Special thanks to the author & @littlebrown for my gifted copy‼️

It took me a minute to really gather my thoughts on this one. While the book had an interesting premise the writing was very complex, multi-layered and often drawn out at times.

Spanning across eight generations Fayne delivers a novel that delves deep into familial roots, the complexity of relationships, how the past affects the present, struggles with self, poverty, slavery, bargaining with the devil, weakness, spirituality and seeking atonement.

When I started reading this book I was hoping for more of a supernatural magical realism type of experience with the characters being visited by the devil. But whenever his presence was mentioned he was more like a person than an entity. It was also very different how Fayne chose to portray the devil his book. Most times we see themes of trickery which we do in a sense or the devil swindling people out of their souls. But in the book we see him offering help and protection to descendants of the Laurent family because he has a goal to free Black people in exchange for redemption to get back into heaven.

Overall, the book was okay but very different and I wasn’t really invested until I was 60% in. My biggest complaints are the long chapters, the stories across timelines not connecting, the need for so many characters, and how there wasn’t a clear resolution for healing aside from the devils offerings for many of them. I wouldn’t say this book is for everyone but if you’re into deep introspective type literary or historical fiction you’ll enjoy this book.

A beautifully written story that spans generations. I was absolutely blown away with how Rickey Fayne is able to craft such a unique and lived in voice for each of his characters and I truly admire the skill it takes to do that. The family tree at the beginning of the book was extremely useful and I came back to it often given how large the cast was. Despite losing track from time to time, I appreciate how fleshed out the family was and seeing how all the stories run together, intersect, and diverge over the years. There were definitely some parts that made me raise my eyebrow very high, or go “oh!”, or even pace the room in shock with my head in my hands, but it was overall an engaging and worth it read. This story has left me with a lot to think about and I’m sure I’ll be thinking about it for a long time. I also want to add how much I LOVE the language in this book. The representation was just ♥︎. Thank you! [7/10 rounded to 4/5]

Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Thanks to the publishers at Little, Brown, and Company for a chance to read The Devil Three Times by Rickey Fayne!

This one is a doozy to get through. It follows the devil as he watches over multiple generations of a black family in West Tennessee.

I’m so glad that they included a family tree, because wow would I have been lost without it. It’s a powerful read, especially with different characters repeating the same patterns as their ancestors but it’s a bit of a double edged sword. Once we get past Pastor Walter, it’s tough keep who is who’s grandfather, who is still beefing with who, and a lot more because of how interwoven these stories are.
This is a book that I hope gets studied in schools. It’s got so much lyricism, and so much reread possibilities with the fact that each chapter focuses on a different family member.

If you’re looking for zombies, vampires, or anything explicitly super natural this isn’t your book. This is definitely not Encanto or even the Inheritance of Orquídea Divina. This novel reads much more grounded in day to day life that can sometimes read a little monotonous, but is deeply interested in answering the question of why our ancestors did the things they did - even as flawed and messy a decision it might be or if they pass on the consequences.

If you are interested though in multiple perspectives on the same event (like say, the book of Genesis and if it’s even fair to call the Devil “devil”), pick this up. Be patient. It’s worth the read.

Content note: this book does include incest, both unintentional and little intentional (I’m looking at you Asa). If that’s an automatic ick, feel free to skip this one.

This was so unique and so powerful. It's not just another story set from the slaves perspective, its a completely new take on suffering and spirituality and how far you would go to get what you want.

The Devil Three Times by Rickey Fayne is a sweeping family saga that spans 175 years, and is filled with moments of light magical realism as Fayne reimagines what the devil might truly be.

This book belongs in a literature class; there is so much to pick apart, and the richness of the characters is something that begs for deeper analysis. Critiques I’ve seen of the novel have largely been about the wide cast of characters - it does get a bit overwhelming, but I don’t think this is meant to be a breezy read. I found myself frequently turning back to the family tree at the beginning, and pausing quite a bit to straighten out the storylines for my own understanding. However, I do not think any of that detracts from the novel; in fact, I’d go as far as to say that’s part of what makes it such an epic family story. Fayne brings to light the generational struggles of a family rooted in enslavement, and he does so with truly beautiful prose.

One stylistic thing I liked in particular was that each character’s story almost felt like its own vignette. The book reads very fluidly all together, but also has the vibe of a collection on interconnected short stories. I feel like this worked really well with the plot of the novel.

I’d put this on the shelf with books like Homegoing, Peach Blossom Spring, and Pachinko - stories rich with the complexity of the human experience, rooted in the world of a single family. For me, Fayne joins my list of auto-buy authors. This was a deep reading experience, and one that showcases his ability to capture a wide spectrum of emotion.

