The Devils by Joe Abercrombie Summary, Characters and Themes
The Devils by Joe Abercrombie is a dark and twisted fantasy novel that combines elements of political intrigue, religious fervor, and chaotic power struggles. Set in a world rife with corruption and supernatural threats, the story explores themes of faith, identity, and survival through the lives of its complex characters.
From the pious Brother Diaz, caught in the madness of a Holy City, to the unexpected rise of Princess Alexia, the narrative follows individuals caught between their desires, their duties, and the brutal forces around them. In this world, allegiances shift constantly, and moral lines are often blurred, leaving characters to grapple with their own survival and personal growth amidst chaos.
Summary
The story begins with Brother Diaz, a monk who is late for an important meeting with the Pope. He finds himself stuck in the bustling streets of the Holy City on Saint Aelfric’s Day, surrounded by a chaotic mix of pilgrims, prostitutes, and a crowd drawn by the display of Saint Aelfric’s relics, believed to cure ailments like gout.
As he struggles to remain pious amidst the temptation and distractions of the squalor around him, Diaz becomes frustrated, especially with his inability to get through the crowd. His patience is tested, and he prays to Saint Beatrix for help, but the situation only worsens as his carriage is stuck in the throng of people.
After several frustrating delays, Diaz finally reaches the Celestial Palace, where he expects to meet the Pope. However, he is informed that he will be meeting Cardinal Zizka instead.
Zizka, a powerful and feared figure in the Church, reveals the precarious position of the Church, which faces internal corruption and external threats from demons, witches, and elves. The cardinal discusses the apocalyptic threat posed by these forces and stresses the Church’s responsibility to face them, even if it requires using unholy methods to do so.
Meanwhile, a woman named Alex, who has lived a life as a commoner, is swept up in events that challenge her sense of identity. She is unexpectedly recognized by Duke Michael as the long-lost Princess Alexia Pyrogennetos, the true heir to the throne of Troy.
This revelation shatters her previous understanding of herself and pulls her into a political struggle that could determine the future of the fallen Empire of the East. Despite her doubts and confusion about her newfound royal identity, Alex is thrust into a battle against her malevolent cousins, who are also vying for control of the throne.
As Alex tries to navigate this new world of political maneuvering, magic, and betrayal, she becomes entangled in a larger conflict involving the Church and its dealings with dark forces. She discovers that her royal bloodline makes her a key player in the empire’s restoration, but her journey is fraught with danger.
Her quest for power and survival becomes a fight not only against external enemies, including sorcerers, elves, and her cunning cousins, but also against her own inner struggles and doubts.
The plot thickens as Diaz’s internal conflict mirrors the growing chaos around him. He begins to see that the political and religious machinations of the Church are no different from the moral compromises he is making in his own life.
Meanwhile, Alex’s rise to power is marked by deceit, uncertainty, and a constant struggle between the roles others want her to play and her own desires for freedom and self-determination.
The story progresses with several characters, including Balthazar Sham Ivam Draxi, a disgraced necromancer, who finds himself captured and forced into servitude by the Church. He is assigned to the Chapel of the Holy Expediency, a motley group consisting of a vampire, an elf, an ineffectual priest, and the young Pope, Benedicta the First.
The Pope, while supposed to be a powerful figure, is shown as childish and ineffectual, adding to Balthazar’s frustration. His group is sent on a mission, though the absurdity of the situation, considering Balthazar’s own power, makes him feel humiliated.
As the narrative unfolds, Balthazar’s resentment grows, but so does the scale of the mission. They are tasked with a significant political and religious undertaking, one that seems ridiculous at first but soon grows into something far more dangerous.
Princess Alexia’s journey as the supposed Empress of the East becomes increasingly perilous, with her royal bloodline drawing dangerous enemies, including her cousins and a variety of magical and monstrous forces. The narrative takes several dark turns, as each character faces their own battles with identity, power, and morality.
The situation intensifies when the group encounters a variety of strange and terrifying creatures, including hybrid beasts and monstrous werewolves. The Vigga-Wolf, a hunger-driven creature, becomes central to the chaos, attacking the group and others who stand in its path.
