This is one of the best books I have read all year. I love reading a modern classic as it is published. I love seeing a character that I hold so dear to my heart as to remember him always and carry him with me. I love seeing human kindness at work, and faith distilled into reason, and alternative endings that give hope.

I loved reading this book.

In ‘Two-Step Devil’, we catch a glimpse into the lives of a seventy-year-old prophet and a teenage girl as their paths unexpectedly intersect. Throughout the story, we also come to meet 'Two-Step Devil' for better or worse… The novel goes on to explore what it means to be driven by prophecy and longing.

I absolutely loved the premise of ‘Two-Step Devil’. Sadly, the execution, whilst unique and intriguing left me wanting more. Many people already love this book, and many more will, but the storytelling approach just didn’t work for me personally. While I admire how Quatro employed multiple narratives and an experimental structure, these aspects ultimately detracted from the reading experience and left me feeling a little lost at times.

Quatro’s writing is playful and compelling, and I really appreciated the exploration of prophecy alongside the painfully human experiences of loneliness and belonging. The storyline was clearly well thought out and written with care. I would certainly try more of Quatro’s work in the future, but sadly this one wasn’t a new favourite.

If you enjoy experimental literary fiction that explores the philosophies and intricacies of human existence in inventive ways, this may be the book for you!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc. All opinions are my own.

WOW what an incredible story. I went in completely blind, having not heard about this book before. The hook was the blurb for me, together with this simple yet effective cover.
And oh boy, that was a ride. The author weaves words so effortlessly that it is such an unbelievable joy to read. I got an eArc of this book and I will make sure to buy it so I can read it again.
I do recommend you to go in completely blind. You have plottwists waiting for you and the relationship between the two main characters will be even more rewarding. I must also say, that the story can be distressing and really pull on your heartstrings. It did for me, so don't expect this to be a light read. However, it is so much more rewarding because of this.

This is why I love Netgalley. You stumble upon books you might not usually pick up or not have on your radar because the hype has missed it (regrettably). However, there you find some hidden gems sometimes - and this book is definitely one of them.

Thank you to Grove Atlantic and Netgalley for the eARC, all thoughts expressed up there are my own.

Whatever I thought going into Two-Step Devil, I was continually surprised. Every time I had my bearings, the book changed course, the ground moved under my feet, etc.

Exacting, precise language. Cutting in its brevity and honesty, and refreshing because it is so unlike much of the language you come across. The passages about disease and dying in particular are so raw and deeply emotional. It is in these lines that Quatro's writing shines the strongest.

I think the dual endings are a matter of faith (choosing to believe in the good or not believe), which is only so fitting for a book deeply steeped in religious imagery. While the switch to the play formatting was slightly jarring, and the writing that came after was somewhat variable, it also resulted in some of the most satisfying prose in the whole book.

What an interesting read. I was initially drawn to the book by the cover but what cemented my need to read was that this is a book that is set LOCALLY to me, which NEVER happens. The author is also local to me and I love to support our local authors.

Quatro nails Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain and it was so easy to visualize Michael’s journey downtown because it’s one I’ve taken often. The characters were well written. Flawed, human and Quatro does an excellent job at creating characters that the readers feels a variety of emotions for. The Prophet, Michael and Zeke felt very dimensional.

This is a sad book and it’s difficult to classify its genre. It’s definitely literary fiction but has some super heavy themes and some of the themes discussed are downright horrifying. It’s also not the most accessible book. The time format is non linear at times and often things are mentioned with no explanation for quite a while. I enjoyed the writing style, but it’s not a book you can just blow through.

There were many different directions the author could have chosen but I feel like she carved out the best path through. It’s a heartbreaking book, but well worth the read.

WOW. This is unlike anything I've ever read. The way Quatro tells this story is nothing short of brilliant and neither is the way Quatro plays with structure here. The plot is gripping, the writing exquisite, and at times, I had no clue what was happening between our lead and the Two-Step Devil. That didn't matter though. Trust the author and the payoff is THERE.

Rating: 3.5 rounded up.

A strikingly unique novel that veers off in the last quarter. I wish Quatro had steered the course better in the home stretch as the ending was lack lustre.

I was puzzled by the choice to suddenly try out new formatting (theatre scripts) in the last chapters. It didn't add to the overall narrative arc.
Quatro handles the themes of human trafficking and child abuse in a blunt way that is worth praising but overall the novel takes an unexpected and disappointing final turn.

