A book review: The Devil and the Dark Water
Title of the book: The Devil and the Dark Water
Author: Stuart Turton
Publisher: Raven Books
Publication Date: 1st of October 2020
Genre: Mystery, Historical Mystery, Historical Adventure, Fiction
Why I picked up this book:
Recently I have been on an audiobook binge - more specifically the Lady Trent Memoirs, which I highly recommend. Audiobooks are great when I am out and about or running errands. It makes me feel as if I am on a quest rather than doing mundane day-to-day tasks.
However, as the nights are getting longer, the days colder and much - so much wetter - I’ve been inclined to pick up some physical copies again. This one, in particular, has been on my shelves for a fair while, and after re-reading some of the stellar reviews it was immediately clear it would be my cosy reading kickstart.
About the author:
Stuart lives in London with his amazing wife and daughter. He drinks lots of tea.
What else?
When he left university he went travelling for three months and stayed away for five years. Every time his parents asked when he’d be back he told them next week, and meant it.
Stuart is not to be trusted. In the nicest possible way.
He’s got a degree in English and Philosophy, which makes him excellent at arguing and terrible at choosing degrees.
Having trained for no particular career, he has dabbled in most of them. He stocked shelves in a Darwin bookshop, taught English in Shanghai, worked for a technology magazine in London, wrote travel articles in Dubai, and now he’s a freelance journalist. None of this was planned, he just kept getting lost on his way to other places.
He likes a chat. He likes books. He likes people who write books and people who read books. He doesn’t know how to write a biography, so should probably stop before he tells you about his dreams or something. It was lovely to meet you, though.
Synopsis:
A murder on the high seas. A detective duo. A demon who may or may not exist.
It's 1634 and Samuel Pipps, the world's greatest detective, is being transported to Amsterdam to be executed for a crime he may, or may not, have committed. Travelling with him is his loyal bodyguard, Arent Hayes, who is determined to prove his friend innocent.
But no sooner are they out to sea than devilry begins to blight the voyage. A twice-dead leper stalks the decks. Strange symbols appear on the sails. Livestock is slaughtered.
And then three passengers are marked for death, including Samuel.
Could a demon be responsible for their misfortunes?
With Pipps imprisoned, only Arent can solve a mystery that connects every passenger onboard. A mystery that stretches back into their past and now threatens to sink the ship, killing everybody on board.
Review of the book:
Yes…Yes….YES!...No?...No!...NO!
There - my initial 6-word review about this book.
That out of the way, let’s address the elephant in the room. Is it immediately quite obvious that the author drew inspiration from the adventures of Sherlock Holmes? Yes. There are too many parallels to ignore. The slight, aristocratic-looking genius detective who will happily dabble in any vices. Accompanied by the burly, honorable lifeguard with a military past who is being trained to assist him. They are clearly modeled after Sherlock and Watson and have been transported to a ship flying under the VOC colors.
Personally - I didn’t mind that too much though. They carried the story well enough - and the decision to lock the Sherlock character away for much of the story - thus creating an obvious handicap was a clever twist on the classic murder mystery. The other twist - another murder being solved along the one we had been focussed on all along was another nice addition, and in fact well-written. There had been subtle clues but very little suggestion we would get a satisfactory resolution for that one.
I also have not too many issues with the characters. From the main ones, down to the cast of supporting actors - they are well-written, believable, and interesting. Not a single one suffered from Mary Sue or Lary Stue syndrome which is a truly refreshing change of pace. Now, do they completely fit the setting and the time in which this story is meant to take place? No! Are they entertaining and engaging? Sure.
This is where it is starting to fall down for me though. As mentioned the whole story is set in the 1600’s on a VOC ship. Now, if you choose such a specific setting, and such a specific era in history to set your story - it should have a purpose to it. Instead, it seems like the author just wanted a cool ‘piratey / adventury’ backdrop for his story. Choosing to ignore some significant facts and restraints that come with this backdrop. Completely going against the history, culture, and language of the time. Of course, creative liberty should be allowed, but again why choose to set your story at this time if you are not using it to your benefit?
Additionally, the ending of this story had me screaming in frustration. A large part of this story focuses on the characters and how they develop over time, facing the challenges of a perilous journey at sea and a demon in their midst. So pray tell me why - all of that character development gets simply yeeted out of the window in the last 10 pages? All that Sara and Arent have cared about, justice first and foremost amongst them, gets simply erased for a cheap, happy ending? It would have honestly been more satisfying if the antagonists had met a more disastrous end.
That’s just my opinion though, and in the end, considering the amount of accolades this book is drowning in I might be alone. I am curious what you think though - am I just a bitter wannabe who couldn’t write anything better if she tried - or did you feel similar at least? Let me know in the comment sections below, and until then - just one more page!