Saturday, June 13, 2009

Devil May Cry by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Devil May Cry (Dark-Hunter, #19) Devil May Cry by Sherrilyn Kenyon


My review


rating: 5 of 5 stars
If Kenyon had been borne before modern times, she would have been a traveling bard. For this woman can tell a story like no other writer on earth. I have been a fan of hers for almost ten years, starting with her historical romances written as Kinley MacGregor. I had turned away from my true self, abandoning the world of fantasy and the supernatural. I didn't read any horror, fantasy, and I turned my nose up a paranormal. 'Who wants to read a book with a vampire as a romance hero?' I scoffed. I laugh at myself now. I read Night Pleasures out of curiosity, because my sister loved it so much. She was the big paranormal fan in the family, you see. Well it was love at second sight (I already loved this author as Kinley MacGregor). A decade later, I am a paranormal romance fiend.



Well, this many years into the future, I can say that Kenyon still has it. Her imagination knows no bounds. Her ability to take ancient myths and build a modern story around the, filling the story with lovable or hateable characters with the human quirks that make a reader keep reading, is a great gift. Few authors write a tortured hero so well as Kenyon does. And Sin joins the ranks.



I was a little skeptical how this story could succeed in bringing a hero who was an ancient Sumerian god to life. But it was done very well. Sin might have been a god, but he has a humanity that makes me love him all the more.



Katra, introduced in Kiss of the Night, finally gets a book of her own. And it was grand. I liked her from the beginning. It's great to see her story, and how convoluted her family tree is. To reveal that would spoil things, so I won't. But there is a familial reunion in this book guaranteed to bring tears to your eyes if you are a Dark-Hunter fan. Kat is a fun heroine, but also very lovable. Her heart is big and filled with kindness, and she has the wisdom and sensitivity that makes her perfect for an embittered man like Sin. And she can kick some serious bottom too.



Kat and Sin were a great couple. Definitely one of my favorites in the Dark-Hunter series so far. It's great to see both of them find happiness, after Sin had lost so much, and Kat had gone eleven thousand years missing a vital part of her identity. Both of the had seen love go wrong, and had the wary hearts to prove it, but they found each other, and saved the world in the process.



I also gained some insight into a long-despised recurring character in this book, Artemis. Spoiled, selfish, mercurial, yet she does have the capacity for love. Still not my favorite, and still making me desirous of slapping her hard enough to make her eyes roll, but I can see that she does have some good points.



A consistent strength of Kenyon is the cast of secondary characters that she weaves into each story. This book introduces some new faces that had me laughing out loud in the gym on the elliptical trainer with their sarcastic quips. I love the wit and the humor in these Dark-Hunter books. It helps to transition very well from the scenes of sadness as these ancient characters go through awful events that have left the mark of suffering on their psyches. love how she intertwines mythology along with the things that surely come out of her great imagination in her books. It's great to see familiar characters from the myths, but in a story that shows different aspects (and brings these characters to life, dare I say) that the myths could not delve into. Like Hades' sarcastic wit, and his fear of Persephone being angry at him. Gotta love that poor Hades, the all-powerful god of the Underworld is a whipped husband. I must say that I find Hades to be quite the hottie. The much beloved Simi and her sister Xirena also make appearances, with their love of shopping, Diamonique, and devouring demons.



Acheron has a very pivotal role in this story that I loved, and we get to see more of his backstory. If you are a fan of his (of course you are), you need to read this book. I need to get the last two books read before I can pull out his book, Acheron. We get to meet Xypher, who is the future hero of Dream Chaser. I am already intrigued with him. Sin's brother Zakar is an interesting character whom I hope to see again, as well. Kenyon also gives us a more sympathetic look at Daimons, as we learn they are not the worst enemies in this universe.



Kenyon is one of the funniest writers I've ever read. It's amazing that she can also write some of the most angsty, most tortured heroes I've had the pleasure (sounds sadistic of me) to read about, yet she can make me laugh out loud at the gym, uncaring that people are probably wondering if I'm going crazy or something.



If you want several hours of enjoyment that takes you into a world just like our own, but is filled with action, adventure, magic, myth, and an incredible love story, you should read this book.


View all my reviews.

1 comment:

Jacqueline C. said...

I'm going to have to pick this one up!
You have an award from me!