The Devourers

Starred review from May 16, 2016
Das’s brutal, intoxicating, and gorgeously visceral debut merges an often mythic sensibility with an appreciation for the coarse beauty of the everyday. This tale of shape-shifters connects Mughal India, under the shade of a newly built Taj Majal, to modern Kolkata while exploring the nature of story and history. Prof. Alok Mukherjee meets an extraordinary stranger who claims to be half werewolf, at a musical festival in present-day Kolkata. After the man gives him a strange, compelling story in the form of a vision, Alok agrees to transcribe two 17th-century scrolls for him. Within one is the story of Fenrir, a wanderer of the many-cultured ancient race of human-hunting monsters called vukodlak; the other holds the autobiography of Cyrah, a strong, defiant human woman whom Fenrir, against the strict taboos of his kind, does not hunt not as prey, but rapes to create his child. Das creates a feeling of urgency amid a sense of timelessness and feeds a fascination with the alien that is enhanced by dives into terrifying intimacy. Agent: Ron Eckel, Cooke Agency.

May 1, 2016
The line between what it is to be human and what it is to be a monster is frequently blurred in Das' compelling debut novel. In modern-day India, a lonely history professor named Alok is drawn into an unbelievable story of the past by a charismatic young man who introduces himself as "half werewolf." His mysterious new acquaintance hires him to transcribe the century-spanning saga of an immortal shape-shifter, Fenrir, whose rape of a prostitute in 17th-century India triggers a web of painful consequences for them both. Fenrir is fascinated by humans, in part because they are taboo as anything but prey for his species--creatures who are the root of all mankind's myths and nightmares and who feed off mortals, both literally and metaphorically (the frequent descriptions of violent consumption are rendered in loving, grotesque detail). Fenrir's story becomes Cyrah's--his victim's--as she trails him on her own hunt for a reckoning. Interwoven through the quests for legacy and vengeance are Alok's present-day encounters with the man he refers to as "the stranger" and Alok's own alternating fascination and discomfiture with both the story he is reconstructing and its messenger. History catches up with the present as the stranger's identity is revealed (somewhat predictably), and he and Alok have their own reckoning and consumption. At its best, Das' narrative is lush, imaginative, and hypnotic, bringing to life scenes of savagery and moments of wonder. At its worst, it treads toward an overwrought fascination with its own gore and "the stinking dark of fermented history." Readers are left to draw their own moral conclusions as to where right and wrong lie amid the blood. Not for the squeamish, Das' debut is an ambitious, unsettling trip into our own capacity for violence.

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Starred review from July 1, 2016

On a summer night in Kolkata, India, Asok Mukherjee meets a man who claims to be a werewolf. The two talk, and Asok gets drawn into a relationship with the stranger, who gives him documents to transcribe that tell the story of a 17th-century shapeshifter and the human woman with whom he becomes obsessed. The shapeshifter, who called himself Fenrir after the wolves of Norse myths, was fixated on the idea of having a half-human child and betrayed his two packmates by raping a woman named Cyrah. Gevaudan, one of Fenrir's packmates and lovers, agrees to help Cyrah seek her revenge. A sensual tale of violence and desire, Das's debut will take readers from the streets of modern Kolkata to the site of the construction of the Taj Mahal during the height of the Mughal empire. VERDICT For fans of Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire but with a fascinating setting beautifully described. Occasional footnotes provide historical context.--MM

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2016

Told through transcription, flashbacks, and beautiful language, this novel subverts the typical werewolf story to weave an elaborate narrative built on history and mythology, creating an impressive and gripping work of fantasy. Filled with violence and love, this tale moves beyond expectations of the genre. Readers will dive head first into the plot along with Alok, a college professor who meets a man who relates an odd series of accounts, and will become obsessed with each and every turn. Covering a myriad of topics, including rape and violence, this title will appeal to mature teens who will appreciate the depth and honesty of Das's captivating writing. However, many will be unwilling to follow through to the finish. Alok's adventures are not for the squeamish; Das's descriptions are unrelenting. VERDICT A lyrical and unique offering that may entice more sophisticated readers, this unusual work will likely be beyond the scope of most teens.-Ashley Prior, Lincoln Public Library, RI

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.