Steeped in the folklore of Eastern Europe, and set in the shadow of Nazi darkness erupting just beyond the Czech border, this bone-chilling, richly imagined novel is propulsively entertaining, and impossible to put down.Czechoslovakia, 1935: Viktor Kosárek, a newly trained psychiatrist who studied under Carl Jung, arrives at the infamous Hrad Orlu Asylum for the Criminally Insane. The facility is … Insane. The facility is located in a medieval mountaintop castle surrounded by forests, on a site that is well known for concealing dark secrets going back many centuries. The asylum houses six inmates–the country’s most treacherous killers–known to the terrified public as the Devil’s Six. Viktor intends to use a new medical technique to prove that these patients share a common archetype of evil, a phenomenon he calls The Devil Aspect. Yet as he begins to learn the stunning secrets of these patients, he must face the unnerving possibility that these six may share a darker truth.
Meanwhile, in Prague, fear grips the city as a phantom serial killer emerges in the dark alleys. Police investigator Lukas Smolak, desperate to locate the culprit (a copycat of Jack the Ripper), turns to Viktor and the doctors at Hrad Orlu for their expertise with the psychotic criminal mind. And Viktor finds himself wrapped up in a case more terrifying than he could have ever imagined.
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Thanks to NetGalley and to Little Brown Book Group UK, for providing me an ARC copy of this book that I freely and with some trepidation chose to review.
There is much to talk about in this book (yes, I enjoyed it, if you want the short of it. Yes, it is eerie, gothic, can be scary at times, it is full of evil deeds, some not apt for the fainthearted, and full of atmosphere), and it would also be easy to fall into revealing spoilers, so I will try to talk in general terms and will keep some of the thoughts that went through my head as I read it to myself.
Rather than trying to summarise the plot, as I have already included two versions of the blurb, I thought I’d use the author’s own words (and I recommend you to read the author’s note at the end. I suspect it will keep me thinking about this book for as long as the book itself will):
The main engines that drive the story are Jungian psychology, Central European myths and legends, the history of Czechoslovakia immediately before the Second World War and the ethnic tensions that existed within the country at that time.
This is 1939, and the author is great at bringing to life the atmosphere in Czechoslovakia at the time, the politics and the strained relationships between the different parts of the population, the ethnic minorities, the Germans, Sudeten, the Jewish inhabitants, the criminal underworld, and the increasing atmosphere of threat and impending doom and evil. He also uses the locations, both in the city, the forests, and the castle, to great effect, to the point where they almost become protagonists in their own right. I can’t say I’m familiar with any of the locations of the story despite a visit to Prague many years back, although there are some, like the Bone Church (the Sedlec Ossuary) that have intrigued me for many years, and I am sure I’m not the only one who shares in the fascination.
Having worked as a forensic psychiatrist, I could not resist the idea of reading a book set in what would have been a forensic unit of the time. And what a setting! A castle that according to legend was built to keep closed the entry to hell and that now houses the six most dangerous insane criminals of all central Europe. Both, the director of the hospital and the new doctor we meet on his way to take up his new appointment, Viktor, (no, you won’t make me tell you what happened to the previous psychiatrist in the post, don’t insist) have interesting theories to explain the madness of their patients (one akin to a contagion, like that caused by a virus, the other a similar concept to that explored and exploited often in movies and films, but in this case referring to a specific aspect of one’s personality, the so-called “Devil Aspect” of the title, rather than to multiple personalities), and the book goes into a fairly detailed explanation and exploration of those theories, including allowing us to witness the doctor’s sessions using narcotics (a very dangerous technique, I must say). I found these part of the book as fascinating, if not more, as the other part that seemed to be the more active and thrilling part of it, but I am aware that there is a lot of telling (because each one of the six devils gets a chance to tell their story), and although they help give a global picture of the nature of the evil the book refers to, not all of them seem to be directly related to the plot of the book, so guess that some readers will not feel the same as I do about those sessions.
