect mix of horror and emotion. The portrayal of grief from all of the characters is incredible and I just really need everyone to read this.
December 13, 2021
ᴀ ғɪɢ ғᴏʀ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴠɪʟs, by C.S. Fritz, is fig pancakes.
Soft, fluffy pancakes stacked high enough to reach the cloudless sky above. Dripping in maple syrup that flows down the flat cakes like a glistening body of water, coating them in heavenly sweetness. Decorated with chunks of honeyed figs, succulent lime green and pink colors bursting against the caramel browns. Against the blue sky, the textured sand, the empty land. It’s tantalizing, it teases Death in its pervasive aroma. The pancakes are still warm, fresh off the griddle.
This breakfast is not for you, but an offering to Death. For Death. Before Death?
And with these thoughts, the world washes out into a sick, miserable grey. Colors fade before your very eyes, transform you to another time. How the simple change of colors can change your perception, your feelings, your sense of self. Looking back at the stack of pancakes again, you are alarmed at the monstrosity before you.
Tough, stodgy pancakes that laugh at you from their towering height, so high above you now, each cake an acre large. Drenched in a sticky syrup that drips down the sides sluggishly like the black waters of the River Styx, contaminating everything in its path, coating your body in its viscous and congealed liquid. You are still searching, climbing, for color, for life, for anything but Death.
You need to reach the top, but hard, candied figs the size of boulders come tumbling down, their seeds bursting as they fall, slashing your skin with their sharp edges. You’ll never reach the peak, never make it to the summit of this mountain.
Death does not give way to colors. Death does not give way to begging, to pleading, to denial. You know this.
But Death sure does enjoy his sweets.
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July 13, 2025
2.75★
”Country music, he decided, was better than silence with the devil.”
So much more wholesome than expected and I loved the ending!! but I wasn’t totally jiving with the authors writing and that ruined a lot of this book for me 🥲
”Country music, he decided, was better than silence with the devil.”
So much more wholesome than expected and I loved the ending!! but I wasn’t totally jiving with the authors writing and that ruined a lot of this book for me 🥲
June 19, 2022
Sonny has never had a good relationship with his mom, and when his father unexpectedly dies, it doesn’t get any better. Confused and angry as to why his dad died, Sonny has a difficult time wanting to continue living. But then he meets the Grim Reaper who has decided that Sonny must become the next Reaper. As they enjoy junk food and poetry together, the Reaper trains Sonny into taking his place as Death, but Sonny learns much more about himself along the way.
This was a unique read. The concept of the story was interesting and well done. There were quotes included between some chapters, from people ranging from Robert Frost to Van Morrison, and I enjoyed the classical depictions of death that were also scattered throughout. At the very beginning of the book, the author included a QR code to a custom playlist created to accompany the work – I’ve never run across this before, and it was a fun way to interact with the book. And the art of the characters at the end of the book was well done but unfortunately didn’t show up well on the Kindle.
I enjoyed certain aspects of how the author portrayed the Reaper – his love (and influence on) classical poetry was an interesting addition, but he talked like he was a surfer dude from Cali even though he’s been the Reaper for 1000 years. His quirkiness and characterization didn’t blend well with the rest of the work. This was off-putting for me. I also didn’t feel much depth or development to the characters in the story overall; they felt relatively simple, and it was hard to form a connection to any of them. This took away from any tension that I might have felt relating to their choices and the plot.
This work addresses some difficult themes such as abuse, loss, grief, suicide, and death. Overall, I think the author handled these discussions well. The different characters handled these situations in varying realistic ways, making it a good portrayal of these emotions. There were some scenes of graphic violence and gore that, while I understand why they were included, were much more detailed than I prefer. Completely opposite from this, the ending of the work felt like a Hallmark movie – it was cheesy and wasn’t a satisfying way to end this story.
There were quite a few errors throughout the work. A few examples include missing words, extra spaces between words and punctuation, and some incorrect punctuation use. This work would benefit from another round of editing.
I would still recommend this work to anyone who is interested in exploring the personification of Death and the feelings often associated with grief. I enjoyed it overall, but I think maybe it just wasn’t the book for me.
I received a complimentary copy of this work through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
This was a unique read. The concept of the story was interesting and well done. There were quotes included between some chapters, from people ranging from Robert Frost to Van Morrison, and I enjoyed the classical depictions of death that were also scattered throughout. At the very beginning of the book, the author included a QR code to a custom playlist created to accompany the work – I’ve never run across this before, and it was a fun way to interact with the book. And the art of the characters at the end of the book was well done but unfortunately didn’t show up well on the Kindle.
