Evocation
by S. T. Gibson
This novel was recommended to me when I asked on PageBound for books with a “Faustian Pact” in their story, as I wanted to read more with this theme. The novels had also rerences to occultism and witchcraft, and this tickled also my occult-ejoyer side.
Of course, by now I should have started to know that most of times what works for others doesn’t work for me… but I end up having expectations anyway.
And now I have to try putting my thoughts together, after I ended up scribbling a bunch of notes where I mainly complain about something.
The whole Faustian pact is a background thing for the whole novel. When – from reading the plot – it seemed to be the main focus of the story.
But no. The pact, the whole occultism, and even the secret society the main characters were part of, are only a background thing to give a “urban fantasy vibe” to a poly romance that – imho, in my ignorance on romance stuff – wasn’t even a romance, nor poly.
The characters are flat, no depth to them.
David is a spoiled old money rich brat who has a lot of trauma because his awful father was obsessed with occultims and abused him while using him as parlour trick for séances.
Rhys (if I had a nickel for every character called Rhys I dislike-) is a Catholic who feels guilty over his practicing “ceremonial magic” (which is kind of a broad term) and “summoning demons”, loves academia, and is very very ambitious.
Moira… she had been done bad, as she falls in many stereotypes an not even by accident: motherly black woman/mammy, sassy black woman, person of colour with supernatural wisdom to help white dude in trouble… She was there only to talk in therapy-speech, and for others to say how beautiful, smart, and wise she was. Plus, her relationship with Rhys made little sense as they had almost no chemistry… she was Rhys’ way to appease his catholic guilt, as he always remarked how she was his “goddess” and “his only salvation”. Like- Yikes.
ALSO, she became the side-piece to her own marriage? Because it didn’t feel like polyamory at all, even to me that I’m ignorant relationship/romance-wise, and let’s not forget that Rhys *cheated* on her.
At this point, just make a M/M story right from the start, instead of trying to camouflage it as a poly romance.
I leave here the link to @/ariireads review [on PageBound] because I agree with her about Moira’s characterization and the romance part, and surely it’s better than any way I could explain it.
Another thing that really grinded my gears: does the author know that the “indigo child” thing is made up bullshit? I’d say no.
“Indigo child” (or crystal, or rainbow) is a term used by New Age parents to describe their autistic/ADHD kids, and decide that they are some kind of “child with a spiritually advanced soul” whose life purpose is “bring the New Age into being” (similar to the Starseed crap, which has also roots in white supremacy beliefs).
To make it into simpler terms, “indigo child” is the modern version of “the fae stole my child and left a changeling” used to label neurodivergent kids.
Anyway, I signed up for “story about a deal with the Devil” and not for “messy urban fantasy with even messier romance and flattest characters possible”.
Was all the occult stuff and devil’s pact just an urban fantasy way to try push David and Rhys together? I guess so.
Star Rating: 2 out of 5 - only bc less than 2 stars is a DNF from me.
Personal Rating: if I pick up a book with a story centered around a pact with a devil, occultism/occult societies, I want to read about that. I do not want it as a background vibe.