Thanks to the publisher for the free copy in exchange for an honest review; I can’t wait to see what Fayne writes next!

This was an ambitious premise - the devil visits the same family over the course of 100 plus years. This started out strong but unfortunately became a bit too disjointed to hold my interest. I think many may like it, this one just wasn’t for me. Thanks to NetGalley for a chance to read and review this book.

Thank you to Little, Brown and Company, and NetGalley for the ARC of The Devil Three Times. As someone who loves Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi, I was excited to read this novel, which conveys similar multigenerational points of view through vignettes.

While this novel is dense, Rickey Fayne’s writing is beautiful and captivating and is supported by what could only be years of historical research. This story is rooted in African/African American spirituality as eight generations of family secrets are revealed through visits from the Devil himself on his quest for redemption. The novel begins with the Devil being banished from heaven, which I believe served as a brilliant contrast to enslaved Africans and their descendants and the burning desire to be free.

Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown, and Company for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Content warning: depictions of slavery, kidnapping, etc

One of my favorite types of historical fiction is family sagas, and The Devil Three Times fits the bill. There’s an intergenerational focus to the book, and I, for one, am here for it. This book explores the lives of something like eight generations of a black family, starting with Yetunde, who was captured and sent to North America as a slave.

The book continues with successive descendants; the layered narratives were rich with a reflective and emotional tone. This book definitely gave me all the feels despite the fact that magical realism is used as a plot device. I don’t mind magical realism and the use in The Devil Three Times makes sense. The Devil visits each generation of descendants of Yetunde, who are all given a choice to save themselves and their families. This book uniquely centers Black diaspora experiences—a fresh perspective compared to many of my recent reads. As someone who is going out of my way to read more diverse books, I hope to find more books like this.

I have a lot of conflicting thoughts about this book. My biggest thought is that Rickey Fayne is a WRITER. He has a way with words and concepts that drew me in immediately. I don’t think I’ve ever read a prologue with the punch that this book has.

But. As I traveled further into the story, it lost its steam. Whereas usually multigeneration, multiple timeline/POV books are my favorite thing, each timeline here felt rushed. I didn’t get enough of the characters to care. So when it jumped to the next generation, it felt like I got further removed, further confused on who was who, just the opposite of the experience I was expecting.

This will be a homerun for many people, and I hope we see a lot more from this author. I just think this book needed a little more heart and character development for me to feel invested.

The synopsis pulled me in, and the story truly delivered. It follows eight generations of a Black family in West Tennessee, each encountering the devil in their own way. Every chapter offers a new perspective from one of the descendants, and the way their stories intertwine is powerful. There’s a strong thread of spirituality, religion, and history running through it, and the storytelling style is like nothing I’ve read before. I did find it a little tricky to keep track of all the characters at times, but overall—it’s a unique, thought-provoking read I’d definitely recommend.

Tropes: Family Legacy, Magical Realism, Multi Generational Saga, Religious and Spiritual symbolism

Great read. I was fortunate enough to have a teacher who recommended Ralph Ellison and Toni Morrison to me in high school and I definitely felt their influence on this one. Fayne mention in the acknowledgements these were some of his defining writers, and it shows. The Devil Three Times is a fairly dense piece of literature. This isn’t a sit at the beach and skim along type read, it takes some work. It takes place over a century and a half and there’s a lot of characters. Fayne also excels at vernacular so it’s definitely one where a bit of focus is required. I’d classify it as dark lit fic with some magical realism elements in it.

TDTT starts with the kidnapping of a woman during the slave trade and follows her and her ancestors as their history is intersected with race, sexuality, trauma and just about every affliction you can envision. There is some preternatural elements both with certain characters and at times The Devil visits with the Laurent family, but never too abstract.

I wouldn’t really classify it as a slow burn as the pace is steady throughout, but so much happens and it’s such a fascinating portrait of familial bonds and race in America during the last three centuries. I think some readers may be frustrated with Fayne’s writing style. I loved it but at times he’ll mention an event which seems quite impactful but with few details given. He always circles back and fills in the gaps, but I know this may be an issue for some. I really enjoyed the read. I’ve lived in the southeast my entire life so while I can’t truly relate to the racial elements I still understand the South and what it still is like in many places. I recommend this to readers who like deeper books that delve extensively into the repercussions of actions on generations to come.

I was not expecting this book to take me on the ride that I went on with this book. Initially I was intrigued, in the middle I could not stop turning the pages, and by the end I actually teared up, which is a rare feat.