I enjoyed certain aspects of how the author portrayed the Reaper – his love (and influence on) classical poetry was an interesting addition, but he talked like he was a surfer dude from Cali even though he’s been the Reaper for 1000 years. His quirkiness and characterization didn’t blend well with the rest of the work. This was off-putting for me. I also didn’t feel much depth or development to the characters in the story overall; they felt relatively simple, and it was hard to form a connection to any of them. This took away from any tension that I might have felt relating to their choices and the plot.
This work addresses some difficult themes such as abuse, loss, grief, suicide, and death. Overall, I think the author handled these discussions well. The different characters handled these situations in varying realistic ways, making it a good portrayal of these emotions. There were some scenes of graphic violence and gore that, while I understand why they were included, were much more detailed than I prefer. Completely opposite from this, the ending of the work felt like a Hallmark movie – it was cheesy and wasn’t a satisfying way to end this story.
There were quite a few errors throughout the work. A few examples include missing words, extra spaces between words and punctuation, and some incorrect punctuation use. This work would benefit from another round of editing.
I would still recommend this work to anyone who is interested in exploring the personification of Death and the feelings often associated with grief. I enjoyed it overall, but I think maybe it just wasn’t the book for me.
I received a complimentary copy of this work through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
March 24, 2025
THIS IS ART
July 14, 2022
An abused, grief-stricken, and impoverished Sonny has all but given up on life. That is, until he meets death, by way of the Grim Reaper. The Reaper, a junk food loving, poetry reading, cigarette-addicted entity, has no time to waste as he searches for a suitable successor who would become “Death” for the next millennium. By training the boy in the ways of death and dying, Reaper grooms his young apprentice and through suspenseful and horror-laced events, he unknowingly gives Sonny something he never intended: A reason to live.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story from Fritz, a writer whom I had never came across before but will def be keeping an eye out for in the future.
The main protagonist, Sonny, is trying to come to terms with the recent death of his father, his mother’s apparent ambivalence towards him and his own struggles with life and it’s lessons. As the story of told through Sonny’s eyes (a grieving and disillusioned teenager) Fritz manages to ‘soften’ the ‘horror’ aspect of the story as Sonny’s response to some of the situations he finds himself in add some well received humour which only strengthens the deeper messages Fritz is trying to portray.
Dealing with themes of (shock horror) death, but also grief, morality, poverty, abuse, relationships and loyalty ‘A Fig for all the Devils’ is actually a witty delve into a lot more than what it offers on the tin.
In a strange way it was a heartwarming read and I came away from it with the ingrained feeling that sometimes you have to go through the bad, the difficult and the downright horrifying to truly grasp the concept of how lucky and blessed we are to be alive.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story from Fritz, a writer whom I had never came across before but will def be keeping an eye out for in the future.
The main protagonist, Sonny, is trying to come to terms with the recent death of his father, his mother’s apparent ambivalence towards him and his own struggles with life and it’s lessons. As the story of told through Sonny’s eyes (a grieving and disillusioned teenager) Fritz manages to ‘soften’ the ‘horror’ aspect of the story as Sonny’s response to some of the situations he finds himself in add some well received humour which only strengthens the deeper messages Fritz is trying to portray.
Dealing with themes of (shock horror) death, but also grief, morality, poverty, abuse, relationships and loyalty ‘A Fig for all the Devils’ is actually a witty delve into a lot more than what it offers on the tin.
In a strange way it was a heartwarming read and I came away from it with the ingrained feeling that sometimes you have to go through the bad, the difficult and the downright horrifying to truly grasp the concept of how lucky and blessed we are to be alive.
February 20, 2022
The profound discussion of what life, death, and grief mean to different kinds of people. Told in profound quotes, and philosophical answers to large questions everyone asks at sometime in life. It really helped me find more reasons to find life beautiful and for that alone deserves a 5 star. The grim reaper made me CACKLE with many of his comments and personality.. not to mention the writing, the art, and the style in which this book was written was absolutely divine. Even sent a copy to my favorite book tuber because this book needs more hype! Also to note— reaper talks about one of my favorite philosophers and I can continue to ramble endlessly about why this book is worth a read.
April 26, 2025
This book was beautiful. I loved the grim reaper plot and the redemption, but wanted just a little something more. This story was a lot more wholesome than I was expecting and it threw me off. Feel like this would be good to re-read again to fully appreciate it.
