I would really like to write a review that discussed some of the more interesting aspects of the narrative, how they complement and sustain the underlying themes, but that would mean assuming that readers of the review had already read the book and would end up giving away part of the plot, so I'll restrain myself. This isn't the right venue for that sort of reviewing. However, The Demon's Lexicon is a story that can sustain all sorts of interesting discussion: teachers, take note!
The Demon's Lexicon takes place in contemporary England, our own world with an underlayer of magic that few know anything about. Brothers Alan and Nick Ryves, with their insane mother Olivia, are deeply involved in that underworld. For almost as long as Nick can remember, they have been hunted by magicians attempting to reclaim something stolen from them by Olivia. Magicians, in this reality, gain most of their power by controlling demons, who hunger for the life and warmth of this world. This demands the sacrifice of human lives. Years before, their father died and Alan was crippled escaping a magician's trap. Both have become consummate warriors, highly knowledgeable in the ways of magicians and demons while never stepping over into magician's evil themselves. While Nick's life is focused on his brother (a focus that intensifies almost to obsession as the story progresses), Alan tries not only to look after his younger brother and Olivia, but to help Mae and Jamie, siblings who come to the brothers for help after Jamie is seduced and marked by a demon. Three demon's marks means demonic possession and rapid death; Jamie has two. Alan's actions put his own life at risk, to Nick's fury. The foursome end up going from hunted to hunters, attempting to kill members of the magicians' circle controlling the demon in order to save Alan and Jamie. Nick discovers lie upon lie in his family's past, though, and realizes that even Alan is lying to him about a number of crucial things.
Brennan's closely-focused third-person narrative tells the story from Nick's perspective, which helps to tie the reader's sympathy to someone who, viewed from outside, could be very unsympathetic in his arrogance and coldness to anyone other than his brother. As the younger sibling and the person who knows least about the past, too, Nick's is the ideal point of view for intensifying the mystery. His ongoing struggle to restrain his worst impulses and live up to his brother's expectations is where his real heroism emerges, not in his skill with sword and knife. The true hero, though, is Alan, a scholar and fighter who has given up much to look after this troubled family. He often appears to allow himself to be overshadowed by Nick, who is menacing, sexy, volatile and definitely the one you'd notice first -- a mistake more than one villain makes. Alan's integrity, loyalty, and ongoing sacrifice of his own desires for others is the force that ultimately shapes the story.
Brennan's action scenes are thrilling. The sometimes violent and bitter quarrels and the deep affection between the brothers all contribute to the satisfying depth of the story. She is also a writer who weaves in a lot of humour, not only in Jamie's defensive wise-cracking and the brothers' banter, but in the juxtaposition of the unexpected and the everyday, the sword stored under the kitchen sink, the difficulty of a corpse in the kitchen when a girl you fancy shows up at the door. The Demon's Lexicon is well worth reading, hard to put down once begun; I'm looking forward eagerly to Brennan's next book.

The book opens to two brothers being attacked by demons. The average person would be frightened or maybe, shocked, but for Nick and Alan, this is a regular occurrence. Their mother stole a charm from a magician that keeps her alive. It also keeps the three of them on the run as magicians constantly send demons after them. But, this time is different. This time, they can't run away as usual. Two siblings have turned up on their door, begging for help in erasing a demon's mark (the bearer of which will eventually be possessed by demons). Nick doesn't feel too inclined to help. But, when Alan receives a demon's mark, too, Nick will do anything to get rid of it....

I discovered Sarah Rees Brennan's blog two years ago and it quickly became one of my favourites. Eventually I started reading some of her fanfiction and loved that as well. So, when I finally got my hands on a copy of this book, I was a little bit worried that it wouldn't meet my expectations.

I shouldn't have worried. The Demon's Lexicon is a fantasy novel done right. The characters are frighteningly real (especially Nick who is definitely..frightening), the magic innovative but believable and the story both funny and near the end, touching.*

Sarah Rees Brennan is fantastic at building a believable, fantastical world inside our own world. The demons in the book will do anything to leave the demon world for the human world. But, here's the thing, while in the human world, they have to possess a human to survive. And humans aren't made to hold demons, so they can't stay for very long. Magicians often call up demons to make deals, offering memories filled with emotions in exchange for supernatural help. One way to summon a demon was to dance which I thought was interesting.

