Demon Chick [Hardcover]

Marilyn Kaye (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 2009

Jessica may not have the warmest relationship with her mother, aspiring presidential candidate Margaret Hunsucker, but it still comes as a shock when she discovers that her mother has sold her to the devil. Will she have to spend eternity in hell with one of Satan’s minions, a demon named Brad? Brad takes pains to explain that they live in one of hell’s better neighborhoods, and he seems like a nice enough guy—but still! And things only get worse when Jessica learns the full extent of her mother’s evil plans. Can she and Brad come up with a plan to save the world?

These and other pressing questions are all answered in Marilyn Kaye’s delightfully satirical Demon Chick.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 9 Up—Jessica Hunsucker has no life. Her father is long dead, and her mother is a distant, radically driven politician who has no time for her. While she is miserable, she is getting along as best she can—until she wakes up in the middle of the night on her 16th birthday to find a demon in her room. Brad has come to collect her, in return for her mother's successful rise to the Presidency of the United States—and perhaps beyond. Before she can blink, they are in Hell, in a tacky suburban ranch house. Oh, and she and Brad are supposed to be mates. He doesn't force the issue, and their lives fall into a sort of dull existence. Nearly bored out of her mind, Jessica follows her mother's campaign, learning of the world dictatorship she craves. The teen needs to find a way to stop the woman before she creates Hell on Earth. The story moves quickly, offering a very different view of Hell than readers have ever imagined. Brad and Jessica are entertaining characters, and readers will cheer them on as they attempt to save the world and work through their rocky relationship.—Melyssa Malinowski, Kenwood High School, Baltimore, MD END

Review

“Kaye’s book is an imaginative and satirical offering.”—Booklist

“There’s a little political commentary, a little Machiavellianism, a little about responsibility and guilt and loyalty, but the weighty issues are handled with a light touch, thanks to Jessica, whose wry observations and dialogue keep the narrative snappy. And though the premise may be out there, Kaye’s version of hell makes total sense (an Agatha Christie mystery with the last section ripped out? Perfect). This is one hell worth visiting.”—Horn Book Review

“The story moves quickly, offering a very different view of Hell than readers have ever imagined. Brad and Jessica are entertaining characters, and readers will cheer them on as they attempt to save the world and work through their rocky relationship.”—School Library Journal

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 14 and up
  
• Hardcover: 215 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); First Edition edition (September 15, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805088806
• ISBN-13: 978-0805088809
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,120,273 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Good premise, bad execution, August 3, 2009

By 

Sean Hoade (Las Vegas, Nevada USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Demon Chick (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

This book has an interesting premise that wasn't executed very well. Jessica's backstory depicts her as such a nonentity that I'm not even sure why it's given. We are told that she has basically spent the past 16 years moving from school to school; she's been cared for by nannies and assistants; she has no friends, no family except the mother who completely ignores her, and spends all her time alone, and yet somehow she's basically a regular, if slightly nerdy, girl, who is suddenly dealing fairly well with being sold to the devil. Learning who Jessica is (or trying to), I just felt like the author was as uninterested in her as Jessica's mother is. All the characters felt flat to me. Jordan is the most interesting, but when his passion for doing good leads him into morally ambiguous territory, the issue is quickly dropped, as the story rushes to an end. I wasn't looking for anything heavy or deeply meaningful from this book, but then why present such a situation where those kinds of questions are raised? Occasionally the dialogue included a clanker like a teen saying: "I'm frightened." When have you ever heard a real teen use that kind of language? And in several spots the writer uses Jessica's lack of experience as a writer (the framing is that Jessica is writing her story) to sneak in a cliche or two, saying, I know this is a cliche, but... It felt like a cheat. Finally, when the story is nearing the end, and Jessica feels compelled to tell all to Jordan, he believes her incredible story almost immediately, and for no good reason that I can see. "Yeah, I've been sold to the devil by my mother." "Oh, really? Okay." The story is a quick read. Jessica and Brad's relationship is often sweet (though soured somewhat by her tryst with Jordan). The author's vision of Hell as the land of mediocrity is amusing, and her poke at the French was funny (seeing as how she lives in Paris). It just felt like this could have been so much more.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very readable, July 22, 2009

By 

Shala Kerrigan (Anchorage) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Demon Chick (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

Jessica is a young lady with liberal leanings, and her mother is a right wing political figure who is poised to become the first female president of the United States. They aren't close, they barely know each other.
Much to Jessica's surprise, she finds out on her 16th birthday that her mother's rise to power was facilitated by a deal with the devil. Her mother traded her first born daughter for power.
Good thing though, she winds up with a very nice demon named Brad in one of Hell's better neighborhoods. While she's there, she finds out her mother's actual plans for the world after she comes to power.
Those plans are the satire in the book. It is just believable a political candidate for president could have plans like this to take over the world and change what the US is and be able to pull it off.
Brad helps her get back to earth to stop her mother, now she just has to figure out how.
The ending of the book was a bit rushed, but that was okay because it had some unexpected twists in it that I enjoyed.
Recommend for mature 14 yo or older. There is some adult language and adult subject manner, but it's nicely handled. I plan to discuss it with my daughter after she reads it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars mediocre, August 24, 2009

By 

J. Evans (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Demon Chick (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

I'm afraid this book is not up to par with the others I've read. I feel the characters are not very strong and for the most part the plot was predictable. The overall outcome of the antogonist was surprising but it took 180 pages to get to that, and then it was the only surprise in the book. I think the author rushed the story and it could have been way better considering the interesting concept.

Plot Summary:
Evil Mother sells daighters soul to the devil so become major political icon. Daughter happens to get a nice demon master, who lets her return to earth to stop said evil mother. If i say any more the story would be ruined. sorry.