Synopsis
Evil in Me is bestselling author Brom’s newest novel of possession, damnation, and rock-n-roll where one woman must get the world singing in order to save her soul.
This devilish tale includes nearly two dozen of Brom’s immersive paintings and brilliant endpapers
Aspiring musician Ruby Tucker has had enough of her small rural town and dysfunctional family. But a falling out with her best friend and bandmate has killed her dreams of escaping and making it big in the Atlanta punk scene.
While helping her eccentric neighbor organize his religious relics, an ancient ring clamps down on her finger―possessing her with the spirit of a blood-thirsty demon. There’s no getting it off unless hundreds of people chant a spell to set Ruby free. And what’s worse, the ring is a beacon for evil, drawing an unimaginably wicked mob straight to Ruby, hungry for her flesh.
If Ruby can get her band back together, she has a shot at salvation. It’s time for her to face the music and put her whole soul into a song―one powerful enough to raise some Hell.
Review
A huge thank you to Tor Nightfire for sending an ARC and a finished copy my way! This is a visually stunning book from the endpapers to the chapter headers to the full illustrations, and I’m so fortunate to hold something like this in my hands!
Picture this: Daisy Jones and the Six got tangled up with Hellraiser and had a baby. This baby would look an awful lot like Brom’s latest book, Evil in Me, only with a little more punk and a lot less sensuality. We follow twenty-something Ruby Tucker as she tries to get her life “together” following a run-in with the law. She’s dedicated herself to community service and helping others to escape the hellscape that is her home thanks to her somewhat absent mother, a pervy step-brother, and an asshole-ish stepdad. It’s during this time helping others that Ruby stumbles across a ring, an artifact that signals the beginning of a siren song for the Devil that just won’t let up. Sucked into this world of damnation and salvation, Ruby is thrust into a landscape of ancient magic, demons, and spells. Her one shot at an exorcism comes in the form of a song, one she needs thousands to sing with her soul quite literally on the line.
The intersection of rock’n’roll in its various forms with horror is something that’s been rather enjoyable as seen in Scott Leeds’ Schrader’s Chord to Grady Hendrix’s We Sold Our Souls to Keith Rosson’s Fever House duology. There’s something about the loud, unabashed cacophony of rock that speaks to horror, some kind of exorcism made possible through a group of people loving the same thing all at once. Brom leans heavily on this idea to craft Evil in Me, showcasing the limitless magic of communal veneration through song. It’s quite literally the way that Ruby sees a way out of this unwanted possession and something that makes a lot of sense in the world Brom creates.
This is also where the first half of Evil in Me really shines, in the details of the magic and lore that explain this possession. Of course, this tracks for Brom given his stunning illustrations; it is here that were are introduced (both through written word and picture) to the cast of demons and creatures that make this novel function. Brom’s use of Jewish mythology and faith to forge a background for these characters felt fresh, a unique foundation to Ruby’s story that sets the tempo for the rest of this wild, fun, and somewhat chaotic setlist.
For the most part, Evil in Me is functional mayhem that is undoubtedly entertaining. These characters, *ahem* Vutto, establish a solid emotional connection to keep us invested through the loud racket of intensity and the softer tones of psychological reckoning. My only qualm is with this book’s ending which felt a little rushed as if it was getting played off stage. Despite what felt to be a slightly anti-climatic conclusion for Ruby and Co., Evil in Me is still a romping good time complete with captivating visuals and a bangin’ soundtrack. It’s a kind of catchy tune that’s sure to hang around in your head for a while, a punk song with uniform measure before descending into a devilish frenzy.
Evil in Me by Brom releases TODAY (September 17th) from Tor Nightfire.
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