Before the Devil Knows You’re Here by Autumn Krause | Book Review

Posted on by Lauren

I knew this book was going to be a five-star read as soon as I was describing it to people with a pounding heart and words tripping over themselves, rushing to get out — something I’ve truly not experienced in years.

Before the Devil Knows You’re Here has some of the most phenomenal prose I’ve encountered in I can’t even say how long. Each and every sentence is so rich and gripping, enrapturing the reader and pulling them into the beautiful yet grotesque world within its pages. Drenched with the dark, sweet flavor of unforgiving and unyielding fairy tales, this story left me in awe all throughout. Spellbinding may be a word some think is overused, but I’m more than happy to attribute it to this book. Truly, it’s altogether mesmerizing.

The story’s imagery astounded me to the point that characters were hardly even on my mind (very unheard of for me). I was so enthralled by the decadent, feverish encounters and setting of Catalina and Paul’s journey, that for a bit, I was almost afraid that perhaps their characters were the weak part of the book. As it went on, though, it washed that fear away, especially as the looming finale swept in and contorted the story as the reader knew it. How can one witness the measures someone will go for another and not have it seed (excuse the pun) attachment and connection?

I’d definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy fairy tale-inspired fantasy stories, especially ones that delve into the gothic, gnarled vein of Faustian bargains and mild nature-tied body horror.

Have you read Before the Devil Knows You’re Here? If so, did you enjoy it? Why, or why not? Do you have any recommendations for horror fantasy books or stories about the darker side of fairy tales? I’d love to hear your thoughts below!

[DISCLAIMER: Photos in this post are paired with Amazon affiliate links, meaning I’d earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. Thank you for your support!]

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Published by Lauren

Hi! I’m Lauren (she/her, 22), and I like to read and write; I’m still trying to figure out the rest.

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