The second part of the action, which takes place in parallel, consists of the investigation of a series of crimes in Prague, committed by a murderer, Leather Apron, who seems intent on imitating Jack the Ripper, and we follow the efforts of a police investigator Lukas Smolàk, trying to catch him. This part of the book is more akin to a police procedural of the time and is well done. It feels like a noir detective novel, only set within a gothic nightmarish background, not so dissimilar to the Victorian Ripper original. The clues are gruesome and so are the murders, and every time they seem closer to solving the crimes, something new comes to light and confuses matters. While to begin with Lukas appears to be the example of a seasoned detective who has seen everything and is wary of events in society at large, later the murders start to affect him more personally, and he becomes increasingly unravelled by the events, which humanises him and makes him easier to connect with.
The story is told in the third person but from each one of those characters’ points of view, with some brief intrusions from other characters’ insights, like one of the victims, or Judita, who is a bit more than a friend of Viktor and also works at the hospital. This works well to give us a better understanding and makes empathise, and also suffer with them, in some cases. Personally, I really liked Judita, who has to face prejudice and has overcome her own mental health difficulties, and also Lukas, who shares with Viktor the determination to find the truth, and the analytical mind. I was intrigued by Viktor, not only because he is a psychiatrist, but because we learn from early on that he has survived a pretty difficult childhood and has had to cope with trauma. But his single-mindedness and his pursuit of his theory, sometimes despite the evident risks, not only to himself but to others, give him a tinge of the mad scientist, and I found him more interesting as a subject of observation than as somebody I felt connected to.
The Central and Eastern European mythology and the Jungian psychology theme add a further layer of complexity and work well in helping bring more uncertainty, menace, and confusion to the proceedings. There are dark corners and many secrets hidden by most of the protagonists; there are clues and warnings aplenty, red herrings, twists and turns, and although readers of the horror and the psychological thriller genres might have their suspicions and a variety of theories as to what is going on, a bit like the layers of the personality Viktor tries to reach, the narration also pulls us deeper and deeper into the darkness, the plot, and the castle, which is a physical stand-in for the deepest recesses of the human mind and also of human history.
I don’t want to bore you with my psychiatric insights, but I can say that although I’m not an expert in the history of psychiatry in Central Europe, the procedures followed in the castle, the way the place functions and the patient histories did not require a great suspension of disbelief. (Yes, I have known patients who have experienced a fugue-like state. No, I’ve never met anybody with multiple personalities or dissociative identity disorder, and I don’t think it is a common diagnosis in the UK, but…)
I enjoyed the style of writing, full of vivid imagery and very atmospheric, which makes us see what is happening in our minds (sometimes even when we’d rather not), and felt the rhythm worked well, combining the investigation, that felt more pressing and hurried, with what was happening at the castle, that at least, to begin with, was more contemplative and serene. The closer we come to the end, the more the rhythm accelerates and both strands of the story come together. As I said, there is a twist, or even more than one, in the end, and I think this book has everything to recommend it to readers of the genre who also enjoy a gothic setting and are eager to explore new mythologies regarding good an evil. This is not a book I’d recommend to those who don’t enjoy horror and reading about violent crimes. And it is not a book for those who prefer books fast and full of action, but it pays to stick with it, and if you’re interested in psychiatry and are looking for a different twist on the serial killer subject, I thoroughly recommended.
I am not surprised film production companies are looking at buying this book. This could become a fascinating movie.
A well written psychological thriller with a good twist or two.
The setting was very interesting to me. The early days of psychotherapy AND the Nazi Party all set in eastern Europe with all of its different mythologies. The characters were interesting and believable. Two warnings….. It is a bit gory and the names use a more traditional spelling so I would go to an eastern European language guide prior to reading if you want to make sure you are pronouncing the names correctly.
Disappointing. I loved the premise, but the book was just ok
The Devil Aspect
By: Craig Russell
*REVIEW*
Wow-The Devil Aspect was even darker than I expected. I enjoyed the story despite the fact that it was terrifyingly close to reality. The atmospheric presence here was so sinister, menacing, gothic and dark that it felt like a living breathing entity. The author really did a fantastic job bringing the feeling of this story to life. It was sharp, compelling and thought provoking in a major way. I felt claustrophobic while reading this. The characters were well developed and distinctly warped in their own ways. The Devil Aspect delved into deep recesses that might have been better left unexplored, but that was what made this story so unique and engrossing. I’m certain this book will stay with me for a long time.
