Member Review
Review by
Michael B, Reviewer
Southpaw Coming from a Different Direction
Brandon Hobson's “The Devil Is a Southpaw” is an intensely layered and challenging novel set in a tough juvenile detention center in Oklahoma back in the late 1980s. It digs deep into the complex issues of being young, dealing with trauma, and figuring out who you are, all through the fierce rivalry and shared past of the two main characters, Milton Muleborn and Matthew Echota, both Cherokee teenagers. The focus is on exploring those haunting complexities.
The book is structured as a "metanovel," with the bulk of the story presented as a manuscript written by Milton, which he uses to process his experiences and his consuming envy of Matthew, a gifted artist. The immediate result of this structural device is a questioning of the narrative's reliability, as Milton’s narrative is filled with surreal, dream-like elements: frogs raining down, appearances by Salvador Dalí and Frida Kahlo doppelgängers, and letters from the afterlife. This deliberate, bizarre style is Hobson’s method for illustrating the way trauma distorts both memory and the perception of reality.
Devil is a Southpaw was genuinely a challenging read. While the clear parallels to Gabriel Garcia Marquez are undeniable, the sense of disorientation I felt might be an intentional component of the experience. Given the work's numerous, abrupt shifts, I believe a second reading would be essential to truly grasp its depth. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a difficult literary undertaking. It may well be a brilliant piece of work—but I'll need a moment for my head to clear before I attempt it again.
Thank you to Ecco Books and NetGalley for providing an accessible digital arc in exchange for an honest review. #TheDevilIsaSouthpaw #NetGalley.
Brandon Hobson's “The Devil Is a Southpaw” is an intensely layered and challenging novel set in a tough juvenile detention center in Oklahoma back in the late 1980s. It digs deep into the complex issues of being young, dealing with trauma, and figuring out who you are, all through the fierce rivalry and shared past of the two main characters, Milton Muleborn and Matthew Echota, both Cherokee teenagers. The focus is on exploring those haunting complexities.
The book is structured as a "metanovel," with the bulk of the story presented as a manuscript written by Milton, which he uses to process his experiences and his consuming envy of Matthew, a gifted artist. The immediate result of this structural device is a questioning of the narrative's reliability, as Milton’s narrative is filled with surreal, dream-like elements: frogs raining down, appearances by Salvador Dalí and Frida Kahlo doppelgängers, and letters from the afterlife. This deliberate, bizarre style is Hobson’s method for illustrating the way trauma distorts both memory and the perception of reality.
Devil is a Southpaw was genuinely a challenging read. While the clear parallels to Gabriel Garcia Marquez are undeniable, the sense of disorientation I felt might be an intentional component of the experience. Given the work's numerous, abrupt shifts, I believe a second reading would be essential to truly grasp its depth. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a difficult literary undertaking. It may well be a brilliant piece of work—but I'll need a moment for my head to clear before I attempt it again.
Thank you to Ecco Books and NetGalley for providing an accessible digital arc in exchange for an honest review. #TheDevilIsaSouthpaw #NetGalley.
*This page contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.
© 2026 NetGalley LLC
• All Rights Reserved