June 16, 2022
5 stars
A provocative and imaginative fable about death and grief, I would equate my experience reading A Fig For All The Devils to watching an R-rated Pixar animation directed by Tim Burton, it is wildly experimental, yet emotionally relatable and offers some very profound commentary on the rather macabre subject.
Readers expecting a mainstream, small town spooky tale about a teen's encounter with the Grim Reaper might be thrown off by its lyrical writing and philosophical tone, but I greatly appreciate C.S. Fritz's collection of obscure facts (I learned about 'brood parasite' through this... what a morbid behavior), and one-of-a-kind boundless imagination (from darkly humors to downright disturbing). If you enjoyed Mrs Death Misses Death by Salena Godden, and works by Josh Malerman, you'll find a lot of enjoyment in this.
Also, LOVE the cover design!
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**
A provocative and imaginative fable about death and grief, I would equate my experience reading A Fig For All The Devils to watching an R-rated Pixar animation directed by Tim Burton, it is wildly experimental, yet emotionally relatable and offers some very profound commentary on the rather macabre subject.
Readers expecting a mainstream, small town spooky tale about a teen's encounter with the Grim Reaper might be thrown off by its lyrical writing and philosophical tone, but I greatly appreciate C.S. Fritz's collection of obscure facts (I learned about 'brood parasite' through this... what a morbid behavior), and one-of-a-kind boundless imagination (from darkly humors to downright disturbing). If you enjoyed Mrs Death Misses Death by Salena Godden, and works by Josh Malerman, you'll find a lot of enjoyment in this.
Also, LOVE the cover design!
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**
May 28, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with a digital copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: graphic depictions of death, mentions of suicide, abuse and domestic violence, death
This beautifully written horror novel follows the story of a young boy called Sonny, who has recently lost his father and thus his will to live. He struggles to live with himself, and as he is barely managing to cope, he encounters the Grim Reaper, a poetry and cigarette-loving junkie that has a deep obsession with junk food. Sonny has then been deemed the next successor of death, and together they face the struggles and tasks necessary for Sonny's rise as the new Angel of Death.
Personally, the concept of this novel had me intrigued immediately because I have always loved literature that focuses on the personification of Death. I adored the lyrical feel of this novel, and I think that the author did a magnificent job of exploring the themes of grief and loss. This novel was genuinely so interesting, that it truly did pain me to give it a 3.5 star rating, rounded down. I wasn't a huge fan of the way that the Grim Reaper was characterized, as it felt a bit unnatural at times and his quirky nature was quite jarring to everything that was happening in the novel at the time. Also, sometimes the pacing felt a bit too slow, and when it sped up, I felt some holes in the narrative flow of the plot, but that was just my personal opinion. The end was really heartfelt, and I was flipping the pages back and forth because I could not believe how quickly it was wrapped up, and I was desperate for it to be drawn out just a bit more. These are just my minor complaints, and the reason why I was not able to give this novel the solid 4 stars that I felt it deserved, even though I truly did enjoy it thoroughly.
Overall, this novel felt a lot more philosophical and mature, but that was what I truly enjoyed. Even though my rating is only slightly above average, I would still highly recommend anyone who loves the deeper humanization of Death and the Afterlife, to definitely pick up this novel, as it is a very enjoyable read. I felt chills throughout, so that purpose was definitely fulfilled, and I am so disappointed that I could not enjoy it so much more, but I am still grateful to Netgalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this wonderfully crafted horror story.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: graphic depictions of death, mentions of suicide, abuse and domestic violence, death
This beautifully written horror novel follows the story of a young boy called Sonny, who has recently lost his father and thus his will to live. He struggles to live with himself, and as he is barely managing to cope, he encounters the Grim Reaper, a poetry and cigarette-loving junkie that has a deep obsession with junk food. Sonny has then been deemed the next successor of death, and together they face the struggles and tasks necessary for Sonny's rise as the new Angel of Death.
Personally, the concept of this novel had me intrigued immediately because I have always loved literature that focuses on the personification of Death. I adored the lyrical feel of this novel, and I think that the author did a magnificent job of exploring the themes of grief and loss. This novel was genuinely so interesting, that it truly did pain me to give it a 3.5 star rating, rounded down. I wasn't a huge fan of the way that the Grim Reaper was characterized, as it felt a bit unnatural at times and his quirky nature was quite jarring to everything that was happening in the novel at the time. Also, sometimes the pacing felt a bit too slow, and when it sped up, I felt some holes in the narrative flow of the plot, but that was just my personal opinion. The end was really heartfelt, and I was flipping the pages back and forth because I could not believe how quickly it was wrapped up, and I was desperate for it to be drawn out just a bit more. These are just my minor complaints, and the reason why I was not able to give this novel the solid 4 stars that I felt it deserved, even though I truly did enjoy it thoroughly.