The way this story unfolded was interesting. The book is told through subsequent family members' perspectives, going forward in time (also big shout out to the family tree in the beginning, and the brief explanations of relatives in the chapter titles). I was a little confused about why the person perspective switched from third to first sometimes. I get changing it for the Devil, but for different family members I'm not sure.

This family goes through so much (some of it, wild), and to see the journey and interaction with the Devil was a wonderful read, and I would highly recommend!

Thanks to Little Brown and Company for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions below are my own.

This story follows eight generations of a family from their home in Africa, through slavery and into modern times as they cross paths with the devil again and again in their times of need.

This one read more like a series of interconnected short stories. Some I enjoyed more than others but all of them followed one member of the family. The jumps sometimes felt jarring but then I found myself immersed in that character's story so easily. These were all likable yet flawed characters with lots of the heavy topics in life beyond just slavery including violence, rape, incest and alcoholism. Equally it focuses on love and loyalty and spiritualism offering a really balanced story. I also thought the Devil as a character and how there was rationale to his presence and decisions that impacted this family over time.

The Devil Three Times by Rickey Fayne was an interesting read with a strong sense of atmosphere and some really vivid writing. I liked the Southern Gothic vibes and the eerie tone, but the story didn’t totally pull me in the way I hoped. It had its moments, but overall it just didn’t fully land for me. A solid 3 stars.

📖 Title: The Devil Three Times-a standalone

✍🏾 Author: Rickey Fayne-debut author

📅Publication date: 5/13/25 | Read 5/10/25

📃 Format: eBook 416 pgs.

Genre:
*AA Interests
*Historical Fic
*Adult Fic

Tropes:
*African diaspora
*family drama
*magical realism
*Paradise Lost-John Milton reimagining

👆🏾POV: multiple

⚠️TW: slavery, racism, abuse, generational trauma

🌎 Setting: begins in Africa and spans multiple states-1800s-current day

Summary: This journey begins when Yetunde is kidnapped from her homeland and taken to America via the Atlantic slave trade after losing her sister. She unknowingly makes a multi-generational bargain with the devil. Her family members' free will is tested and attempts at redemption for the fallen angel.

🤔 My Thoughts: Setting aside how long it was, this novel was awesome. I loved all the stories about this family and how they navigated life within an oppressive society. My favorite story was Walter Laurent with "adopted" son Virgil and biological son Louis. This represented so many AA family histories with a hint of magic using the devil.

Rating: 4/5 ✨

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, Little, Brown and Company, and Rickey Fayne for this ARC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.

I was interested in this book as I am a big fan of Yaa Gyasi’s “Homegoing”. However I was not as captivated as I had hoped. The premise was still interesting, however only maybe 2 of the characters stood out to me and the rest felt a little disjointed. I also think this story left many things unanswered that would’ve connected me back to these characters. I really wanted more of an impact of the past generations on the future but that connection was barely tangible.

I did like the presence of the devil, not as this evil entity following this family through this generation but more of a guardian.

To wrap up: i did enjoy some areas more than others but I did want more in terms of depth. I would definitely read more by this author, as the writing style was well done and I enjoyed the POV switches.

Yetunde awakens on a slave ship heading to the US. With a unique ability to see between the veil of living and dead, carrying around and conversing with the ghost of her dead sister, Yetunde is approached by the devil himself. He needs something and in an exchange, of sorts, starts the procession of him visiting upon each of her bloodline for the next 175 years.

Jumping around through the different generations, there were a few characters that I clung to more. The devil comes to them all in various times of need. I thought his character was crafted so well. This is a beautiful, but at times dark and haunting story about choices and how they impact not only you, but generations to come.

Once you get past the PLETHORA of different characters and you parse through the different generations, this comes together so incredibly. The writing is so entrancing.

This was a remarkable, epic saga of one family and the resulting consequences of making deals with the Devil. The Devil was actually one of my favorite narrative voices in this story. This was gripping, tragic, informative, and well worth reading.

This was a stunning book and fantastic read.

Fayne takes us on a journey that weaves generational trauma (and not just trauma, but power too) with hope and rawness and mysticism. There's so much interconnectedness here and it was really something to watch it unfold. The writing is lyrical and transporting. I found myself referring to the family tree at the front of the book quite a bit but that didn't hinder any of my enjoyment.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. This isn't something that would necessarily normally pull me in, but I quite enjoyed it. I read it after watching the movie Sinners and I would highly recommend it to people chasing after the magical-realism of a movie/story like that. A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads for release.