Set in Czechoslovakia the reader is faced with fear, anxiety, mental health, trauma, loss, curiosity, psychosis, evil, facing ones inner demons, chaos, balance, questions and a search for answers – plus a whole lot more!
Well, what can I say – every now and again a reader comes across a gem of a book- one that truly gets under your skin and both excites and unnerves you in the best possible way…that, my friends is THIS BOOK for me! Craig Russell delivers an opening that was both beautiful in its words and horrifying in its description. I was mesmerised and HOOKED from the start and I knew…I just bloody knew that I would be pulled into this story without mercy. Haunting, gothic, atmospheric – I am in absolutely AWE of Mr Russell’s writing – if books were music, this one would be the most glorious symphony! With superb plot and characterisation, I read this book with such enormous enthusiasm – I am surprised my neighbours didn’t come and check on me – shouting questions, all the OMG NO WAY’s and maniacal squeals of delight with each new revelation. DAMN – this was one EPIC read!
When it comes to the characters in this novel, I’m not sure where to begin or end – this book was rich with such amazing and sinister characters … I would love to write about each and every one of them, but that would spoil it for those of have yet to read this book…so I won’t … *sigh* …
How about I just name a few who really added such depth and pleasure to the reading experience…that’s fair, right? Dr. Viktor Kosárek – a psychiatrist starting a new post in the Hrad Orlu asylum where #TheDevilsSix are housed… *shudders*. He has devised a new therapy and hopes to rehabilitate those who are believed to be un-rehabilitatable …is that a word? Viktor has his own backstory which is just as fascinating as the patients he is working with and you kind of see why he found his calling in the field of psychiatry. Absolutely loved his character – SO BRILLIANT!
The Devil’s Six – OMG I want to talk about each of them…but actually, it was the discovery of them all as you go along, that adds to the story, so I won’t spoil it for you – but if we ever meet, and you’ve read this book…we can chat for hours!! What I will say about this group of killers is that it was hard not to empathise with them at times. Yes, seems weird considering the diabolical/gruesome crimes they committed – but the insight that the author drip feeds to the reader, really opens things up – and gives an understanding to the person behind the crimes.
One final character I will mention is Judita – she really is a fabulous character. Her haunting dreams, her own trauma – all lead to her becoming an administrator at the asylum. There is a real darkness, a sadness within her and she and Viktor find comfort within each other. Wonderful, wonderful, WONDERFUL character!
And OMFG THAT ENDING! It will take a lot for another book to evoke the same feelings of pure satisfaction that this book did for me. DIVINE!
Would I recommend this book? With every beat of my twisted heart I would! A fantastically written mix of the macabre, both beautiful and horrifying, intense, haunting and intriguing – this is my TOP READ of 2019 and it will take some doing to knock this bad-boy off its pedestal! What else can I say? A journey into the darkest recesses of your soul; where the lines of reality are blurred and you just have NO CLUE what is going to happen – are you ready? Prepare yourself… and welcome to the gates of hell!
This is the first book by this author and all I can say is that I am hooked.
It kept me on the edge of my seat while reading it. It is gothic horror placed in 1935 on the beginning of Nazism in Germany. Victor Kosarek, an ambitious psychiatrist who studied under Carl Jung, takes up his post at the notorious Hrad Orlu Asylum housed in a ancient medieval castle steeped in dark history and local folklore. There are only 6 patients in this high security asylum that are the most notorious killers in Czechoslavakia, Pavel Zeleny, the Woodcutter, Leos Mladek, the Clown, Michal Machachek, the Glass Collector, Hedvika Valentova, the Vegetarian, Professor Dominik Bartos, the Sciomancer, and the most dangerous and feared, Vojtec Skala, the Demon. They are all incarcerated for life with no possibility of release. The doctor is there to research for his theory about evil, a phenomenon he names The Devil Aspect.
In meantime in Prague there is a serial killer that is so similar to Jack the reaper in his killing methods.
The author gave us chilling novel and picture of a place and time where prewar madness is boiling in Europe. The story is gripping and chilling with twists and turns and I simply loved it.
