My rating: 3 of 5 stars to I, Lucifer by Glen Duncan, a fiction novel with some elements of fantasy buried about. Sometimes I don’t know how books fall into my lap, sometimes I do. With this one, it flew in the wind, also known as a former book club, and slapped me in the face. I still feel the sting every so often. While I didn’t dislike it, the book felt a bit like a satire of a satire — and frankly, I’m just not that clever enough to always get it.
I really enjoy books where Satan makes an appearance. I know how that makes me sound, but it’s true. Lucifer brings in the drama, especially when he’s reincarnated as a normal man named Declan Gunn, who has just died — but I guess he really didn’t since Lucifer took over his body on a little wild venture into human reality.
The premise of the book is brilliant: Lucifer wants to know what it’s like for real people, as well as to cause a little fun and crazy on Earth, so he inhabits a body just before death. Sometimes he knows his “victims,” but not always. When he enters Declan, he assumes he’s got a quiet little ride where he can do some exploring. Nothing ever goes as planned.
Up til this point, if you’re not offended by or able to read books where the Devil is the protagonist (I get it, not everyone’s cup of tea… totally understand!), then you probably think this is gonna be a great ride. And parts of it were. But sometimes the satire was over my head and over the top.
I think because I read this in the very beginnings of my “foray into fantasy,” I wasn’t as open-minded as I might be now in reading something a bit abstract.
That said, it’s not a common theme or option, so I’d suggest it is worth taking a chance. But put your seat belt on because the hilarity and venom is all over the place. Randomness is the style and if you prefer a bit more order, add a harness and “oh-shit” handles onto the car, so you have something else to keep you from flying out the windshield of what you thought you knew about this jalopy.
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Well, if anything, this book sounds “different.” I’d have to know more about the plot and the ending to know if I’d invest my reading time in it. Ha!
I read it a long time ago so I’m a bit fuzzy. But… the devil gets into all sorts of fun situations for the main character Declan. I’ll see if I can dig up a few reviews with more content on the plot.
It is very stream-of-conscious writing… so may not be for you. found a review with more detail by someone I know who writes strong and good reviews: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/506471121?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1