This ambitious novel attempts a sweeping saga across eight generations of a Black family in West Tennessee, intertwining their lives with repeated visits from the Devil. The concept is intriguing, starting on a slave ship and a bargain with the Devil, a pact that echoes down through her descendants for 175 years.
The book shines in its vignette-style chapters, each focusing on different descendants and capturing specific historical moments and challenges. The author successfully portrays how the choices and circumstances of one generation ripple through the next, exploring themes of race, religion, history, and identity within the American South and beyond. The writing often evokes the feeling of oral storytelling traditions, capturing a distinct voice and vernacular, which is one of its strengths. The Devil’s perspective offers an interesting theological angle, presenting him as a figure seeking his own form of redemption by aiding Yetunde’s family.
However, the sheer scope and the vast number of characters introduced across different time periods make the narrative difficult to follow at times. Keeping track of who is related to whom and recalling the specific details of each character’s story becomes challenging, which can dilute the emotional impact. While the episodic structure allows for exploring various perspectives and historical contexts, it can also feel fragmented, hindering a deeper connection with the overarching family story. Though filled with powerful moments and important themes, the complexity and structure occasionally make the reading experience demanding rather than immersive.

Seeking to prove himself to god, the devil visits the same Tennessee family over multiple generations to offer them salvation.

I enjoyed the storytelling of The Devil Three Times. I'm hit or miss with magical realism, but I enjoyed how this story spanned generations. It was, at times, hard to remember who was who and I also felt the story read a bit too long, but overall I enjoyed it.

I will say this is steeped in religion and spirituality in a way that I really did not expect. I never quite warmed up to it either sad to say. I skimmed a lot of this. Nonetheless, this was fresh, direct, creative, sweeping and complex. It’ll find its audience.

*Thank you R. Fayne and Little, Brown and Company for, The Devil Three Times ARC. My opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved this book! Follows a family for generations and the devil watching them.
#NetGalley

This debut has so much going on, and the author pulls it all off so well. I don't think I have words to describe how powerful I thought this story was, but I cannot wait to recommend it to readers!

The devil has been banished, and he is trying to earn his way back into heaven by solving the problem of slavery. This story follows eight generations of a family that the devil appears to, beginning with Yetunde, a woman who has been abducted from her home and sold into slavery. Her spirit as well as supernatural abilities also manifests and appears to each generation. Yes, there are a lot of characters to keep track of. Ultimately, the story is so engrossing and moving, I couldn't help but be swept up in it. I found I didn't have to remember everything about a character to follow the story, and I couldn't put it down.

"Sometimes you have to leave what you love, she said. But that don't mean that what you love leaves you"

This was a one of a kind experience for me. I am not sure how to categorize my thoughts. I did enjoy reading about Yetunde and her descendants, as well as the devil and how with the help of his brothers, Jesus & Death, worked to gain their fathers favor. This is labeled as historical fiction, but it is more folklore, spiritual fiction. This is a book of lessons within the history of the devils family. We dive into generational trauma and triumph throughout 175 years.

This is the family the devil made. The one he loves. The one he protects. The one he gives his all to in the best way he knows how. This was his testimony and journey to return to his place in his Fathers home.

This book will not be for everyone. If you are into folklore and spirituality in a lesson form you will enjoy this debut novel.

The Devil Three Times" is a captivating read, especially for fans of magical realism. While I'm not great at categorizing books by genre, I believe it fits into magical realism, given the presence of the Devil as a character and elements like flying.

The story begins with the dark themes surrounding the slave trade. A man encounters a slave woman and desires her for a specific purpose, and from there, the narrative unfolds, revealing the interconnected relationships among the characters, depicted like a family tree. The Devil, rooted in Christianity, is one of the characters, and his portrayal is both creative and unique, as he has connections with various characters throughout the story.

The narrative revolves around a group of people linked to each other through their history that traces back to Africa and the transatlantic slave trade. The characters are fascinating, the writing is excellent, and the blend of plot and genre elements is imaginative, which keeps you engaged and turning the pages.

The only drawback I found was that the book felt a bit too long and could have been more concise. However, I highly recommend picking this one up; you certainly won't regret it!

Overall it is a technically good book with a dash of magical realism and rootwork, which is why I rated it 4Stars but not a book that I would gravitate to (personally). All opinions are my own.
Please refer to my link for a more in depth review

A dispossessed Devil strikes a deal with Jesus to free Africa from slavery in return for reentry into Heaven. Thus begins this ambitious debut from Rickey Fayne, which follows eight generations of a Black American family in West Tennessee. The central family line begins with Ytunde, an African woman sold into slavery and purchased by Jean Laurent, a scholar of the occult, with whom she has two children. Following the lives of these children, and their children, and so on through the generations, Fayne constructs compelling stories for each of his narrators, weaving their lives together in a grand tapestry of blood, faith, and obligation.

Ytunde’s descendants grapple with spiritual visions and their own vices. In between attempts to incite revolution and bring Jesus’s promise to fruition, the Devil stops in on the family to offer bargains. The depths of these deals, as well as Ytunde’s own relationship to the Devil, alluded me, but the stories of each descendant provided plenty of material to keep me engaged in the story. A family tree is helpfully included at the beginning of the book, and I found myself referencing it often to reorient myself in the web of familial ties. Despite this guide, the sheer number of characters made it difficult to keep track of their connections to one another (especially the three consecutive generations of half-brothers with complicated relationships). Despite this confusion, this book succeeds as a sweeping, multigenerational narrative that uses the history of one family to interrogate the history of this country and humanity as a whole. Fayne introduces himself as a literary talent to watch.