A story of human nature, compassion, longing, and purpose — an unusual and unique novel centering around a southern town and two compelling characters. At times magical and weird, this story is written in sharp, cutting, and brilliant language. This contains themes and ideas such as religion, crime, hope, faith (or the lack of), and what it means to be a parent. I struggled with the structure as the different perspectives were at times jarring, I found myself unconnected to the characters. Overall, being from the south gave me a deep connection to this setting and the ideas it contains.

This novel started off promising, but I lost interest around the 50% mark. I appreciated this book being brief and making a good point, but overall, I was a little annoyed with the supernatural elements. The main character sees visions and after a while, it became grating because I couldn't tell if he had a gift, or he was mentally ill. The writing was decent and had me emotional at times, but I wanted a little more structure. Interesting book but lacked a cohesive story.

What a unique and thought provoking story. I'm not sure I can say I enjoyed it, but the writing was incredible. The main character, known as The Prophet lived a life full of suffering and we get a look into the visions he sees from The Lord. This was so bleak and heart-breaking and I feel like with a re-read I might give it a higher rating - I don't think I read it at the right time. It's definitely worth a read!

This was ambitious and I may have missed some of the authors intentions but I got enough to grasp the brilliance of the narrative.

This will be a divisive read with the discussion of hot button issues but it never felt preachy and offers a lot of food for thought.

I look forward to seeing what people say about this one when it’s released I think this is a bold and fresh literary contender.

JQ is most definitely a writer’s writer. A wonderful mixture of clarity and unexpected side road intrigue in this story. At all times, I felt securely oriented in time and place, even through many spatial-temporal-modal bounces, each one complicating the rather insular colliding pieces of world it constructs. I felt great trust in the deftness of the narrative as it unfolded. I didn’t know where we were going, but I made a great decision to hop in this truck.

How did I come across this book? NetGalley (thanks for the ARC).

I do not know this author personally, but I did remember her name as one of the fiction writing instructors at a Kenyon Review Writers Workshop. I love the writers they hire; some of the best I have ever encountered in terms of intensity, expectations, and being great examples themselves. I clicked on this title on that basis.

Prior to reading, I could never have imagined enjoying and savoring a book containing a character called The Prophet. More than one of my grandmothers (one Pentecostal, one Southern Baptist) scared the crap out of me, along with any desire to go to church. That Quatro was able to conjure sympathy and genuine concern for The Prophet is amazing to me. She made it a very enticing leap to make from the desire to paint religious visions while being aggressively trolled by a snotty cowboy devil to: this is all of us, trying our best to embody a deeply-felt purpose while bracing against crushing and pervasive criticism.

In the character of Michael, (a teenage girl rescued from a trafficking situation), we get a change-of-wind-direction point of view. That Quatro created both POVs so seamlessly is yet another feat of sorcery. Both characters aid the other in some way, yet both feel the need to conceal their game plans from each other. The tentativeness and necessity of their trust is one of the book’s major sources of tension. Will the purpose be fulfilled? Will it be too late? Will it be enough?

Uncertainty about the efficacy of the ending(s) is my only reservation. This is certainly a novel that should resist neatness in the exit. Somehow, though, some of the energy of the fantastic buildup dissipated just a touch with the particularities of the twisting dismount. And yet, I'm not sure I'm right about this. I can imagine the ending will be a point of polarization, which, ultimately seems in keeping with the novel's strange appeal. I may come back around and round up.

Since finishing this novel, I find myself looking forward to picking up a physical copy of it (mine was digital and not mark-up-able) so I can bracket my favorite passages (there were so many) and stare into space while I think about some of the questions it raises into the air and diffuses into the wider world: questions about purpose, futility, decency, trust, instinct, agency, evil, the role of goads, the avenues of self-preservation. I highly recommend this odd and observant vision of a novel.

Two-Step Devil by Jamie Quatro is a captivating read that quickly won me over, despite an initial adjustment period. The novel's unique writing style, characterized by its lack of quotation marks, took a little while to get used to. However, once I acclimated to Quatro's distinctive approach, the story flowed seamlessly, revealing itself as a deeply engaging and thought-provoking experience.

One of the standout aspects of this book is its use of non-linear storytelling through a series of flashbacks. Quatro expertly weaves these flashbacks throughout the narrative, enriching the story and providing invaluable context for the characters' present circumstances. I’ve always had a fondness for non-linear storytelling, and in Two-Step Devil, each flashback serves a specific purpose, enhancing the reader's understanding of the characters and their motivations. The way these past events intertwine with the present creates a rich tapestry of character development and emotional depth.

The characters of Michael and The Prophet are both compelling and complex. I found myself empathizing with each of them in different ways, as Quatro skillfully navigates their inner struggles and dilemmas. Their journeys are portrayed with such nuance and authenticity that it’s impossible not to become invested in their fates. The unexpected yet immensely satisfying conclusion further elevates the book, providing a fitting and impactful resolution to the characters' arcs.

