The Devil All the Time is a plainly written novel with simple descriptions and the occasional simile. The only downfall when compared to McCarthy is the lack of beautiful lines. Despite those similarities, it diverges enough in a way that tells a fantastic, twisted story that feels original. In fact, some are well warranted: the sparse prose and the suffocatingly violent and dark tone are present in both. Being the dark and tragic tale it is with many southern gothic sentiments, comparisons to Cormac McCarthy abound. The Devil All the Time is a book made up of several vignettes that seem tangentially related at first but, at about two-thirds of the way through, connect and pay off in a big way. Yet, since it doesn’t technically take place in the southern United States, I suppose it should be called rural gothic instead (although that doesn’t have as much of a ring to it, in my opinion). Yet, the hallmarks of the subgenre are all there deeply flawed characters, extreme poverty, run-down small towns, eccentric characters, etc. Rather, most of it takes place in either rural Ohio or rural West Virginia. Now, while I would consider The Devil All the Time to be in the southern gothic wheelhouse, I will add the preamble that it doesn’t take place in the south.
Thankfully for me and all fans of grisly, disgusting, and horrifying stories, this book should scratch all morbid itches you may have. The movie looks dark as all get out and I had hopes that the book would be even darker. Written in 2011 by Donald Ray Pollock, this novel came to my attention due to the impending Netflix movie starring Tom Holland and Robert Pattinson. The Devil All the Time is a harrowing southern gothic-like novel that borders on straight-up horror.
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