Thank you to Rickey Fayne and NetGalley for the free eARC in exchange for my review!

I just finished reading The Devil Three Times by Rickey Fayne, and I have to say, this book left quite an impression on me. The story spans eight generations of a Black family in West Tennessee, blending history, spirituality, and the supernatural in a way that feels both ambitious and deeply personal. I was especially drawn to the character of Yetunde and her incredible journey, as well as the Devil’s unexpected role throughout the lives of her descendants. The author does an exceptional job weaving together themes of resilience, sacrifice, and generational trauma, creating a narrative that’s as thought-provoking as it is emotional.

What really stood out to me was the depth of the characters and the way their struggles felt so real, even when supernatural elements were involved. The Devil’s point of view added an intriguing layer to the story, offering a blend of theological reflection and humanity that I didn’t expect. That said, the novel’s scope occasionally felt overwhelming, and I sometimes wished for more focus on individual stories. A few transitions between generations were a bit abrupt, which slightly disrupted the flow for me.

Still, this is a beautifully written debut that tackles big ideas while staying grounded in the personal struggles of its characters. It’s not an easy or light read, but it’s one that will stay with me for a long time. I’d give The Devil Three Times a solid 4 stars for its bold storytelling and emotional resonance, despite some pacing hiccups. If you’re a fan of historical fiction with a touch of the supernatural, this is definitely a book worth exploring.

What a debut! Reminisce of home-going! Using Christianity and spirituality influences which are practices extremely common among black folks was just genius! Seeing how the decisions of Yetunde and then that of her descendants and their impact of the next generation in relation to who they are and their grappling with their identifies manifest in how the Devil comes to them.. Speaking of the Devil, i think using him as an allegory to the black struggle made so much sense! I mean for the longest time and hell even today black people continue to be cast aside and using the Devil and the spin of this origins in this novel to drive that point made sense to me! Overall, i highly recommend this book and look forward to any works by this author! Thank you Netgalley for this e-arc!

The Devil Three Time is a beautifully written historical fiction novel. It's unique premise, that the Devil has come along three times among the time period to wreak havoc and also right some wrongs, is a thought provoking way to integrate the history of the "Laurent" family. The tale of the family from the 1800s in west Africa, aboard slave ships and plantations, all the way to the 1980s was engaging, yet I had some trouble following the names, as there are a lot of characters and many have similar sounding names. Also, the Devil "chapters' are a little confusing as to what time period they are in. This is definitely a character driven plot, for people who like a long, epic tales of family and all the drama that comes along with their lineage.

The Devil Three Times is ambitious and bold. The sheer number of characters and their tangled relationships had me referring back to the family tree more than once, but somehow it didn’t even matter. The story is so immersive and the atmosphere so rich that you just get swept up in it. Even when I wasn’t entirely sure who was connected to whom, the emotional weight and momentum kept me entirely engaged. Definitely one of those books that demands your attention—but it’s worth it.

An incredible debut that weaves generations of family and American history into a dance with the devil. Funny, scary, touching, tragic--it's everything! Highly recommend.

The Devil Three Times is a multi-generation family drama that follows Yetunde and her descendants until the present day. As the book begins, Yetunde awakens on a slave ship. In this truly hellacious situation, she turns to the Devil for help.

Unfortunately, Yetunde makes a bargain with the Devil that will persist for nearly two hundred years as he will continue visiting her family in their darkest times. I loved the religious subtext and how the author built the perspective of the Devil. I was raised in a Methodist home and no longer identify as religious, so I think this layer of the novel can appeal to many who have the experience to relate. It is not written from a place of religion being right or wrong, so I hope many readers can enjoy this aspect.

I wanted this to be a fantastic read, as it includes so many things I love. However, I felt that this book had pacing issues and it was hard to connect to some of the characters as the perspective shifted from generation to generation. The chapters are very long, which is also not my preference. Overall, I'm glad I read it and I look forward to Fayne's future work.

3.5/5 the flipped script from the Devil’s perspective was interesting and the characters were well developed and complex, but the timeline and family structure was difficult for me to track over the course of 8 generations without having to go back and consult the family tree..

This was a unique story. There is a large cast of wonderful characters and a vast array of stories. I was hooked from the start. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

I would give this 3-1/2 stars if I could. There are things about this book that I loved -- it's a sweeping multigenerational saga that traces the lineage from the surviving twin and her journey from Africa all the way through her current day descendants. Every time I read a book like this, I am grateful when the author includes a family tree at the front or back, but so hard to navigate on a Kindle. There are a lot of characters here and it was hard to keep track of who was who, but the thread that runs through the story is a kind of magical realism about this first character and a power that she and descendants have that seems to be given to them by the "Devil" in the title who visits each of them at some point. In addition to so many characters, this book has a LOT going on--and really would have benefitted from a stronger hand in editing IMHO. So many themes—slavery and the horrible physical and psychological violence, biracial and sexual identity, poverty, drug and alcohol addiction, domestic abuse, and so much more. I DID enjoy the book and would recommend it, but it will take focus and attention for a reader to really dig in and appreciate this book. My habit of reading a bit or a chapter at a time may not have done it justice.

A gripping multigenerational tale that follows the Devil and one family from heaven to Africa to US shores and into the future. This is a deeply emotional story that explores the complexities of love, life, death, and freedom. I was hooked from the beginning. While reading this it felt like time paused and held its breath, this story will linger with you for a long time.