Review: The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan

Title: The Demon's Lexicon

Author: Sarah Rees Brennan

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Awards: British Fantasy Award for Top Ten (2010), Cybils Award Nominee for Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction (2009), TAYSHAS High School Reading List (2010), ALA's Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults (2010)
Adult Content: mild
Keywords: demons, adventure, magic, brothers
Series: The Demon's Lexicon #1
Goodreads Synopsis: 

Nick and his brother, Alan, have spent their lives on the run from magic. Their father was murdered, and their mother was driven mad by magicians and the demons who give them power. The magicians are hunting the Ryves family for a charm that Nick's mother stole -- a charm that keeps her alive -- and they want it badly enough to kill again. 


Danger draws even closer when a brother and sister come to the Ryves family for help. The boy wears a demon's mark, a sign of death that almost nothing can erase...and when Alan also gets marked by a demon, Nick is desperate to save him. The only way to do that is to kill one of the magicians they have been hiding from for so long.

Ensnared in a deadly game of cat and mouse, Nick starts to suspect that his brother is telling him lie after lie about their past. As the magicians' Circle closes in on their family, Nick uncovers the secret that could destroy them all.

This is the Demon's Lexicon. Turn the page.

My Thoughts:

Subject/Originality: This book immediately brings you into a world of dark, evil magic, demons, really very nasty magicians, and, at the heart of it all, a mystery and adventure that brings it all together. The Demon's Lexicon is extremely refreshing. The evil is real, people. Proper evil. And Sarah Rees Brennan's well thought-out and wonderfully detailed magical world makes this book a great and original read.

Subject/Originality: * * * *

Storyline: Not only is this a great world, but the story is well structured and full of twists and turns to keep you interested. It's not Sherlock Holmes, but it's complex and exciting and just generally good. I suppose that's the best way to describe this book: good.

Storyline: * * * *


Characters: I love all the characters in this book, especially Nick. They're all interesting and clever (as in their characteristics, not that they're all Einsteins!) and well rounded. And I love Nick. He's perfect and strange and probably one of the best characters I've ever had the fortune to find in a book. I love him to pieces. He's dark, violent and uncaring, and when he's trying to be nice, it never quite goes right. He's really very sweet and endearing, despite his love of violence. A triumph of characterisation!

Characters: * * * * *


Writing Style: I love Sarah Rees Brennan's mixture of quirky sarcasm ('They thougth I was a baby bat' 'Oh yes, of course - most people think I'm a blueberry scone' !!), dark humour, chilling descriptions, and emotional realism. Seriously, this book is hilarious, but it's got a depth to it that a lot of funny books don't. Sarah Rees Brennan is a hit with me. Absolutely.

Writing Style: * * * * *


Enjoyability: This was one of my favourite books from the moment I read it. The copy I have now is stained, with dog-eared pages, pages that were soaked by my leaking boiler and dried out weirdly, a broken spine -  and just generally loved. A lot. I've probably re-read this book more than any other on my shelves, and I'm going to keep re-reading it till the cows come home. Does that say something for its enjoyability levels?!

Enjoyability: * * * * *


Overall: A fantastic read, on all counts. If you haven't got a copy already, get one. And then read it! And then tell me what you think =]

Word Rating: a good-good book

Star Rating:

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