Despite the violence and terror surrounding them, the group continues to push forward, though it becomes clear that their survival is uncertain. In the midst of the madness, Balthazar attempts to break free from his magical binding, but the attempt backfires, leaving him in a painful and humiliating state.
As Alex tries to escape her pursuers, including Duke Marcian, the son of the Empress Eudoxia, she faces the brutal reality of her situation. Her identity as the Empress is questioned, and she must learn to navigate a world filled with betrayal and uncertainty.
Despite the turmoil, Alex finds moments of connection with her elf companion Sunny, and together they fight back against their relentless enemies.
The conflict escalates when they encounter a vicious group of soldiers and criminals. Despite their exhaustion and injuries, Alex and Sunny continue to push forward, trying to survive the violent and brutal world around them.
Their bond strengthens, and Alex begins to embrace her new role, realizing that survival may require sacrificing more than just her ideals.
In the final act of the story, the lines between good and evil blur even further as characters are forced to confront their choices. The story ends on a note of ambiguity, leaving the characters’ fates uncertain.
Themes of power, identity, survival, and the consequences of one’s actions run throughout the narrative, culminating in a chaotic and unpredictable conclusion. As the characters struggle with their inner demons and external threats, they come to realize that survival often demands compromises, and the true cost of power can be devastating.
Characters
Brother Diaz
Brother Diaz is a devout monk whose internal struggle serves as a powerful commentary on the tension between piety and the worldly temptations that surround him. His journey through the chaotic Holy City on Saint Aelfric’s Day represents more than just physical travel; it symbolizes his battle to remain faithful amidst overwhelming distractions.
Diaz’s frustration is palpable as he navigates through a sea of prostitutes, squalor, and disorder, all while desperately trying to maintain his composure and faith. His prayers to Saint Beatrix reflect his reliance on the divine in moments of difficulty, but his growing impatience hints at the cracks in his religious convictions.
Diaz’s eventual meeting with Cardinal Zizka underscores the Church’s deeper troubles, drawing him into a web of corruption and existential threat. Through him, the story explores themes of spiritual crisis, the challenges of faith in a corrupt world, and the clash between personal morality and institutional demands.
Alexia Pyrogennetos
Alexia is a complex character caught between her past as a commoner and her supposed destiny as the Empress of Troy. Initially, she struggles to reconcile her ordinary life with the revelation that she is the rightful heir to the throne of a fallen empire.
This conflict defines her character as she is thrust into a dangerous world of political and religious intrigue. Throughout her journey, Alexia grapples with identity, survival, and power.
Her resistance to the claims made by Duke Michael, who asserts her royal bloodline, underscores her uncertainty about her future. Despite this, she is drawn into a web of manipulation, betrayal, and magic, where she must navigate treacherous relationships, including those with her malevolent cousins.
The pressure of her royal identity forces Alexia to grow quickly, balancing personal desires with the demands of those around her. Her transformation into a political player reflects a broader theme of self-discovery and the harsh realities of power.
Balthazar Sham Ivam Draxi
Balthazar, a disgraced necromancer, embodies the theme of ego versus humility. Once one of the most powerful necromancers in Europe, his fall from grace is both a source of personal pain and a humorous element in his narrative.
Captured and bound by the Church, Balthazar is forced into an absurd situation, becoming part of a group of misfits tasked with an important yet seemingly ludicrous mission. His disdain for the people around him, especially the young Pope Benedicta, is palpable.
Despite his reluctance and desire for revenge, Balthazar’s situation forces him to reflect on his own ambitions, the limitations of his power, and the nature of control. His internal struggle is marked by moments of dark humor, but it also serves as a critique of those who place too much value on status and mastery over others.
Throughout the story, Balthazar’s journey is one of rediscovery, where he must decide whether to reclaim his former power or accept a new, humbler role in a chaotic world.
Sunny
Sunny is Alexia’s elf companion and plays a crucial role in her survival and emotional journey. Although physically injured and burdened by her own past, Sunny remains a fierce and loyal protector.
Her resourcefulness and cunning make her a valuable ally, especially in moments of extreme danger. Despite her hardened exterior, Sunny reveals a more vulnerable side as she forms a deep bond with Alexia, showcasing moments of tenderness that provide respite from the relentless chaos around them.
Her loyalty to Alexia is unwavering, and this connection adds an emotional layer to the narrative, highlighting themes of trust, survival, and the complexities of relationships in a brutal world. Sunny’s journey is not just one of physical survival but also of emotional healing, as she learns to let down her guard and open herself to the possibility of connection.
Vigga
Vigga is a werewolf whose monstrous nature is central to her character arc. She is driven by primal urges and violence, yet there is a vulnerability beneath her ferocious exterior.
Her struggle is both external and internal, as she faces the beast within herself and the brutal world that demands she be nothing more than a savage killer. Her battle with a grotesque patchwork creature symbolizes her internal turmoil, as both her body and mind are at war with her violent instincts.
Despite her monstrous qualities, Vigga is not entirely devoid of humanity, and her interactions with others reveal a more complex character than the simple beast she may initially appear to be. Her arc is one of survival and self-acceptance, as she grapples with her identity and the consequences of her actions.
Vigga represents the duality of human nature—torn between the civilized and the wild, struggling to maintain her humanity amidst overwhelming brutality.
Jakob
Jakob is a seasoned soldier, weathered by countless battles, yet he is still haunted by his past and the constant threat of mortality. His duel with Duke Michael serves as a microcosm of war itself—where victory is often determined by preparation, mental fortitude, and a deep understanding of the battlefield.
Jakob is keenly aware of his limitations, yet he pushes forward with determination, even when faced with severe injuries. His fight is not just against the enemy but against time, as he confronts his own aging body and fading strength.
Jakob’s character is a reflection of the harsh realities of war, where even the most experienced warriors cannot escape the inevitability of decline. His journey highlights the themes of sacrifice, honor, and the unrelenting passage of time, as he navigates the battlefield both physically and emotionally.
Duke Michael
Duke Michael is a central political figure whose actions shape much of the power dynamics in the story. His duel with Jakob reveals his tactical prowess and ruthlessness, as he is able to land a decisive blow through experience and careful anticipation of his opponent’s moves.
Michael’s character is defined by his strategic thinking, which extends beyond the battlefield into the political realm. He is a figure of authority who understands the importance of mental preparation and manipulation, often using his position to control and influence those around him.
However, his actions are not without consequence, and his role in the larger conflict becomes a symbol of the corrupting influence of power. Michael’s ambition and cunning make him a formidable force, but they also reveal the darker side of leadership, where every decision can lead to unintended chaos.
Cardinal Zizka
Cardinal Zizka is an enigmatic figure whose authority within the Church is both respected and feared. His role in the narrative is crucial, as he represents the morally ambiguous decisions the Church must make in the face of external threats.
Zizka is pragmatic, willing to resort to unholy methods if it means protecting the Church from destruction. His calculated approach to power and survival mirrors the larger conflict in the story, where the lines between good and evil are blurred.
Zizka’s interactions with Brother Diaz reveal the complexities of faith and authority, as he demands loyalty and action from those around him while navigating the internal corruption of the Church. His character is a reflection of the harsh realities of leadership, where moral compromises are often necessary to maintain control and power.
Themes
Religious and Political Corruption
The Devils presents a world steeped in religious and political intrigue, where institutions like the Church are shown to be rife with corruption and hypocrisy. The figure of Brother Diaz exemplifies the internal struggle of individuals within the religious structure.
Despite his desire for piety, his frustration with the squalor of the Holy City and his own inability to escape the overwhelming temptations around him highlight the tension between faith and human desires. The depiction of the Church, especially through figures like Cardinal Zizka, reflects how even religious institutions, meant to be symbols of purity, are deeply entangled in power struggles, moral compromise, and unholy alliances.