This was my first encounter with Jamie Quatro's work, and it has left me eager to explore more of her writing. Two-Step Devil showcases her talent for creating intricate, multi-layered narratives and deeply relatable characters. I’m looking forward to seeing what other stories she has to offer and anticipate that her future work will be just as intriguing and rewarding.

Such an interesting read, I especially loved the ending(s)! I wish I could go back and read this book again for the first time, looking forward to more from Quatro.

This is the second book I've read from Quatro and both times I've left the reading experience interested by the writing and ideas but frustrated by the overall execution. In this case, I felt like splitting the narrative left both The Prophet's and Michael's stories incomplete, bordering on caricature. I get that the stories are intertwined, but I would have preferred either staying with The Prophet the whole time or (and really, this would have been my preference) focusing more on Michael. I can even see a version where the Devil is the center -- an omniscient narrator who can send us with both The Prophet or Michael as necessary.

Look, can I tell you *exactly* what this novel is about? No. But I can tell you that the vibes are impeccable. The voice is astounding. The characterization so creative and captivating. The sense of place immersive.

The Prophet, an old man from Alabama who paints his visions, rescues a young girl who is a victim of sex trafficking, and the two, strangely, become companions before they have to part ways as each confronts an inevitable next step in their own life stories.

We also get flashbacks of the Prophet’s life as well as his relationship with his son, who doesn’t believe in his father’s visions. This story explores religion, politics, abortion, family, illness and death, and so much more.

The title references the devil figure that appears to the Prophet, who is named Two-Step and wears cowboy boots and a hat and might be my favorite character of the whole book. If you hear me start to greet people with “Greetings, fleshsacks!” just know it’s from him.

Thank you so much to Grove Atlantic and NewGalley for the eARC. I know I’ll be thinking about this unique, creative, powerful story for a long while.

3.5/4

Two-Step Devil is a strange and disturbing novel that tells the story of Winston (The Prophet), his strange companion, Two-Step who appears from time to time and Michael, a young girl who Winston rescues from sex traffickers.

In the first part of the book we see into Winston's previous life. His wife has died from cancer and he is estranged from his son's family. Winston is also dying slowly from cancer but has refused treatment possibly because it interferes with his visions. And it is the visions that keep him going. He has had them for decades and now paints what he sees, much to the amusement of Two-Step.

The second part of the novel gives us Michael's horrible story from seduction to being forced into prostitution. Winston enlists Michael to help him take his vision to the White House but Michael also has other plans.

I chose this book because of the title, which intrigued me although I can't honestly remember why Winston has christened his vision of the devil as Two-Step. There are parts of the book that I found baffling but otherwise it was an interesting story but with some heavyweight issues including drug abuse, child sex abuse, child prostitution, physical abuse and mental health.

Thankyou to Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for the advance review copy.

Thank you to Grove Atlantic for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own

This book does contain a few themes that merit mentioning in a trigger warning (TW: sex trafficking, rape, sexual coercion, abortion, infant loss, drug abuse)

I think the most important piece of information a reader could have before embarking on this, admittedly well-crafted work is that it’s very stylized in its prose and does not follow conventional narrative forms. The style of narration changes and at one point switches to play with stage directions and costuming given. The language used changes and ultimately the book creates a large sense of ambiguity. If that is something that immediately puts you off a book, this is not the selection for you. However, if open-ended, more challenging writing is something you embrace, this is a very compelling read that generates a lot of thought-provoking discussion.

The story is that of the Watchman, a prophet and painter living in the rural south and the teenaged sex worker he ‘rescues’ and identifies as critical to the mission related to spreading his visions. At the heart though, the book touches on themes of morality, relativism, salvation, alienation, loneliness, and the way we understand religion. (Particularly traditional Christian narratives of good and evil.)

The most successful part of this book in terms of creating tension while at the same time establishing atmosphere are the sections narrated in first-person by Michael. The weak point of the book is the stage-play section in the later half of the book. I thought it was a very high-concept addition, and while it did add to the philosophical element of the book, it was a laborious read.

Two-Step Devil is a more ambitious read and is, frankly, a little weird. But it’s very well crafted and a compelling story and well worth the challenge.

WOW! I LOVED this book! It is the most unique book I have read this year. You develop a strong connection to these characters and develop a lot of empathy for them. I will be recommending this book to a lot of people.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. The story was complex and full of detailed characterization. I loved the prose and dynamic style of the novel. Overall a good read.