The North American hardcover of The Devourers (Del Rey) has been out for just over half a year, and its paperback cousin was just released last month, so I thought I’d finally put a line-up of the book reviews in one place. The critical reception has been better than I could have hoped, but I also want to thank all the readers who’ve taken the time to let me know they liked the novel, and reviewed/rated it on Goodreads and Amazon, as well as the many book bloggers who have also kindly reviewed it. Thanks also to the many fantastic writers who blurbed the novel so enthusiastically. I’m immensely grateful to everyone who’s read, bought, borrowed, and spread the word about The Devourers. For links to places you can buy the book, scroll down to the bottom of the page. The artwork above is The Strangling Fig, by Chris Panatier–the painting commissioned for the cover of the North American edition of the novel.
To the reviews:
“A chilling, gorgeous saga that spans several centuries and many lands . . . The all-too-human characters—including the nonhuman ones—and the dreamlike, recursive plot serve to entrance the reader. . . . There’s no escaping The Devourers. Readers will savor every bite.” —N. K. Jemisin, The New York Times Book Review
“There are no easy words to describe the novel’s impact…To offer a comparison, the experience of reading [The Devourers] is like watching a surrealist film: it is poetic, playful, and at times miraculous.” —Malisa Kurtz, The Los Angeles Review of Books
“This is one of those dreamy, gorgeous novels that pulls you into the story with the promise of an immersive fantasy, but it leaves you questioning your own reality. Violent, erotic and unsparing, The Devourers will make your forget about True Blood and Twilight and reawaken you to the true power of monster stories.” —Annalee Newitz, Ars Technica
“The Devourers is beautiful. It is brutal. It is violent and vicious. . . . [It] also showcases Das’s incredible prowess with language and rhythm, and his ability to weave folklore and ancient legend with modern day loneliness.” —Mahvesh Murad, Tor.com
“Das’s brutal, intoxicating, and gorgeously visceral debut merges an often mythic sensibility with an appreciation for the coarse beauty of the everyday.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“A sensual tale of violence and desire . . . for fans of Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire but with a fascinating setting beautifully described.” —Library Journal (starred review)
“The Devourers is lush and strange and putrid . . . a hard read, and one of my favorite books of the year.” —Cassandra Khaw, Tor.com
“Das’s narrative is lush, imaginative, and hypnotic, bringing to life scenes of savagery and moments of wonder. . . . Das’s debut is an ambitious, unsettling trip into our own capacity for violence.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Das’s lyrical tale explores difficult subjects — rape and sexual identity among them — without descending to gratuitous violence or cliche.” —Nancy Hightower, The Washington Post
“[A] striking first novel . . . Das is a compelling writer, combining mythologies from several cultures with a rare ease . . . If you’re bored with the usual ingredients of commercial fantasy, here’s one that’s about as different from the formula as you’re likely to get.” —Peter Heck, Asimov’s
“Groundbreaking modern fantasy . . . The Devourers is a seductive and sensual novel on many levels . . . [with] precise prose that alternately transports and terrifies. Despite its more gruesome bits, it’s about the loveliest werewolf novel I’ve ever read—but maybe it’s the first to try for that distinction.” —Gary K. Wolfe, Locus Magazine
“The Devourers . . . will stay with you long after you’re finished with it.” —Nicole Hill, The Barnes & Noble Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog
“The Devourers captures the beauty of living in a shared world of fantasy, and the desire to be human and to love in beautiful, haunting prose.” —Salik Shah, Strange Horizons
“Indra Das writes with strength and beauty.” —Catherine Grant, New York Journal of Books
“The Devourers . . . takes the legends of old to make something new.” —Piali Roy, The Toronto Star
“[An] extraordinary piece of meta-fiction: stories within stories . . . trans-genre, transgender and transgressive . . . Who gets what he or she wants and, above all, who has the moral right to their desires, is the heart of this remarkable, multi-layered novel.” —Brian Bethune, Maclean’s
“Das’ writing is frankly stunning . . . I’ve no doubt that The Devourers will be showing up on awards lists next year.” —Tammy Sparks, The Speculative Herald
“The Devourers is an outstanding book, filled with love, hate, joy and pain. You’ll run through every emotion while reading it.” —Amy Gwiazdowski, Bookreporter.com
“By experiencing other people’s stories, we are able to transcend our own identities and to inhabit other perspectives than our own. The Devourers is both a tribute to this and an example of how powerful an experience this can be when done well.” —Jonathan Thornton, Ginger Nuts of Horror
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The Devourers is available as a hardcover, ebook and audiobook from Del Rey / Penguin Random House (as well as a paperback from Penguin Books India / Penguin Random House India). You can buy it in bookstores in North America and the Indian subcontinent, as well as on the following:
There are more links to different online retailers at the Penguin Random House page for The Devourers.