Overall, this novel felt a lot more philosophical and mature, but that was what I truly enjoyed. Even though my rating is only slightly above average, I would still highly recommend anyone who loves the deeper humanization of Death and the Afterlife, to definitely pick up this novel, as it is a very enjoyable read. I felt chills throughout, so that purpose was definitely fulfilled, and I am so disappointed that I could not enjoy it so much more, but I am still grateful to Netgalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this wonderfully crafted horror story.
June 2, 2022
Wow. What a fantastic little book. Yes it’s a horror but it’s also a fairytale, a book about grief and loss, a book about life! And despite its heavy subject matter and extreme violence at times, it’s also incredibly funny.
Read the spiel for it to get a rough idea what it’s about and then enter the book with an open mind as the author puts you on a thrill ride of frights, grief, loss, loneliness, hope and love.
I just loved loved loved this book. Some beautiful writing, some huge subjects covered in the 200 odd pages all wrapped up in a horror/fairytale format that plays with your perceptions and makes reading a book about death and loss(and the grim reaper) a hell of a lot of fun and a hell of a ride.
5 easy stars from me.
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy through Netgalley.
Read the spiel for it to get a rough idea what it’s about and then enter the book with an open mind as the author puts you on a thrill ride of frights, grief, loss, loneliness, hope and love.
I just loved loved loved this book. Some beautiful writing, some huge subjects covered in the 200 odd pages all wrapped up in a horror/fairytale format that plays with your perceptions and makes reading a book about death and loss(and the grim reaper) a hell of a lot of fun and a hell of a ride.
5 easy stars from me.
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy through Netgalley.
August 21, 2022
This book tried to be many things it did not succeed at. Poor characterization, and a sudden 180 turn Hallmark ending did nothing to help the overall story.
**I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my review. **
**I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my review. **
April 16, 2023
This is the selection for the newly revitalized Nightmare Factory book club, which went on hiatus during the Covid pandemic.
I enjoyed the hell out of this book while I was reading it. The mostly short chapters make for compulsive just-one-more behavior, the story is engaging with touches of gruesome gore and humor. The main characters are interesting, if lightly drawn. The idea of death being an assignment to be passed along is not new (I think the first time I encountered it was with On A Pale Horse). I have mixed feelings about the portrayal of death here being so silly with relativey childish concerns, but then there's a long tradition in literature and movies of personifying death in a range of ways (Monty Python, Terry Pratchet, et al.) and I think the influences come through clearly in this book. I would have prefered a long-living death to have a bit more philosophical perspective. Fritz uses the cheap and easy method (* see note below) of generating hatred for the worst character Eugene, by having him perform grievous harm on a cat, something that can easily trigger me. My main complaint with this book was nerfed ending.
A wobbly 3.5 Given new insight on this book, I think it's a solid 4
* The author commented on my review, giving insight into this aspect of the book. My use of the words cheap and easy was based on thinking this book is purely fictional, but that assumption was incorrect, and it turns out Eugene is based on a real life person. This substantially changes my reaction to the book. I think I'll reread at least the last couple chapters of the book.
I enjoyed the hell out of this book while I was reading it. The mostly short chapters make for compulsive just-one-more behavior, the story is engaging with touches of gruesome gore and humor. The main characters are interesting, if lightly drawn. The idea of death being an assignment to be passed along is not new (I think the first time I encountered it was with On A Pale Horse). I have mixed feelings about the portrayal of death here being so silly with relativey childish concerns, but then there's a long tradition in literature and movies of personifying death in a range of ways (Monty Python, Terry Pratchet, et al.) and I think the influences come through clearly in this book. I would have prefered a long-living death to have a bit more philosophical perspective. Fritz uses the cheap and easy method (* see note below) of generating hatred for the worst character Eugene, by having him perform grievous harm on a cat, something that can easily trigger me. My main complaint with this book was nerfed ending.