Diaz’s journey, from his frustration in the city to his eventual encounter with Zizka, reveals the darker undercurrents of the Church’s operations. The discussion of using unholy means to fight against demonic forces reinforces the idea that the boundaries between good and evil, as defined by the Church, are often fluid, and survival in such a world often requires actions that contradict the very ideals these institutions claim to uphold.
At the same time, the character of Duke Michael, with his ambitious drive to restore the fallen Empire, underscores the manipulative nature of political power. The alliance between the religious and the political in the story portrays how both spheres often work in tandem, each exploiting the other for personal gain.
The intertwining of these forces creates a backdrop where both the religious and political figures act as puppets and puppeteers, making their way through a morally gray world where the notion of right and wrong becomes increasingly difficult to discern.
Identity and Self-Discovery
Throughout the narrative, characters grapple with their identities, whether it is Brother Diaz’s internal conflict between his monkish ideals and the reality of the world around him, or Alex’s journey from a commoner to the recognized Princess Alexia Pyrogennetos. For Alex, her sudden rise to power forces her to confront not only her royal bloodline but also the conflicting roles she must play in a world full of political maneuvering, treachery, and bloodlines that were once foreign to her.
Her struggle is not only external, as she faces enemies and tries to navigate the political landscape, but also internal, as she attempts to reconcile who she has become with who she thought she was. Her identity is constantly in flux, shaped by the people around her and the events that unfold, forcing her to make choices that challenge her very sense of self.
This theme of identity is also explored through the lens of the monstrous. Characters like the Vigga-Wolf, who teeter between human and beastly natures, embody this struggle, where identity is not just a matter of lineage or social standing but is shaped by both internal and external forces.
The brutal nature of Vigga’s character reveals how the violence and savagery that reside within her are just as much a part of her identity as any noble title or human trait. The tension between these conflicting identities creates a rich, complex portrayal of what it means to truly know oneself in a world that is constantly shifting and challenging one’s sense of place.
Power and Betrayal
The theme of power is pervasive throughout The Devils, and it is portrayed as something both seductive and corrupting. Characters constantly make choices that blur the line between good and evil, as they realize that power often comes at the cost of moral compromise.
This is evident in the political intrigue surrounding Alex’s rise to power. Her transformation from a commoner to a princess is not just a personal journey but one fraught with the challenges of navigating the dangerous waters of court politics, where betrayal is a constant threat.
Alex’s internal struggle to determine whether her newfound power is a blessing or a curse is central to the narrative, as she is confronted by the brutal realities of the world she now inhabits.
The theme of betrayal is intricately woven into the relationships of the characters. The Devils explores how individuals, regardless of their status or ideals, are often forced to make choices that betray their own morals for the sake of survival.
The connections between characters, like Alex’s bond with Sunny and her reliance on others to help her navigate the violent world around her, are fraught with trust issues and manipulation. The characters are constantly faced with the realization that power, whether in the form of political influence or magical ability, is often built on a foundation of deceit and treachery.
This cycle of betrayal creates a grim reality where even the most seemingly trustworthy figures are capable of turning on one another when it serves their interests.
Survival and Sacrifice
The narrative is deeply concerned with survival, and the harshness of the world depicted in The Devils forces characters to make difficult decisions that challenge their sense of morality and humanity. Survival is often framed not just as a physical struggle but as an emotional and psychological one, where characters must confront their inner demons and make sacrifices to continue.
This is especially evident in Alex’s journey, as she grapples with her identity and the consequences of her actions. The constant threats to her life force her to rely on others, but it is her ability to make ruthless decisions and sacrifice parts of herself that allow her to survive.
Similarly, Balthazar’s journey also revolves around survival, but his struggle is different in that he is forced to deal with the repercussions of his actions as a necromancer and the consequences of seeking power. His predicament reflects a more philosophical form of survival—one where the character must reconcile his ambitions with the reality of being bound and controlled.
In both cases, the survival of the characters comes at a great personal cost, and they must learn that true survival often requires the surrender of certain ideals or desires in exchange for the harsh realities of the world around them. The theme of sacrifice is therefore inextricably tied to survival, with the characters forced to question what they are willing to give up in order to live another day.