For all its fantastical elements, the Demon's Lexicon is also very focused on characters and the unraveling of stereotypes. Nick and Alan, the two brothers, are very different characters. Nick is callous and unfeeling and likes to fight (your typical bad boy) Alan is the weaker, really intelligent one who cares a lot about people (your typical bookish nerd). Except only kind of, because by the end, they manage not to fall into any stereotype. Anyway, most YA books tend to focus on romance, so it was nice to see a book more focused on siblings (although there is still a love triangle..).

. For all the darkness, The Demon's Lexicon never gets too creepy. Just like Sarah's blog, the book is funny. The Demon's Lexicon is darkly witty and I often got the feeling that the author was laughing while writing it. For example:

'"Obviously that wasn't true," said the boy standing at her shoulder, taking a nervous step away and then back to her. "Obviously this is the place to come if you want to get murdered by lunatics. Um-we're sorry to have bothered you! Is there any chance we could just leave?
There was something a whole lot more familiar about his voice, which was light but wavered at crucial points where it was meant to be lightest and airiest. He was standing in the girl's shadow, but the light caught his earring.
Nick recognized that before he recognized the boy's worried face, the spiky blond hair that the darkness had turned into a pale crown.
"Wait," Nick said.
"O-okay. Is there any chance we could get off with a flesh wound?"'


'"You know him?" she asked James.
"Well, yes," said James. "He hangs around with a pretty rough crowd at school, Seb McFarlane and that lot, but they're smoking-behind-the-bike-shed rough. This is different. There were gunshots. My life was going to flash before my eyes, but it decided to hide behind my eyes and quake with terror instead. I think we should just go.
"I'm not going anywhere," the girl said. "I saw that bird turn into a man. You saw it too, Jamie. You must have."
"I don't know what I saw. It could've been a hallucination. You get those from sniffing glue."
"You've never sniffed glue!"
"I've smelled glue," Jamie said after a pause. "In art class."'

After all this, is it really necessary for me to say that I desperately want the sequel? Because I do.


*I can just feel Nick wincing at that word.

The demon's lexicon is a fantasy book created by Sarah Rees Brennan. It puts you into a world where two brothers, Nick and Alan Ryves, try to escape magic. A term used loosely in this story. Nick and Alan are always on the move with their crazy mother who is not much of a parent. Since their father was murdered at a young age they must fend for themselves. But danger is always their shadow, evil magicians are hunting the Ryves family for a charm that keeps the mother alive. But things start falling apart for the brothers when they encounter a brother and sister searching for help. The brother, Jaimie, was marked by a demon which is a sign of death that is almost impossible to erase. Then things get worse when Alan also gets marked by a demon. The only way Nick can save his bother is to kill one of the magicians that they have been hiding from for so long. Soon after their, quest to save one another begins Nick finds that Alan has not been 100% truthful to his brother. Lie after lie Nick uncovers more about his past and more about who he really is. Or rather, what he really is.


The demon's lexicon was surely a page turner for me. Once again Simon pulse has brought out a teenage fantasy that is worth the read. Of course there were moments when the book seemed to drone on but I find that the dark humor that Nick possesses was a great way to laugh. He was honestly my favorite character, the other ones seemed to happy and ignorant to appreciate, I could really relate to him. But not everyone would like this book, it would take a certain type of person, I find. The near-end of the book was a heart pounding a shock, there is a twist that changes you're whole view of the book. But I do think that the end of the book was a bit lacking. I always want to know what happens after all is said and done. A second one should definetley be made! The ketchup has done you good Ms.Brennan! (reference to the dedication)

THREE AND A HALF stars on FIVE.***



***Spoiler '

Figures I would relate most to the demon...-_-'


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Ok it's not a total rip off of paranormal but it's similar.

Two brothers on the run fighting evil to stay alive. One brother(Alan, not sam) is well read and longs for a normal life where they don't have to fight demons or magicians and constantly move from shabby house to shabby house.

The other brother is sullen, handsome, and has anger issues. His name's not Dean it's Nick. Along with his temper he is incredibly co-dependent on his brother. To the point where he sabotages his brothers relationships if they appear to strong.

They meet up with a brother and sister in danger from magicians. The brother, Jamie, has been marked by demons for possession. They only way to save Jamie's life is for Alan to put himself in even graver danger.

Nick of course is incensed but submits to his brother's demands that he save both of them and not just Alan.

The sister, who's name currently escapes me, is pretty much there to be judgemental and a distraction to both brothers.