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The Devil's Intern (2014)

by Donna Hosie(Favorite Author)

3.96 of 5 Votes: 4

languge

English

genre

Horror

publisher

Holiday House

series

The Devil's

review 1: 3 1/2 starsCute story about Mitchell Johnson, a modern teenage boy who died from getting hit by a bus and ends up in Hell. He becomes an intern in Hell's accounting department, a rather important job that puts him in a position where he learns about a device that will allow him to go back in time and change his death. Together with his friends Medusa (real name Melissa from the 1960s), Elinor (1666 peasant), and Alfarin (Viking prince), Mitchell ends up taking a trip that's not the one he expected as they all revisit their deaths. Throw in getting chased by Skin-Walkers (those who hunt down the most evil) and trying not to get caught by Mitchell's boss Septimus, a former Roman general, and you're in for a non-stop, action-filled ride.The story was entertaining but it le... moreft a lot of unanswered questions (like why they all ended up in Hell in the first place). But there seems to be a sequel in the works so perhaps things were left unanswered for a reason. I found Mitchell to be annoying and not a very likable main character, but Elinor and Alfarin were such entertaining and likable characters that they make up for that. I also thought the author did a nice job of world-building by spending quite a bit of the beginning of the book establishing what Hell was like (think crowded city more than fire & brimstone, though there's plenty of heat there too).Brenna (RPL)
review 2: I picked this book up to review, not really interested in the cover (it's pretty uninspiring), and then didn't read it for a while. Later, while looking through an SLJ issue, I remember glancing at a starred review and thinking, *wait! I picked up that book to review! Now I can't wait to read it!*I think I had a little too high expectation for it since it was starred. Had I not known that, would I have liked it any better? Maybe, but it's hard to say.Seventeen-year-old Mitchell Johnson is a modern day devil, only having been in Hell for four years; he is also the Devil's Intern. He works crazy long hours in sweltering heat in the accounting offices for the Devil. Lucifer himself only makes a few appearances, but he certainly is not to be messed with, even if he fancies lavish balls and has expensive taste. Mitchell's best friend, Melissa (M, Medusa -- because her crazy hair looks like Medusa's snakes) died in the 60s. His other two best friends Elinor, an accent-heavy 17th century Londoner, and Alfarin, a Viking prince, are always by his side. It's evident from the beginning that Mitchell and Medusa will be a pair in the end; and Josie never tires of letting us know Alfarin would do anything for Elinor. You see, Hell is just like living on earth, except, well... it's hell.It's always hot, crowded, and you can never get enough to eat. Hosie does a good job of explaining the workings of Hell and what it's like to be dead throughout the novel, as Mitchell, our narrator, explains his afterlife. Devils still eat, read, sleep, date, fall in love, hook up, and work, work, work. Hell is in major debt and it's part of Mitchell's job to keep the expenses in order. It's grueling work, but it's a coveted position. Working close to the Devil ensures nice working conditions, even if Mitchell is always exhausted.Mitchell has always regretted his death; he only knows he walked out into traffic and was hit by a metro bus. He'd give anything to know what truly happened and to change his death. He wants more than anything to be living again. Fate allows this exact thing to happen... of course. Mitchell learns of a complicated device called a Viciseometer, which allows the user to time travel, and by doing so, change history or the course of the future. The Devil wants to get his hands on one so he can provide Hell with enough money to pay all the workers and fund all his expenses. In short, Mitchell, Medusa, Elinor, and Alfarin steal the Viciseometer and agree to travel to the exact time and place of each of their deaths in order to change them. Once they're all there and each Devil gets to think about how their lives (and deaths) would change if they altered history, they decide not to change their deaths. All except Medusa. Her step-father was sexually abusive toward her, and she decides she wants to take him to Hell with her. While the premise is good and many details are rich, Hosie doesn't offer explanations as to why these four truly likable devils have ended up in Hell. In fact, most of the devils in Hell are "good people." Hell is over-crowded and "Up there" is extremely picky. Some of the details are glazed over, including the ending and how Medusa ends up back in Hell. I felt extremely confused, but didn't really care to try to figure it out. I felt the plot fell apart enough that I was just happy to finish the book. I enjoyed the humorous moments, but also tired of Mitchell's physical descriptions of Medusa -- he's absolutely preoccupied with her petite size (her tiny waist, her thin wrists, her skinny legs) sheesh! He's also completely obtuse when it comes to her feelings about him, and vice versa. He repeats lines such as, "I don't understand why my stomach gets all crazy when Medusa is touching me. I must be hungry!" Really? All in all, it's a fairly good read with a lot of dark humor. Teens will be interested in this dark comedy, mixed with adventure, paranormal, and a bit of romance. Recommended to all libraries. less

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