* The author commented on my review, giving insight into this aspect of the book. My use of the words cheap and easy was based on thinking this book is purely fictional, but that assumption was incorrect, and it turns out Eugene is based on a real life person. This substantially changes my reaction to the book. I think I'll reread at least the last couple chapters of the book.
July 20, 2022
.
This small emotional horror book tackles life and death beautifully. The book had brief chapters. The author strategically placed illustrations and quotes throughout the book, which made reading it an enjoyable experience.
“A Fig for All Devils” has the goriest beginning that hooks the reader. After it delivered the shock and awe, the adventure begins. The book had great characters, including the grim reaper. Sonny was my favorite. Sonny was stuck in his grief after his father passed away. He was living with his emotionally abusive mother. He grew in the story and developed a sense of empathy.
“A Fig for All Devils” is a dark story. Fritz gave the grim reaper a humorous personality. It lightened the mood. I loved the relationship between Sony and the grim reaper.
I am not a fan of bow tie endings. They are too unrealistic with a hallmark feeling. “A fig for All Devils” was wrapped up too neatly, and that was a bit of a disappointment for me. I would have liked it to be just as strong and the beginning.
This small emotional horror book tackles life and death beautifully. The book had brief chapters. The author strategically placed illustrations and quotes throughout the book, which made reading it an enjoyable experience.
“A Fig for All Devils” has the goriest beginning that hooks the reader. After it delivered the shock and awe, the adventure begins. The book had great characters, including the grim reaper. Sonny was my favorite. Sonny was stuck in his grief after his father passed away. He was living with his emotionally abusive mother. He grew in the story and developed a sense of empathy.
“A Fig for All Devils” is a dark story. Fritz gave the grim reaper a humorous personality. It lightened the mood. I loved the relationship between Sony and the grim reaper.
I am not a fan of bow tie endings. They are too unrealistic with a hallmark feeling. “A fig for All Devils” was wrapped up too neatly, and that was a bit of a disappointment for me. I would have liked it to be just as strong and the beginning.
March 25, 2022
This is, bar none, the easiest 5 stars I have given a book. A favorite book of all time. Sorry in advance, but I will never shut up about this book.
Phenomenal.
Phenomenal.
April 4, 2024
Quirky and cringy is a fine line when it comes to personality, and the grim, unfortunately, is leaning heavy on the cringe.
Personality in character has to make sense in context, and I don’t see how a man from 1000 years ago in Iceland who was cursed to become the Grim Reaper
now has the same dialogue and mannerisms of a -~cool and chill -~13-year-old boy. Like what? He likes sugary snacks, says dude way too much, somehow is in the know on pop culture and slang? Oookkk
And what sucks is that it never dives deeper after the epilogue explaining much of anything.
But the horror aspect and the writing itself made for an entertaining read!
Which is surprising because the cover threw me! I was thinking it would be a darker tale. The cig in the pic should be replaced with a Twinkie in his hand.
But I flew through this once I picked it up. Some pretty creepy horror aspects. But I can't shake the horror feeling the book gives off YA vibes.
There’s such a huge focus on being a preteen/teen, dealing with a shit household, the death of a parent at a young age and wanting to get away, even if it means tag teaming with death itself.
Personality in character has to make sense in context, and I don’t see how a man from 1000 years ago in Iceland who was cursed to become the Grim Reaper
now has the same dialogue and mannerisms of a -~cool and chill -~13-year-old boy. Like what? He likes sugary snacks, says dude way too much, somehow is in the know on pop culture and slang? Oookkk
And what sucks is that it never dives deeper after the epilogue explaining much of anything.
But the horror aspect and the writing itself made for an entertaining read!
Which is surprising because the cover threw me! I was thinking it would be a darker tale. The cig in the pic should be replaced with a Twinkie in his hand.
But I flew through this once I picked it up. Some pretty creepy horror aspects. But I can't shake the horror feeling the book gives off YA vibes.
There’s such a huge focus on being a preteen/teen, dealing with a shit household, the death of a parent at a young age and wanting to get away, even if it means tag teaming with death itself.
October 28, 2021
Read this book in all of one day! It’s short yes, but deep.
It’s beautifully poetic and raw, messy and real all at the same time. A classic tale for modern times.
I went into this book thinking it would be from the perspective of death itself. However, this turned out so much better from the young boys point of view! The first part of the book dives right into intense scenes without many breaks in between. Some plot twists I didn’t see coming and deep dives into life, death and relationships of all kinds. I recommend this one to everyone. Check your trigger warnings though, it deals with child abuse, death, mutilation and more.
