2023 Challenge Deals with the Devil

[Jalilah]

Here is the place to discuss retellings, traditional tales, or books inspired by the mythology, folklore, or fairy tales with the theme Deals with the Devil

[Cheryl]

The Devil's Storybook and The Devil's Other Storybook by Natalie Babbitt are not just for kids. Fun, clever, short.

[Jalilah]

This year I want to try and read some classic books that have mythic themes. Some that have a kind of deal with the devil would be:
The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde
The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
Mephisto by Klaus Mann
And of course Faust by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

[Tamara]

Jalilah, The Master and Margarita is an absolute masterpiece. I read it over a year ago. It's the type of novel I intend to read once every several years--like I do with Don Quixote. I hope you enjoy it.

[Andy]

Very interesting!
I have Song of Silver, Flame Like Night for this prompt, as suggested by Margaret, but I would be interested to read The Master and Margarita if I can fit 2 books per prompt!

[Susan]

Oh, golly. I think I will honor the Deal With the Devil by actually for once completely finishing Dr. Faustus. I love Thomas Mann, but bec this is so heavy on music theory and includes a lot of antique Germanic references that I know I don't appreciate, I always bog down and start to skim and skip.

[Margaret]

Here are some books I've enjoyed that would fit this challenge!

-From Dust, a Flame by Rebecca Podos. Contemporary YA with Jewish folklore.
-Tread of Angels by Rebecca Roanhorse. This one is a little different from typical Deals with the Devil stories, but I would say it still fits. Basically, it's the wild west with angels and demons.
-The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope. 1920s historical fantasy with African American folklore.
-Wake the Bones by Elizabeth Kilcoyne. YA Southern horror.
-Song of Silver, Flame Like Night by Amélie Wen Zhao, YA adventure fantasy, Chinese folklore
-Siren Queen by Nghi Vo. 1930s Hollywood with fae
-The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R.M. Romero. YA Jewish folklore, novel in verse

I'm indubitably missing some good ones I've read!

[Jalilah]

Margaret wrote: "Here are some books I've enjoyed that would fit this challenge!

-From Dust, a Flame by Rebecca Podos. Contemporary YA with Jewish folklore.
-Tread of Angels into the challenge!

[Margaret]

Jalilah wrote: "Margaret wrote: "Here are some books I've enjoyed that would fit this challenge!

-From Dust, a Flame by Rebecca Podos. Contemporary YA with Jewish folklore.
-[book..."

I think you would enjoy both!

[Jalilah]

I was also wanting to read Siren Queen, but wasn’t sure how it would fit in the challenge

[Erin]

I immediately thought of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by VE Schwab for this one. I read it a couple years ago and aside from a few stylistic things, I really liked it.

[Andy]

Margaret wrote: "Here are some books I've enjoyed that would fit this challenge!

Too many wonderful books in this list, thank you Margaret! :) I am planning to read both The Monsters We Defy and Song of Silver, Flame Like Night early in the year. I have Siren Queen on my TBR, but probably not for 2023... We'll see! :)

[Andy]

Erin wrote: "I immediately thought of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by VE Schwab for this one. I read it a couple years ago and aside from a few stylistic things, I really liked it."

Loved this! I read it this year, and it totally came to mind for this prompt! :)

[Margaret]

Erin wrote: "I immediately thought of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by VE Schwab for this one. I read it a couple years ago and aside from a few stylistic things, I really liked it."

Oh yes, how could I have forgotten that one! For some reason I didn't love that one, but I did like it.

Jalilah wrote: "I was also wanting to read Siren Queen, but wasn’t sure how it would fit in the challenge"

It definitely does! (view spoiler)[ She signs a contract with an evil fae to be in the movies. But, of course, there's a price that must be paid. It's all about contracts and the price of making contracts with the fae. (hide spoiler)]

I don't think that's a super spoiler, but I thought I would put it in spoilers just in case. :)

[Erin]

Margaret wrote:

Oh yes, how could I have forgotten that one! For some reason I didn't love that one, but I did like it.
"

Yes, me too. I really enjoyed some aspects of it (especially Henry, I thought his scenes were often really beautiful and perfectly captured). This is nitpicky of me but the extensive use of line breaks and repetitive mentions of the character's freckles really drove me crazy and when something like that starts to bother me, it pulls me out of the story.

[Margaret]

Erin wrote: "Yes, me too. I really enjoyed some aspects of it (especially Henry, I thought his scenes were often really beautiful and perfectly captured). This is nitpicky of me but the extensive use of line breaks and repetitive mentions of the character's freckles really drove me crazy and when something like that starts to bother me, it pulls me out of the story...."

That bothers me too! I'm hit and miss with Schwab. Some books of hers I really love, others feel flat. But I know lots of people who love Addie LaRue and consider it her best novel.

[Ozsaur]

Hammers on Bone - it's fairly short, and the "devil" is more of a cosmic entity. Deals are indeed made! If you like Lovecraftian horror, this fits the prompt.

[Jalilah]

Siren Queen was a great choice for this category!

[Margaret]

Jalilah wrote: "Siren Queen was a great choice for this category!"

That one is perfect for this!

[Jalilah]

I just started Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, but it seems like it might fit this category

[Jalilah]

Well, I was not planning to read 3 books for this category, but about 3/4 through The Angel's Game I realized it has a quintessential deals with the devil theme!