Something about this book drew me in. The horror elements were great and at some points, I felt very connected with Sonny. This is a great story about death and grief, it is sad but at times also very humorful. The illustrations and the poems sprinkled throughout the book also added a lot of charm.

I was drawn in by the cover and the premise of this book, and there was so much to love - the characters were intriguing, there were some excellent horror moments (some really graphic descriptions that I was not expecting!), and Death was a fun and interesting character. He really does remind me of Ryuk from Deathnote, which is referenced within the story. I liked the inclusion of different chapter titles and artworks, particularly those of the characters at the end. There were a few moments of profound reflection, particularly on grief and loss, terminal illness and loneliness, that were really special.

The writing, however, really showed that this was a debut novel - the pacing felt choppy, at times I was unsure what was happening, events would escalate and de-escalate suddenly, and often conversations didn't flow naturally. The twists didn't shock me, and I was confused by the aim of the story. I expected it to totally lean into the bleakness and the horror, so the ending felt out of place. I'm left unsatisfied with Jess's story - her arc is pretty much dropped and the issues her and her Father were facing get wrapped up pretty quickly. Her mother's death was unusual and never explained - was it just meant to be creepy, or was more going on?

A lot was told to us rather than shown - if some of the scenes were shuffled around, and the story edited a little more, it would have been a higher rating for me. For example, there were times when paragraphs would start with sentences like 'and then he saw something that shocked him' rather than just showing us the thing and the character's reaction. We also were told a lot about Sonny's father's death before we are shown it, so it lost some of it's emotional impact as I already knew what happened.

This book definitely deserves to be shouted about, and I'm sure there are plenty of people who will love it. I am glad I read it overall, and will look out for more from this author to see how their writing develops.

a quick fun read about death and grief!

i do enjoy reading from povs i don't normally gravitate towards (in this case, a teen boy), and from the synopsis, i was excited to read a dark, gory novel where the meaning of life would be woven through. and although i did get that, there were a few things about the execution that just didn't do it for me.

i can appreciate that some of the dialogue/monologue is a little childish because we are in heads of teenagers; however, for the grim reaper, i was expecting a more wise, eloquent, dark voice whereas i got an aloof personification of death that would, every now and then, throw around quotable pieces of wisdom. the body horror was done well, but i wanted more!!

overall, i recommend it just was a happier book than i wanted it to be

A dark yet funny story set in modern day, reminiscent of the Book Thief, as Death returns as a prominent character. This offers a new and controversial view on how we usually perceive Death, and is a very refreshing read. As well as this, listening to the playlist while reading added amazing ambience to the whole process. Highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an ARC of the book.

Sonny is a young teenage boy who is trying to come to terms with his father’s suicide. He’s hurt, confused, angry and all the while his mom is icy towards him and constantly chooses her new dirt bag boyfriend over Sonny, ultimately leaving him completely alone. When the Grim Reaper shows up and starts talking to Sonny, Sonny learns that he is to be the Grim Reaper for the next 1,000 years. With Sonny feeling like there’s nothing left to live for, he agrees to take the Grim Reaper up on his offer and be the next in line. Along the way, a multitude of things happen and Sonny finds himself realizing maybe he does have something to live for. But when you make a deal with Death, you can’t go back on your promise…

A Fig For All the Devils is raw, witty and quite endearing. If you enjoy coming of age or grief horror, I highly suggest you read it!

A Fig For All the Devils by C.S. Fritz is a delightfully haunting story. The creep factor is insidious and sneaks up on you throughout the book. However, I did find a little disconnect between the character of Sonny and his internal monologue -- he's a younger man, but his thoughts are more mature than I would anticipate. Now, that's not necessarily a bad thing, everyone's slightly different... but it just hit me a little strangely, seemed incongruent with the rest of his characterization.