I also loved and appreciated the artwork scattered throughout the book of different depictions of death!
December 12, 2021
This was a great read. I love books with mentors/mentorships, especially when they are dark like this. We've got Death and his soon-to-be successor battling throughout. Fritz did a great job creating a horrific atmosphere, there were some really scary scenes that will stick with me.
August 13, 2022
3.5 rounded up, because I loved the illustrations, poetry, and quotations sprinkled throughout.
A Fig for All the Devils is a quirky and utterly unique horror novel full of beautiful writing that paints vivid imagery and genuinely scared me throughout my reading. (Those moths!!) Its portrayal of grief and dysfunctional families was spot on, and I enjoyed the relationship between Sonny and Reaper. The end of the book left me with some unanswered questions, and I would have preferred a darker ending, but overall it was a highly entertaining and completely original read!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A Fig for All the Devils is a quirky and utterly unique horror novel full of beautiful writing that paints vivid imagery and genuinely scared me throughout my reading. (Those moths!!) Its portrayal of grief and dysfunctional families was spot on, and I enjoyed the relationship between Sonny and Reaper. The end of the book left me with some unanswered questions, and I would have preferred a darker ending, but overall it was a highly entertaining and completely original read!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 6, 2025
I was really hoping this would give “A Monster Calls’ for an adult audience” and I’m pleased to report that it was more and then some. Gorgeous narrative on religion, death, grief, loss and the choice we make to face our pain rather than continue to ignore it. I wished we had leaned into Death’s depressed internet brainrot humor more but I’m the forgiving type!!
August 24, 2022
a quick fun read about death and grief!
i do enjoy reading from povs i don't normally gravitate towards (in this case, a teen boy), and from the synopsis, i was excited to read a dark, gorey novel where the meaning of life would be woven through. and although i did get that, there were a few things about the execution that just didn't do it for me.
i can appreciate that some of the dialogue/monologue is a little childish because we are in heads of teenagers; however, for the grim reaper, i was expecting a more wise, eloquent, dark voice whereas i got an aloof personification of death that would, every now and then, throw around quotable pieces of wisdom. the body horror was done well, but i wanted more!!
overall, i recommend it just was a happier book than i wanted it to be hahaha
i do enjoy reading from povs i don't normally gravitate towards (in this case, a teen boy), and from the synopsis, i was excited to read a dark, gorey novel where the meaning of life would be woven through. and although i did get that, there were a few things about the execution that just didn't do it for me.
i can appreciate that some of the dialogue/monologue is a little childish because we are in heads of teenagers; however, for the grim reaper, i was expecting a more wise, eloquent, dark voice whereas i got an aloof personification of death that would, every now and then, throw around quotable pieces of wisdom. the body horror was done well, but i wanted more!!
overall, i recommend it just was a happier book than i wanted it to be hahaha
March 2, 2022
This is, without a doubt, a fucking masterpiece.
This is not just a horror story of a sad boy, a shit mom, and a hilarious grim reaper; It is a story of grief, hope, and forgiveness.
"Hope punctures holes into our black sky to tell us that this ever-present darkness is only for a short while. There is a light, and it's breaking in piece by piece. I have given you darkness, but in time you will see its stars."
Everyone needs to read this book. It changed my life.
Be sure to check out the authors Instagram for these incredible character drawings: https://www.instagram.com/casey_fritz/
This is not just a horror story of a sad boy, a shit mom, and a hilarious grim reaper; It is a story of grief, hope, and forgiveness.
"Hope punctures holes into our black sky to tell us that this ever-present darkness is only for a short while. There is a light, and it's breaking in piece by piece. I have given you darkness, but in time you will see its stars."
Everyone needs to read this book. It changed my life.
Be sure to check out the authors Instagram for these incredible character drawings: https://www.instagram.com/casey_fritz/
May 29, 2022
omg i cant even tell you how much i loved this book !!!!
This was scary, it was gory, but it was SO beautiful and so heart wrenching.
I LOVED the way he made the Grim Reaper, i’m so happy the author chose to not make him so idk how to put it “ancient” and “old timey” if that makes sense, i love that sometimes i’d think he was human, i loved that he felt HUMAN, because that’s exactly what he used to be, human.
The writing?!?!?!?! omg SO SO SO SO beautiful!!!!
I loved everything about it, it felt so real, so honest,
so open when it came to grief and i loved that so much.
**thank you so much to Netgalley for sending this arc to me in exchange for an honest review**
This was scary, it was gory, but it was SO beautiful and so heart wrenching.
