... riveting ... a barrio noir that invites readers to consider the depths of darkness in this world, its material effects, and the cycles of violence we both willingly and perforce enter into ... written in both English and Spanish — the former outweighs the latter, and any Spanish dialogue too important to the plot or mood is translated — and takes readers on a journey to hell and back. Whether hell is the American racism, the Mexican cartel industry, Mario's grief and increasing comfort with violence, or all of the above, it works ... The mix of religious, superstitious, and supernatural elements add a dimension to the novel that heightens its horror, but also its social commentary ... may not be a cheerful book, but it still allows glimpses of love, moments of connection, and glimmers of beauty to exist. Even if those can't save us, they point toward what, with some effort and luck, just might.
Spellbinding ... The novel's interweaving of fantastical elements with sudden and savage violence will leave unwary readers stunned ... Iglesias does masterful work with Mario's internal narration as he puzzles over which of his partners poses the greatest potential threat. Much of the novel switches back and forth between Spanish and English, and both languages are integral to the story, making them all the more worthwhile to comprehend ... The world of The Devil Takes You Home is harsh and unforgiving, its desert the most treacherous terrain. Iglesias does such a place justice in his brawny, serpentine and remarkably poignant novel.
This novel is so gritty that you’ll feel like washing your hands after you’ve read it; so brutal you’ll feel like you’ve been punched in the face. It is uncompromisingly, relentlessly, stomach-clenchingly disturbing. Not for every reader, to be sure, but a must for those unafraid of visiting the dark side, it’s brilliantly conceived and executed, a novel that proves again what Iglesias’ fans have known all along: he is a storyteller unafraid of exploring the shadowed corners of his characters and their world.
This is no ordinary thriller, though. As Mario narrates and comments on the unfairness of the world, readers see the miles pass, sunsets on the open road, and horrors that hide in plain sight. Scenes of magic, love, family, and faith are contradicted by brutality, violence, racism, and terror. This is a master class in discomfort ... It is also a compelling, revenge fantasy with a deadly twist, one that readers will be unable to forget ... The violence is brutal and graphic, but the story is also lyrical and staggeringly beautiful. It is an entertaining and thought-provoking book about human truths and the monsters at their core.
Bewitching ... Iglesias effectively portrays Mario’s fragile mental state and builds a subtle but complex mythology out of chilling details. Readers should be prepared for some intense violence, as well as passages of untranslated Spanish...Fans of creepy but emotionally deep action novels will be satisfied.
While Iglesias pulls off vivid characterizations...and he threads enough Spanish through the dialogue and narration to appeal to bilingual readers, the story feels stretched and uneven. Less genre-defiant than genre-dysmorphic, the book never quite settles into a storytelling groove and instead cycles between pulse-pounding thriller, diabolical horror, and violent narcoliterature. Nevertheless, readers captivated by the characters’ motivations and the occult pyrotechnics will quickly devour it whole ... A vivid, if unbalanced, supernatural thriller at the U.S–Mexico borderlands.
