Struggling to stay alive in a post-apocalyptic world full of monsters, Cia finds an autistic boy who really needs her. Separated, Cia battles to find him again. Suspenseful and well written, in a sea of dystopian novels these days. Recommended.

This post-apocalyptic horror thriller will keep you at the edge of your seat. The story line is fast paced and have you question a few things when it's all over. I definitely enjoyed this read.

Rating 3

This post apocalyptic thriller had me going with Cia on a wild journey in finding the Boy after becoming separated from an attack by one of the hellish monsters that wreak havoc in their everyday lives. It was a fast paced, well written novel that nearly blew me away and it was an impressive introductory to this author for me. Despite being a 300+ page novel, it felt so much shorter than it actually was and I was pleasantly surprised I was able to finish this in one sitting. The plot, character development, the author's ability to betray autism in a realistic light and how the novel concluded won me over. Needless to say I will be keeping a close eye on what the author comes out with next.

Post-apocalyptic literature generally all follow the same blueprint. So, it is for that reason, I nearly did not bother to try this book. I was planning to take a rest from those books for a while. However, this book made me glad I decided to try one more.

After The Devil Has Won focuses on a world ravaged by creatures from hell. Cia is seventeen years old and solely responsible for Boy, an autistic boy, whose parents were killed by one of the hellish beasts. There are four different kinds of creatures; Masketes, Thorals, Liskers and Wasters. They all attack in different ways, but, the end result is the same. Whoever they target is killed and eaten. Cia has learnt how to keep her and Boy alive against the odds. However, one day they are separated due to a monster attack. Cia desperately fights to get back to him, because, without her, Boy will surely die. Getting back to him is virtually impossible, but, Cia is determined to find her way back to him.

I liked the change of the typical post-apocalyptic story. This had a different feel to the other books in this genre I read. The racism was an interesting addition, considering the times we’re living in now. That is an exceedingly sensitive issue, which many authors tend to try to sweep under the rug. However, Rick Wood included it in his book without sugarcoating it. That was quite admirable of him as it made the story more real.

The character development was well done. Cia was willing to risk her life for Boy, which I found quite touching. Boy was so sweet and vulnerable, I found myself praying that nothing happened to him. My one issue was with a very disturbing deed Cia did. I was left at the end of the book trying to justify what she had done, and being unable to.

The dialog between characters was well done. I have found that many writers tend to write very good stories, which are spoilt by poorly written conversations. That was definitely not the case here. The author had the knack of revealing many key plot points, without being too obvious about it.

The scenes were described wonderfully. Stories in which I could feel as I am part of the surroundings looking on are my favorite. This did not disappoint. The plot was also well executed and unique enough that it stood out from the rest of the cliched dystopian books.

There was a lot of violence within this book, some of it being sexual. There were very gruesome descriptions of mutilations which took part. Because of this, I recommend that adult audiences read this book. If blood and gore makes you squeamish, you should think twice about reading this book. That also applies to sexual violence. As I said before, I am still trying to come to terms with what Cia did. Hopefully, it will be justified further on in the series.

I was thrilled to snag this title after having read all of Rick Wood's Edward King series and, as suspected, I am captivated by Cia Rose.
Cia Rose was just a child when the devil won and demons came up from below the earth. After surviving alone for years she finds "Boy" an autistic 11 year old and his need for her gives her life a purpose at last. As Cia and Boy make their way through a forest littered with body parts and populated with monsters they find that their bond grows. Boy is all that matters to Cia. When circumstances seperate them Cia will do anything to get back to him. Throughout the book are elements of class, racism, elitism, cowardice and there is even some empathy for the creatures here and there. Now I'm off to go find book number 2, as I am hooked on yet another Rick Wood series.
#AfterTheDevilHasWon #netgalley #reviewathon

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.

I was a tad bummed I couldn't download a kindle version, as that's highly preferred.. but.. on to the book itself.

great characters and unique storyline. i loved the dynamic between cia and boy. the author portrayed autism well too!

After the Devil Has Won is a fantastic horror book. Great characters and storyline. Well written. I would read more by this author.

this was a good read, I enjoyed everyone coming together and surviving this wasteland. It was a good horror book and I really enjoyed reading it.

After the Devil Has Won, by Rick Wood, is a horror story set in present-day England. Cia Rose, a teenage girl, is on the run from an invasion of monsters which threaten humanity. On her travels, she befriends an autistic boy, James, and the story unfolds into their quest to survive and escape the monsters which are threatening their lives.

The story also takes the reader back to when Cia was young. She grew up with her widowed father, Ethan. He is a scientist with a thirst for knowledge, which proves to threaten the relationship between him and Cia as the story progresses. Her mother died when Cia was young. She was an artist and poet. One of the few memories that Ethan has kept of her is a poem, After the Devil Has Won. The poem is a running theme throughout the book and connects the characters who later appear in the story.

I really liked the concept for this book. One character who really stood out for me was James. I haven't read a story where one of the main characters is autistic, so I was interested to see how the author would incorporate their characteristics into the story, particularly in a survival situation.

Some of the author's descriptions are also really vivid, sometimes gruesome, and I often found myself wincing during some of the scenes. As complex relationships grow, and sometimes fall apart, the author also makes a really good effort to include a wide range of emotions, making it easy to empathise with the character.

However...

The POV shifts in this book are very jarring, sometimes shifting into second-person. There were occasions when I would lose track of who was talking and have to re-read the scene to avoid confusion. There are also some instances where the dialogue and emotional responses seem a little out-of-place for the characters involved. The author tends to move a little too quickly, which doesn't allow for the reader to fully digest the weight of the scene's events.

Also, the emotional responses themselves were too verbally descriptive. I would have appreciated more facial expressions and bodily reactions to indicate what a character was thinking or feeling. As it was, it felt like I was reading the story of a character's emotions instead of experiencing them with the character.

I was excited to read this book when I started, and slightly disappointed when it wasn't what I hoped it would be. Although this story is part of a two-book series, I'm a little sceptical to continue reading. However, I really like the idea and some of the characters. With some work, this has the potential to be a great story.

This story is something different for once, the reader doesn't get the typical, post-apocalyptic/dystopian zombie story but other kinds of monsters.

I also loved the relationship between Cia and Boy, and how his autism was written and made their journey sometimes difficult. It was also in those moments that Cia's resourcefulness shined and I really liked how she treated Boy even after they just met.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and am curious as to where Cia's story is going.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

I found myself unable to put this book down. It's a great book to read when you have a couple hours to spare. It kept me on the edge of my seat. The relationship between Boy and Cia was really well developed, and I liked the interactions between characters. They were believable and made you want to learn more about the characters.

I really liked how fast paced everything was; there wasn't a single dull moment to be had. I would've liked the book to have a different ending with a more permanent solution, but that's just me.