There's a definite 5-stars read in here if you have the patience, reading Devils Kill Devils was a constant whiplash, switching between complete engagement to groaning at its unnecessary wordiness. In the end I was glad I pressed on despite the book's monotonous first half (other than the attention-grabbing opening), because the finale was an emotionally potent, fantastically imaginative gore fest that left me in awe (and reaffirmed why I was such a fan of Johnny Compton's writing to begin with).

In some ways Devils Kill Devils comes across more like a debut than his actual debut, The Spite House, due to its obvious inconsistencies. The premise of realizing the entity one identified as a 'guardian angel' having ulterior, more sinister motive is such an intriguing starting point, and I appreciate Johnny Compton's intricate storytelling, fusing elements of vampiric lore, exploration on religion/cult, and grief into an unique modern horror fantasy.

But the absence of a vigorous editing is this novel's ultimate undoing: way too much stagnant train-of-thought passages when the plot should be developing. There are moments where consecutive paragraphs containing the same information, written differently as if the author was testing out options, somehow ended up all appearing in the final manuscript. For a short novel that's below the 300 page count, this definitely feels like a more laborious experience.

I don't think I've ever been so unsure on how to rate a novel, but Devils Kill Devils is that rare instance: there are obvious objective flaws where I know will turn readers off, yet I'm still compelled by the author's ambition, because when it is working, it works brilliantly. This might be one you'll have to try out for yourself, but Johnny Compton is still on my radar as a must-read author.

**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**