Johnson, Maureen - Devilish

[oyceter]

I liked this less than rilina and buymeaclue did, possibly because a) I read it in two hours while extremely nervous about computer science class and b) it contains some backstabbing among female friends, which is a trope I detest. This is, however, not to say that I didn't like it; I did like it and generally would rec it. I just didn't absolutely adore it.

Jane and her best friend Allison don't quite fit in the social scheme at their Catholic girls' school. Neither one of them is a pariah, but Jane is too savagely smart to quite fit, while Allison is a bit on the loopy side. Then one day, Allison comes in with new hair and more confidence, and things start going wonky.

Jane's narrative voice is a joy to read: she's smart, snarky, and irreverent, but not annoyingly so. Instead, she seems to be thinking the very things I would be (only with more wit than me). I love her reactions to the gradual increase of the supernatural in her life in particular.

As noted, I was a little put off by the fact that Jane's opponents in the book are mostly female, while those helping her are mostly male. Without spoiling anything, I'll just say that Johnson resolved this in a way that left me satisfied and not sporky.

This is a really fun book, though by the end, I wished a little that it took more time: I didn't quite believe how fast events went in the book timeline, and I wanted more pages so it took more time for me to read as well.

Links:
- rilina's review
- buymeaclue's review
- rachelmanija's review

Comments

[sarahtales.livejournal.com]

I did kind of want Allison's stealing Jane's ex addressed: in my book it's very much Girl Code never, ever to touch your friend's exes, let alone sneak around with them behind your friends' backs. I was left in the position of gesturing and going 'I see why you're letting the soul thing go, there will only be so many devils out to sign your soul away and Allison came through in the end because it's such a serious thing, but in an ordinary-life-situation there will be lots more exes, and Allison cannot be trusted with them!' I was also worried about the fact that Jane's new guy is going to be fourteen forever, but I didn't really note the girl stuff I think because Jane herself was so fantastic.

Have you read The Bermudez Triangle? It was my first Johnson. Really good take on lesbianism and teen sexuality, I thought, and I seem to remember a decent PoC count.

[oyceter]

Ooo, yes to the ex thing.

Though I forgot to mention that I really liked that Johnson made the ex sympathetic and nice. It was a nice change from the usual asshole ex, when you can't for the life of you see why the main character is having a hard time getting over the break up.

I haven't read any other Johnsons! I am going to look for more from the library; I really like her narrative voice so far.