The Box of Demons by Daniel Whelan is a work of fiction, combining both real life situations with fantasy elements. In this book, we are introduced to our protagonist, Ben Robinson, an awkward and nerdy young boy who has grown up under unique circumstances, the most prominent of which is his companions. He lives his daily life with three demons: Orff, Kartofel, and Djinn whom he wishes to get rid of. We follow Ben on his quest to send his demons back to hell but not before making crucial decisions, daring adventures, and vicious betrayals.
Ben lives with his grandparents in North Wales, a place referred to many times as no more than a blip on a map. His mother is help in an asylum claiming to have made contact with angels however without question the most prominent problem in Ben’s life is his demons. These three loveable characters have retrained Ben in all aspects of his life and he wishes only to be “normal.” Ben receives this chance when he is approached by a Seraph who offers to rid him of his unholy companions.
This book was filled to the brim with creative and descriptive language and in this way, Whelan has made this book a complete success. Ben and his three demon companions are very interesting to read about; their unique personalities make each character appeal to different people. Orff is elderly and sick, Kartofle is dangerous and sarcastic, while Djinn is often scared and confused. These three paired together creates a very interesting dynamic between different characters in the book which is actually rather entertaining in itself.
The plot, without going into too much detail, is largely based on the battle between good and evil, and the wants and needs of both sides. This is very interesting in several different ways, one of which is the idea that the protagonists are demons and some angels are antagonised through the book. I wouldn’t recommend this book to any extremely religious reader!
The book seemed to shift genre about three times. It began as a very realistic story with a fantasy twist, before quickly developing into a high fantasy story with changes in setting and characters. The last genre it took on at the very end was science fiction, which was shocking and quite silly too.
Overall this is a book full of interesting and funny characters that you’ll enjoy reading about, but if you are a serious reader who doesn’t enjoy reading books of somewhat ridiculous natures this book might not be for you.
- Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop
