Title: The Devil Catches Butterflies
Author: Reese T. Lightfoot
Publisher: Night Script Media
ISBN: 979-8218367015
eBook ISBN: 979-8869221643
Genre: Supernatural, Fantasy
Availability: Paperback or eBook
Language: English
Paperback: 176 pages
Item Weight: 7 ounces
Dimensions: 5 x 0.41 x 8 inches
Review:
Polish film director and screenwriter Krzysztof Kieślowski once said, “I like chance meetings – life is full of them. Every day, without realizing it, I pass people whom I should know.”
Unfortunately, there are certain circumstances where chance meetings can reveal danger and the truth of who you are, something the main heroine learns the hard way in Reese T. Lightfoot’s The Devil Catches Butterflies.
The story begins in the city of dreams, the capital of the world, the Big Apple itself, New York. We are then introduced to Phoebe Graham, a young woman in her late 20s working as a copy editor for Monarch Publishing with dreams of making it big as a writer and we find her in the throes of getting some disappointing news from her mentor, Senior Copy Editor Garrett Miller, regarding a familiar and frustrating client of theirs.
During her ride home on the subway, Phoebe happens to catch the eyes of our deuteragonist, Alvin Casen. She thinks nothing of it until the next day when he approaches her regarding the X-Men comic she was reading, leaving her heart fluttering long after his introduction. However, things quickly take a dark turn when Phoebe finds herself at the opposite end of a knife, sending her life, and everything that she thought she knew, on its head.
Reese did a fantastic job establishing everything about Phoebe, and other characters.
From the first page, I knew exactly what Phoebe was about and whether or not I would enjoy the story from Phoebe’s point of view. I also enjoyed what the deuteragonist brought to the story, from the secrets that not only he knows, but the secrets of a certain object that he owns that comes into Phoebe’s possession. I was instantly drawn to both Phoebe and Alvin as characters and I enjoyed the banter between them through the novel’s well-written dialogue.
The character interactions were top notch and I often found myself enjoying the conversations between not only Phoebe and Alvin, but also with characters like Louise, Darius, and Garrett. I also applaud Reese for giving each of the characters their own voice. Some authors come across the issue of all of their characters speaking with one voice, however, Reese does a great job of differentiating the characters in that regard.
Another thing Reese gets right is the worldbuilding. As mentioned in previous reviews, I’m big into worldbuilding, and while this novel is low-fantasy, Reese does a great job building upon the real world with the more fantastical and dark magical elements that this story has, especially when it comes to Alvin’s object and the evil that lurks behind it.
Speaking of magic, I enjoyed how magic is handled in this world. Nowadays, magic is often seen as powerful and whimsical, with a few scant few delving into the dark side of magic. Tying in the magic not only to negative emotions but to the antagonist’s freedom with each use was such a great addition.
Which brings me to the horror. Whenever the main antagonist was on the page, I felt a palpable anxiety. His presence was commanding and forceful and even when he would speak to his underlings with softness, there was always something lurking beneath his words. Finally, the descriptions in general hit a sweet spot where Reese gives just enough narration without going overboard or entering into purple prose territory. In these categories, as well as the various twists of the novel, Reese does a magnificent job.
The Devil Catches Butterflies has an engaging plot, good side characters, and develops at a good pace for its plot. Fantasy and horror lovers everywhere will enjoy the world-building, the action, and the story it provides and It gains a solid recommendation from me. ★★★★★ – Elijah B. (Explore Authors Magazine)