The Devil Aspect is absorbing, mystifying and deliciously sinister. Craig Russell is a talented writer that has superbly blended a compelling nefarious plot, with inexplicably damaged characters, myths and legends, and a setting that is dark and chilling. I just love it. 🙂
Dr Viktor Kosárek is a young enthusiastic psychiatrist who joins the staff at the Hrad Orlů Asylum, not far from Prague. The asylum is one of the most advanced high-tech facilities in the world but it is housed in Hrad Orlů Castle, which carries an ancient history steeped in folklore and locally known as the Mouth of Hell. The myths and legends, surrounding the Castle are woven perfectly into the story and the narrative seamlessly ties the past to the present. Has the past returned or has it never left?
The renowned Professor Ondřej Románek runs the asylum and in recent times it is infamous for securing the Devil’s Six – six psychopathic inmates responsible for the most horrific murders, involving extreme torture, rape and cannibalism. Románek’s theory is that perhaps evil is like a virus that can infect the susceptible mind. Viktor’s hypothesis is that we all contain the potential of evil and madness, and that a trigger can release this omnipresent Devil Aspect. Victor has been given the opportunity to examine each of the Devil’s Six to assess and validate these theories and understand their alarming commonality. OR. Is it a demonic possession from The Devil himself to use these human vessels to conduct the purest of evil deeds?
“Here am I and here I stay,
for this is where Evil resides.
Here am I and here I stay,
for this is where the Devil hides.”
The physical interaction between Kosárek and the patients is wonderfully portrayed by creating a sense of menace and at times precarious interaction, where one miscalculation could have lethal consequences. The psychological interplay is full of suspense knowing that the psychiatrist’s actions could ignite or transfer an evil stimulant. As Kosárek digs deeper into the patients’ minds the horror and source of their evil become evident.
Meanwhile, Prague is being terrified by the Leather Apron Serial Killer who is modelling himself on Jack the Ripper and brutally mutilating the bodies of his victims. Kapitan Lukás Smolák is investigating the deaths and recognises they fall within the pattern associated with the Devil’s Six. The 2 threads will eventually converge with surprising outcomes.
The setting and period in Czechoslovakia in 1935 were masterfully developed, firstly the remote region of the Castle constantly had a threatening atmosphere and the forests harboured dark shadows where evil plays. Secondly, the novel illustrated the evil growing at a systemic level in Nazi Germany and spreading across national boundaries, especially into regions where German influence and culture played a significant impact.
This book is truly amazing and just delivered everything I love in a story – crime, mystery, suspense, police investigation, something sinister, history, myths, legends and exceptional writing. If I could give this 6 stars I would. I would highly highly recommend this book and I would like to thank Little Brown Book Group for providing me with an ARC version in return for an honest review.
Lots to like about this book. I had a question about the point of view being the final twist. Seems a little like deus ex machina.
1935, Prague.
A young doctor named Viktor comes to the ancient castle/asylum, Hrad Orlu, excited to test his new theories in psychology. Housed at this asylum, isolated atop a mountain, are the 6 most dangerous killers alive today. At the bottom of the mountain in the town proper, a police detective named Lukas is trying his best to solve a series of murders which the press attributes to the “leather apron killer.” At the same time as these events, the Nazis are on the rise in Germany. Will Viktor’s new theories pan out, and allow psychiatry to identify dangerous individuals in the future? Will Lukas find his killer? Will the Nazis put a stop to all of that before it has even properly begun? You’ll have to read THE DEVIL ASPECT to find out!
I found this book to be a marvelous new (to me), voice in fiction. The synopsis had me so psyched I couldn’t help but want to read it right away. I loved the Gothic setting of the castle, surrounded by rocky areas and dense forest. (What horror lover doesn’t love that type of isolated setting?) Yet, just down the mountain is a town full of scared people. Losing its citizens one by one to a brutally violent killer, with what seems like zero progress by the police- I almost expected to see the townsfolk armed with torches heading up to the castle. (Because, surely that must be from where their misfortune emanates?)
But, that didn’t happen, because the voice of Craig Russell is more original than that. This tale twisted and turned until I had no clue what was going to happen! As more of Viktor’s theories were tested, some things became clearer, while others became more perplexing. On top of all this, there was the rise of the Nazi party always in the background. Combined together, these components contributed to the overall feelings of anxiety and darkness that permeated this book.
