The Devil's Grip: A Novel by Lina Wolff

(Thank you to Other Press for providing me with a copy of this book!)

 

about book:

Wickedly dark with a mystical edge, this story of an Italian love affair gone bad captures the irresistible pull of toxic relationships—from the acclaimed author of Carnality.

A woman arrives in Florence, overwhelmed by the strange, warm city so different from her home. Amidst the Renaissance architecture and amorous couples, she finds an unexpected love of her own. With his dark, ugly looks, people might stop and stare, wondering what someone like her was doing with someone like him. But he’s the Mickey to her Minnie, and she can fix him—they can fix each other. She feels bound to him, body and soul.

It’s not long before the lying starts. Other women have begun to notice him, and she spirals into paranoia. Soon they’re both cheating and lashing out, and she becomes more and more convinced he’s not merely a violent man: there’s a demon inside him, and inside her too. Their grip on each other is so strong, it might be impossible to break, even after she puts an ocean between them, following another man to New Orleans.

Heady, unsettling, and shockingly funny with its dead-on descriptions of codependent and abusive relationships, The Devil’s Grip takes us on a breathless journey with the shadow selves we can’t escape.

my thoughts:

Whoa! What a dark and disturbing read! I LOVED it! The Devil's Grip by Lina Wolff is addictive, riveting, and unputdownable. I found myself settling in with this story and not getting up until I had turned the very last page - I just couldn't stop reading, it was so damn good! 

Florence, Italy. A beautiful setting for a love story, right? Except, this is no ordinary love story. Attraction begets love, which begets paranoia and leads to a TOXIC relationship in every which way. It is brutal and hypnotic. Even when she flees to New Orleans their connection remains stronger than ever. It continues to be oppressive and unhinged. Talk about a bad romance.  And that is all I will share about this unique story - you need to read it for yourself! I would definitely recommend grabbing a copy ASAP to find out what happens when a love story turns into a horror story. Wowza!

Thank you to Other Press for providing me with a copy of this book!