That said, the book is still a great read and I would recommend it to most readers.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I won't lie, I didn't think I'll love this book so much. It started in a way that made me think of cringey costume horrors that I enjoy but am usually disappointed with. However, with the first chapter and then a scene where Sonny meets Reaper for the first time, I knew I underestimated this story. I was really surprised by Reaper's deep thoughts, given his rather modern nature, and I loved the premise that death should be seen as a hard stop on the pain of life. I liked the writing which I saw as rather simple (in a good way!) and the characters created by C.S. Fritz.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

From the cover I thought this would be a darker, introspective, more emotional story but overall, it was fairly basic and lacking in edge despite the tone seeming to be aiming for edgy. The characterisation was weak, and the dialogue was unoriginal and occasionally cringey (especially the Grim Reaper – I get it was probably meant to be funny but it wasn’t to me so).

From the reviews, this seems to be quite beloved but its just one of those books that didn’t work for me at all.

The cover got me, I admit it. The Grim Reaper is one alluring fellow, I couldn't help it. I buy my wine the same way too: the more morbid the label -- reds, black, and intricate patterns of monstrous or predatory creatures -- the more likely I'll buy it. And if it's under $10, so much the better, NGL.

A Fig For All The Devils delivers too. Like a robust cheap wine, it was dark -- almost bloody -- with scents of dark foggy Oregon pine (the novel is set in Tillamook), oaky smokiness (well, more like cigarette smokiness, but go along with me in this metaphor play), and a generous injection of alcohol (cigarettes aren't the only narcotic drug in this novel). And, just like when you bring a cheap oversized bottle of wine to the party, A Fig For All The Devils is fun in a package.

The novel is spun around a teenaged boy, Sonny, who is unfortunately saddled with a less than stellar family life. His father is gone. His mother is... not present (to say the least). Sonny is left to his own devices, grappling with grief of loss of one (but really both) of his parents. The Grim Reaper finds his cue here. In need of an apprentice, the Grim Reaper makes himself and his proposition known to Sonny. The novel is premised on this encounter.

A Fig For All The Devils reads as Young Adult fiction, a bildungsroman, albeit a dark one. Sonny's problems feel fitter for an adult world, but to be fair, the kinds of dilemma Sonny encounters are likely commonplace for teenagers today (Death excepted). The prose fits a YA reader as well, easily accessible and authentic in its teenaged voice. The story flows at a fast pace, yet slows at key points for the reader to engage with the interiority of the protagonist, Sonny. On that point, while Sonny is the main character and it is through his eyes that we witness this novel, the other characters are vivid. They are all tangible, visible to the reader in their flaws and virtues. Death even, a mythical being, comes to life (pun!) in this novel in a very human manifestation.

A very fun (early) Halloween Horror read!

I devoured this book in one sitting. Absolutely loved it. It was an amazing perspective on death, grief and family struggles.

I loved the reaper character, he actually had me giggling with some of the things he comes out with. Loved the classic horror film references.

This book has a mood about it where you're not sure whether you're sad, scared or smiling.

Beautiful writing, this book needs more hype.

Thanks to @netgalley and Albratross book co for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rating 3.5 - rounded up for the artwork.

I really loved the story concept in this book - learning how the Grim Reaper came to be, and the steps their successor must undergo to take over this role. It's an emotional tale of grief and death, but there's humor in places (such as the Grim eating McDonalds) which broke up the darkness.

I enjoyed the book overall, and the style of breaking up chapters with poems is different. The poems were short enough that I didn't loose my pacing, and finished this book quite quickly. I would have loved to learn more about the Grim, their journey and point of view, but it makes a clean narrative to just follow our main character Sonny.

The ending didn't quite work for me, as I wanted something darker to match the rest of the book. But it was still very enjoyable.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 rounded up, because I loved the illustrations, poetry, and quotations sprinkled throughout. A Fig for All the Devils is a quirky and utterly unique horror novel that I devoured within a few days. I loved its portrayal of grief and enjoyed the banter between Sonny and Reaper. The writing is beautiful, although a bit clunky at times, and Fritz is able to paint such a vivid picture in the reader's mind of all the horrors within. The imagery genuinely scared me throughout the book. (Those moths!!) I understand why it ended the way it did, but I would have preferred something a bit darker. It also left me with a lot of unanswered questions. Overall a highly entertaining and completely original read!


Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Though I liked the idea behind this novel, there were some things that put me off throughout. I wasn't a fan of the writing style, though I did appreciate the dark humor that appears whenever the Reaper is around. I also found the formatting a little weird; the way the book was split up made for a hiccuping flow and offbeat pace. Again, I liked the idea of this story -- having the Reaper training a successor -- but I wasn't blown away by the way it played out. I'd still consider reading this author down the road, and I can definitely see why horror fans could really behind this title for its life lessons and sometimes gritty moments.

This book is one of a kind; a gem, a star, a heart warming and hilarious story in a the middle of a horrific experience. I adored this novel. I loved the reapers’ funny banter, Sonny’s very real and relatable responses to basically everything and the relationship between him and his mother and how it transforms. I’ve never read anything like this and I hope this author continues to write. I will absolutely be sharing this with everyone I know.

This book tried to be many things it did not succeed at. Poor characterization, and a sudden 180 turn Hallmark ending did nothing to help it either.

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this book.

This was different... in a good yet weird way? A little creepy, but touches on a lot of strong topics in a unique way. I thought the characters were well developed and overall very interesting.

A Fig For All The Devils is definitely in my top 10 books of 2022 (so far) We read about the life of Sunny after his father kills himself. Sunny and his neglectful mother try and start over in Oregon. We're introduced to the local pastor, Abraham, and his daughter, Jess after Sunny and his mom move into a double-wide on the edge of town. Sunny's life continues to spiral downward which isn't helped by the fact that he is still grieving the loss of his dad, he is new in town, and his mother's new boyfriend is a violent, angry man who doesn't care for Sunny. BLEAK.

Sunny meets the Reaper (Death) who explains that every 100 years the bringer of death must replace itself from its purgatory to have its soul released and the Reaper thinks that Sunny is the perfect replacement. THIS Reaper is NOT the Reaper you might be picturing. THIS Reaper loves junk food, smoking cigarettes, reading poetry, playing video games, etc. Imagine if Family Guy had a Reaper character and that's exactly what we get here.

I really liked this book and I have no complaints. The only issue I had at all with the book was in the very beginning when I was confused by how the author numbered the chapters (I thought it might have been a corrupted file). This book was funny, thoughtful and kept me hooked the entire way. Solid 4/5 stars!

I was surprised by this book. I was expecting something a lot different, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. The book is about grief and how it affects you. There is philosophy, facts, etc throughout the book. I found it really moving.

Life, death, grief, abuse, what it all means to each of us, packed in a lil horror book with a cool portrayal of Death? Sign me up.

Not gonna lie, I hadn't heard of either the book or the author beforehand (though, sir, you have my attention now), I just saw a cool cover, something about horror, and requested. What I got was philosophy quotes, witty humour, random fun facts, PAINTINGS, all of it better than I had expected. Dark? Yes. Funny? Also yes. Good soup.

The concept for this book was interesting, and there were some moments of really beautiful writing, but overall this read to me like a rough draft that hadn't been polished enough quite yet. I found the writing inconsistent; for every moment that stood out to me as particularly thoughtful, creative or humorous, there was another that felt as though it had been carelessly added in to move the plot along.

I applaud all the unique ideas brought up in this plot, but the second half of the book started to feel like every interesting idea the author had ever had thrown together, and there just wasn't enough space to fully flesh them all out. I appreciate a quirky book, but between the alternating chapter titles, the wide array of quotes from other sources, the song lyrics, and the non-linear breaks to set up thematic elements, it started to feel gimmicky and not purposeful.

That said, it seems like I'm in the minority of reviews regarding the things I did like. I thought the Reaper was a fun character! I think a death god is bound to have idiosyncrasies, and if that makes him a little cringey then so be it. I also enjoyed the ending; I think I may have felt differently about an adult protagonist, but generally I want kids and teens to come out okay at the end of their stories, and I think it ties into the overall themes of the book well.

The art of the characters and the included playlist were also a neat touch!