So why 4 stars and not 5? I felt the pacing dragged a bit during the middle portion of the story. Even though I was interested in all of the criminals Viktor was interviewing, I didn’t feel that all of them were integral to the tale. It’s a small thing, but at times I felt like I had been reading quite a lot without really getting anywhere.
This is what I took away from THE DEVIL ASPECT: A NOVEL. Fun? Check! Hypnotizing scenes between the doctor and the criminals? Check! A Gothic castle, set atop a mountain surrounded by a dense forest, and creating a dark and gloomy atmosphere? Check! Twists and turns galore which put our heroes in jeopardy? Check! A denouement to beat the band? Hell yes!
In short, (too late!), I recommend this novel to fans of the above, but most especially to fans of Gothic fiction and psychological horror! I predict that this novel is going to knock some socks off!
*Thank you to Doubleday and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it.*
Pekelná Brána— Hell’s Gate castle
It is 1935 and newly trained clinical psychiatrist Dr. Viktor Kosárek has arrived at an ancient castle in former Czechoslovakia not far from Prague that houses the Hrad Orl ů Asylum for the Criminally Insane.
Housed in the Asylum are six (5 men and 1 woman) of the deadliest serial killers ever captured. Dr. Kosárek will be in total charge of their therapy, trying a new treatment looking for what he calls the Devil Aspect among all six patients.
Meanwhile, Hitler is gaining power in nearby Germany and, in Prague, another serial killer called the Leather Apron has been brutally killing and maiming people. Part of the story is Kapitán Lukáš Smolák of the Prague police and his search for Leather Apron and his interactions at the Asylum.
All these things tie together into one creepy story. This isn’t the type of book I usually pick up. I expected more of a story of the serial killers and it ended up having an occult bent. I prefer my bad guys to be of the human variety.
That written, the book was well researched about the time period and Czechoslovakia, and it was dark and atmospheric and definitely has a gothic slant to it.
I received this book from Doubleday Books through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.
The Devil Aspect by Craig Russell has something for everyone. It is a kaleidoscopic mélange of myth, history, politics, bigotry, psychology, romance, crime, mystery, and sublime horror with each aspect taking turns directing the action, fighting for attention, toying with readers as they struggle to anticipate the shattering denouement. However, none can say that the author plays foul; all the clues are there to be discovered, but only by the most perceptive readers.
The tale takes place in Czechoslovakia at a time of political unrest. The evil Nazi movement is slithering into existence and marginalized societies sense a chill creeping over them. The extraordinarily handsome clinical psychiatrist Dr. Viktor Kosárek travels to his new place of employment, the Hrad Orlů, an asylum for the criminally insane, home to the Devil’s Six—six of the most dangerous serial killers in history. There Kosárek plans to prove his theory of the Devil Aspect which he believes causes severe mental illness. At the same time, police officer Kapitán Lukáš Smolák, a man of facts and logic, must investigate a series of horrific murders perpetrated by a criminal referred to as Leather Apron. Soon, Kosárek and Smolák cross paths as they struggle to reach their antithetical goals.
The main characters are deeply complete. Each is unique, fully formed, and enhanced by detailed backstories. They are real, and readers will connect with them and care about them. In addition, the characters fears and superstations offer readers insight of the zeitgeist of the era.
The literary quality is sublime and is tailored to mirror the time and place. The language might remind readers of Kostova’s The Historian in its respect for and faithfulness to a region. The prose is smooth, attractive, and easy to read and will immerse readers in period and place.
The setting is central Europe in 1935. Czechoslovakia is a trembling region populated by fascinating ethnic groups. Myth and superstition dominate minds and bleed into the plot, connecting Dr. Kosárek’s theory to local reality.
The plotting of The Devil Aspect is brilliant, flawless. Although random elements may seem initially inconsequential, every single one serves to propel the trajectory forward to a stunning conclusion. Every event has a purpose and is an integral element in the trail of bread crumbs that leads to discovery. Numerous red herrings will challenge the most discerning reader’s intellectual acuity. Given the highly complex nature of the story, it is amazing that it all comes together with such exquisite precision.
The Devil Aspect will enthrall a wide array of readers and comes highly recommended, especially for lovers of mystery, suspense, and the supernatural who at the end will no doubt cite evidence to support rousing discussions over what is real and what is not.
Read it before it hits the big screen.
Rougeski Reads