“Old stories meant nothing or everything, depending on whom you asked. “
Title: Devil and the Bluebird
Author: Jennifer Mason-Black
Series: Standalone
Publication: May 17th 2016 by Amulet Books
Pages:336
Source: Netgalley
Summary from Goodreads:
“Devil-at-the-crossroads” folklore finds its way to YA via this moody, magical tale
Blue Riley has wrestled with her own demons ever since the loss of her mother to cancer. But when she encounters a beautiful devil at her town crossroads, it’s her runaway sister’s soul she fights to save. The devil steals Blue’s voice—inherited from her musically gifted mother—in exchange for a single shot at finding Cass.
Armed with her mother’s guitar, a knapsack of cherished mementos, and a pair of magical boots, Blue journeys west in search of her sister. When the devil changes the terms of their deal, Blue must reevaluate her understanding of good and evil and open herself to finding family in unexpected places.
In Devil and the Bluebird, Jennifer Mason-Black delivers a heart-wrenching depiction of loss and hope.
My Thoughts:
This is one of those books where I don’t really know how I feel about everything as a whole. I liked it… I didn’t like it. Some parts and the idea was yay, and other parts and the execution at some points was nay. Devil and the Bluebird is a lyrical fable about making a deal with a devil, but I think it bit off a bit more than it could chew – if you know what I mean.
While Devil and the Bluebird has some serious potential to be amazing, it ended up falling a bit short. I can’t pinpoint why, not exactly. I don’t know if I was expecting something other than what I got, because I went into it with no knowledge and practically no expectations. I guess I was thinking of something out of Supernatural (because I’m sure all of you know how obsessed I am with the show). I was hoping it would be something like the crossroads demons in the show… but no. It’s hard to explain.
My biggest problem with the book, and the only issue I can really pinpoint, is Blue’s personality – or lack thereof. She was so, so dull. Blue made Bella Swan look like a shining gold coin. Blue was all “woe is me” and I was sick and tired of it by the end of the first chapter. She really needed to get over herself. She was stubborn, self-centered, and a hoarder of emotional baggage.
Overall, Devil and the Bluebird was predictable, flat, inconsistent, and a waste of time. I did like some parts, like I said – but it was so few and far between that it really doesn’t help to improve my overall opinion. The mythology was sound and, quite frankly, very interesting – but on the larger scale of the book it boosted it only slightly over my DNF mark.
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