Book Review: Before the Devil Knows You're Here

Author: Autumn Krause

Pages: 288, paperback

Pub date: 19/1/2023

Rating: 4/5

"There was room in mysteries. Room for things to be different."

There is no such thing as the Man of Sap. Catalina knows it's nothing more than a folktale meant to scare naughty children back to bed. Yet, as something walks into her home, right after her father's passing, covered in bark and sap dripping from its eyes, she is forced to accept that sometimes, nightmares are all but real.

With her brother abducted by a creature of legend, Catalina embarks on a journey through treacherous woods and cursed lands, trying to track down the monster and save the only family she has left.

I have been a fan of Autumn Krause since her debut novel, A Dress for the Wicked, and needless to say, I was more than thrilled to pick up her second book. Taking inspiration from American folktales and Faust's legend while paying tribute to her Mexican roots, Krause adds her signature style of atmospheric narration to weave a tale of loss, perseverance and ultimately, love.

Catalina, as our main protagonist, was a pleasant surprise for me. Though young, grief and the need for survival have forced her to mature beyond her years, while also shouldering the burdens of being her family's primary caretaker. Her biggest concern at the beginning of our story is how to keep her father and Jose Luis, her brother, fed through the approaching winter.

Catalina's unconditional love for her brother is the driving force of this entire story. It is expressed through word and action, and is truly a testament to the struggles of being the firstborn child. Catalina had to abandon her childhood to help her family survive, but she wanted her brother to keep his for as long as possible. He was the dreamer of the two, and she wished to protect those dreams like they were her own.

What moved me most was Catalina's journey through grief. There was a striking contrast between the world around her moving forward, the plot unfolding rapidly from chapter to chapter, and her slowing down in those moments she was left alone with her thoughts. At times, she used her mission as an excuse to bury those feelings deep inside; in others, she seemed unable to contain them at all.

Paul was a welcoming addition to the cast. A lamberjack with a mission of his own and too little time to see it through, he started as Catalina's companion, and ended up being the reason she believed in happy endings once more.

Storytelling-wise, I thoroughly enjoyed the plot. Simple yet captivating, it delivered beautifully crafted descriptions while maintaining a pleasantly eerie undertone and a smart plot twist to top it all off at the end. (Uh, how I love a cunning FMC!)

There were chapters that, in my opinion, needed a little more length to them, as there was much to be said and too little space for it. I would also have loved to see more of Catalina's poetry. We only got to read through one of her poems, and it was done so wonderfully, it made me want a whole chapter dedicated to them.

If you are looking for a quick dark read, this book will do more than deliver. As for me, I am looking forward to the author's next work!

And, as per usual, here's a little mood board inspired by the book and a short playlist!

Favourite quotes

pg.11

"Fire flickers across my page,

lines of alternating bright and dark,

and don't know if it is light to see by

or shadows to steal my thoughts away."

pg.28

"That was the thing about grief. {...} It was water seeping throught every barrier you erected to hold it back, every patch in the wall, every board nailed in place."