I LOVED the way he made the Grim Reaper, i’m so happy the author chose to not make him so idk how to put it “ancient” and “old timey” if that makes sense, i love that sometimes i’d think he was human, i loved that he felt HUMAN, because that’s exactly what he used to be, human.
The writing?!?!?!?! omg SO SO SO SO beautiful!!!!
I loved everything about it, it felt so real, so honest,
so open when it came to grief and i loved that so much.
**thank you so much to Netgalley for sending this arc to me in exchange for an honest review**
August 2, 2022
What a peculiar and beautiful book about life, death and grief. I'll be thinking about this book for a long time to come! It's one of my new favourite arc's I've ever read and I will be recommending this to everyone for the upcoming spooky season.
July 3, 2023
To be completely honest with you, I really regret that it took me so long to get around to reading this book. It was one of those books that had been on my to-read list for ages, but I just never got around to it. But when I finally did read it, I was blown away by how good it was.
I'm the kind of person who can't resist a book if it has a cool cover, so I actually went into reading this without reading the synopsis. When I saw the cover, I just knew that this was going to be a cool book. And I wasn't wrong. The story was really interesting, but also heartbreaking at the same time. I felt so much empathy for the main character, Sonny, and I just wanted to give him a big hug while reading because he deserved it.
The story centers on Sonny, a young boy who is struggling to cope with his father's suicide. He is left alone to grapple with his emotions as his mother distances herself from him, leaving him alone with his grief. Despite this, Sonny's life changes when he meets Death, who offers him a deal that the young boy ultimately accepts. He begins to prepare himself to become the new Death, but as the story progresses, he begins to realize that there may still be a reason to live.
From the first page, the book grabbed my attention and didn't let go until the end. I was always wondering where the story was going and how Sonny's fate would turn out. The author did a great job of creating anticipation as well. There were always little bits here and there that made me wonder what would happen next.
As I mentioned before, one of the things I loved about this book was how much I sympathized with Sonny throughout the whole story. I couldn't help but care about him and his future. He was a great main character, and it was interesting to see how he processed everything that happened to him. Jess was another great character, although I wish we could have seen more interactions between her and Sonny. Their relationship or friendship (whatever you want to call it) felt a little too quick, since we didn't get to see much of the build-up. But despite that, I still found myself rooting for them and hoping that their situations would turn out to be okay at the end. My favorite character, though, was definitely Death. I loved his dialogues and his personality, as well as how weirdly comforting he was. He was such a unique and interesting character, and I really enjoyed every scene he was in. Sonny's mother, on the other hand, made me want to scream at her. I understood where she was coming from with her feelings, but the way she treated her son was just awful. It was so sad to see how she was ready to choose Eugene over Sonny, even if he was abusive. Speaking of Eugene, I can't remember the last time a character made me feel this angry and repulsed. He was such an a**hole, and just an absolutely awful human being. It was hard to read about the things he did to Sonny. The only character we haven't talked about is Abraham, Jess's father. His character was definitely intriguing. It was fascinating to see how his wife's condition had broken him and how his situation had pushed him to become a sinner, despite him being a priest. I would actually love to see more of his story and how he would come to terms with everything that had happened, and whether or not he could fix what was broken.
The writing style of the book was really enjoyable for me. It was easy to read and understand, and while it didn't always take itself too seriously, there were still plenty of thought-provoking ideas and disturbing scenes. The chapters were also really short, which made me feel like I was zooming through the book.
I would definitely recommend this novel, especially for those who aren't afraid to read a story with more darker and grimmer themes. However, I do think it's important to note that there are some triggering topics in the book, such as abuse and grief. So, if you're sensitive to those topics, it might not be the best choice for you.
I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for more of C.S. Fritz's work in the future. I took a peek at his Instagram and his artworks are absolutely gorgeous. It's also really cool to hear that they're planning on making a movie out of this book!
I'm the kind of person who can't resist a book if it has a cool cover, so I actually went into reading this without reading the synopsis. When I saw the cover, I just knew that this was going to be a cool book. And I wasn't wrong. The story was really interesting, but also heartbreaking at the same time. I felt so much empathy for the main character, Sonny, and I just wanted to give him a big hug while reading because he deserved it.
