A Rant on “Truly, Devious” by Maureen Johnson
Ah, "Truly, Devious." A title that caught my eye the moment I stumbled upon it. After receiving enthusiastic recommendations from friends during my last book review, I thought, "How could I resist a mystery packed with Agatha Christie references?" Spoiler alert: it turns out I’m not the best candidate for this charming puzzle.
Let’s dive right in. The premise of "Truly, Devious" is intriguing. Set in the mysterious Ellingham Academy—a school for gifted students—it promises a whodunit steeped in historical enigma. Honestly, the synopsis was promising enough to make me excited to crack the spine. However, after finishing, I felt like the plot twists had mysteriously vanished into thin air! Instead of a gripping narrative, I was presented with what felt like the literary equivalent of watching paint dry.
The pacing was painfully slow. The first 200 pages? All about world-building, character introductions, and a whole lot of… nothing! It was like an endless parade of teenage quirks and hobbyist banter that had me rolling my eyes. From Stevie, our supposedly sharp-witted protagonist, to David, the charmingly erratic love interest—I just couldn’t connect with them or their exploits. At one point, Stevie’s intelligence turned into a caricature; she’s meant to be a modern-day Hercule Poirot but ends up coming across more like a poorly-written parody of herself. I found myself wishing she would just take a break from her amateur sleuthing and maybe do some actual detective work instead of making out in rooms that belong to the missing!
And can we talk about representation? The efforts to include diversity felt more like tokenism than genuine integration into the story. Characters like Vi, who is non-binary, and a brief hijab-wearing presence felt hastily thrown in, only to be forgotten moments later. It frustrates me when representation feels superficial rather than woven intricately into the narrative.
The ending became the cherry on top of my confusion, which, mind you, was less of a twist and more of a shrug. There was certainly no shock factor, much to my dismay; it was as if the author aimed for suspense but landed softly on predictability.
While I appreciate the intent behind the book, I can’t ignore the colossal letdown it was for me. This was supposed to be a mystery, but it really felt like a drawn-out setup leading to a vague conclusion.
So, who might enjoy this book? Perhaps those who revel in character-driven narratives and can tolerate a slower pace. If you love diving into richly constructed worlds and can overlook a meandering plot, you might find joy in "Truly, Devious." However, if you, like me, were expecting a heart-pounding mystery with well-rounded characters, you might find this book leaving you, well, a bit devious about the whole experience.
To sum it up: it missed the mark for me but might be a hit for another reader searching for something cozy yet puzzling. Here’s hoping the sequels "The Vanishing Stair" and "The Hand on the Wall" pick up the pace; stay tuned for my thoughts on those!
Discover more about Truly, Devious (Truly Devious, #1) on GoodReads >>