The story centers on Sonny, a young boy who is struggling to cope with his father's suicide. He is left alone to grapple with his emotions as his mother distances herself from him, leaving him alone with his grief. Despite this, Sonny's life changes when he meets Death, who offers him a deal that the young boy ultimately accepts. He begins to prepare himself to become the new Death, but as the story progresses, he begins to realize that there may still be a reason to live.
From the first page, the book grabbed my attention and didn't let go until the end. I was always wondering where the story was going and how Sonny's fate would turn out. The author did a great job of creating anticipation as well. There were always little bits here and there that made me wonder what would happen next.
As I mentioned before, one of the things I loved about this book was how much I sympathized with Sonny throughout the whole story. I couldn't help but care about him and his future. He was a great main character, and it was interesting to see how he processed everything that happened to him. Jess was another great character, although I wish we could have seen more interactions between her and Sonny. Their relationship or friendship (whatever you want to call it) felt a little too quick, since we didn't get to see much of the build-up. But despite that, I still found myself rooting for them and hoping that their situations would turn out to be okay at the end. My favorite character, though, was definitely Death. I loved his dialogues and his personality, as well as how weirdly comforting he was. He was such a unique and interesting character, and I really enjoyed every scene he was in. Sonny's mother, on the other hand, made me want to scream at her. I understood where she was coming from with her feelings, but the way she treated her son was just awful. It was so sad to see how she was ready to choose Eugene over Sonny, even if he was abusive. Speaking of Eugene, I can't remember the last time a character made me feel this angry and repulsed. He was such an a**hole, and just an absolutely awful human being. It was hard to read about the things he did to Sonny. The only character we haven't talked about is Abraham, Jess's father. His character was definitely intriguing. It was fascinating to see how his wife's condition had broken him and how his situation had pushed him to become a sinner, despite him being a priest. I would actually love to see more of his story and how he would come to terms with everything that had happened, and whether or not he could fix what was broken.
The writing style of the book was really enjoyable for me. It was easy to read and understand, and while it didn't always take itself too seriously, there were still plenty of thought-provoking ideas and disturbing scenes. The chapters were also really short, which made me feel like I was zooming through the book.
I would definitely recommend this novel, especially for those who aren't afraid to read a story with more darker and grimmer themes. However, I do think it's important to note that there are some triggering topics in the book, such as abuse and grief. So, if you're sensitive to those topics, it might not be the best choice for you.
I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for more of C.S. Fritz's work in the future. I took a peek at his Instagram and his artworks are absolutely gorgeous. It's also really cool to hear that they're planning on making a movie out of this book!
May 21, 2025
*cries uncontrollably*
January 26, 2022
wow.
wow wow wow.
don't let the dates fool you. i know it says it took me 8 days to read a 233 page book, and it did take me that long. granted i didn't read it every day, there were other books i read in that time frame, BUT let me make it known that i was TRYING to draw this book out. i was savoring every page.
not often do i come across a book that pulls me in from page one. the only books i can think of off the top of my head are The Shining and Doctor Sleep, and now i can add A Fig For All The Devils to that list.
everything about this book is exceptional. i honestly cannot think of one thing i would change. i love the story, the characters, the atmosphere, THE ENDING. Fritz even has a QR code at the beginning of the book linking to a custom-created playlist in spotify that goes PERFECTLY with the novel. you bet your ass i read the whole book alongside the playlist, and i loved every second of it. someone tell me how the last few chapters aligned perfectly with the last two songs that cycled through - idk how that happened, but it really couldn't have been more perfect.
have i convinced you? pick this up. exceptional. it'll be a top read of 2022 and one of my all-time favorite no doubt.
wow wow wow.
don't let the dates fool you. i know it says it took me 8 days to read a 233 page book, and it did take me that long. granted i didn't read it every day, there were other books i read in that time frame, BUT let me make it known that i was TRYING to draw this book out. i was savoring every page.
not often do i come across a book that pulls me in from page one. the only books i can think of off the top of my head are The Shining and Doctor Sleep, and now i can add A Fig For All The Devils to that list.
everything about this book is exceptional. i honestly cannot think of one thing i would change. i love the story, the characters, the atmosphere, THE ENDING. Fritz even has a QR code at the beginning of the book linking to a custom-created playlist in spotify that goes PERFECTLY with the novel. you bet your ass i read the whole book alongside the playlist, and i loved every second of it. someone tell me how the last few chapters aligned perfectly with the last two songs that cycled through - idk how that happened, but it really couldn't have been more perfect.
have i convinced you? pick this up. exceptional. it'll be a top read of 2022 and one of my all-time favorite no doubt.
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