Our Frail Disordered Lives

Mary M. Schmidt

“Have there been any attempts to exorcise you?” Scotch asked.

“So far, one, and it was pathetic.” Roach would not admit to how badly it burned.

Our Frail Disordered Lives was a strange read, I liked it. If you are looking for a story that is humorous with a dash of horror read Our Frail Disordered Lives.

Roach is a demon working for the devil. He is an old lesser demon who has serious job satisfaction issues, like hating his boss. On top of that, Roach is salty he wasn’t featured in Dante’s Divine Comedy. 99% of his frustrations can be traced back to the devil himself.

The story picks up as Roach is called into Satan’s office to discuss a recent soul contract Roach has made. Roach thought his deal for a human soul, Larry K, was good enough but it was not to Satan’s standards. The meeting was the final straw, Roach is pushed over the edge and retreats to the upper world (our world). He becomes a rogue demon with the aid of his best friend Scorch.

Roach is the underdog you are cheering for. He wants to prove to Satan his deal with Larry was worth it and that he is an awesome demon. With the help of Scorch Roach is able to make a mini mess in the upper world and possess a woman named Dorthy. You giggle as the demons work to pull off Roach’s plan.

There was good things and meh things about Our Frail Disordered Lives. I enjoyed the concept of the story- a demon’s point of view of a possession. I liked Roach’s personality and character but didn’t like his name. The law/rules that the demons followed were interesting and in tune with “everyone” knows about evil.

The multiple points of views were the downfall of this book for me. I strongly dislike stories written in this style, which is no secret if you frequent Lit Lemon. It works really well for some stories, but sadly this was not one of them. You bounce around from person to person, so much so it became hard to follow. I would have liked the book so much more if the focus had been on only Roach’s perspective. This the only issue I had with the story because you are following a handful of characters as the possession is underway you don’t get a chance to really bond with one.

Overall, Our Frail Disordered Lives is a not an ordinary story. It is funny, witty, and relatable. You grow to enjoy Roach and his demon deeds. Our Frail Disordered Lives has light humor, horror, gore, and makes for a quick read. At times I thought I was reading a comedic retelling of The Exorcist, Our Frail Disordered Lives would make for a fun follow-up read if you are reading The Exorcist.

I would definitely recommend this book during Halloween for a fun horror read, but not as an everyday read. I hope you pencil in Our Frail Disordered Lives on your spooky reading list for next year–until then you can wait.

 

 

Do you plan to add this read to your reading list? Have you read Our Frail Disordered Lives? Are you reading horrorish books read round or only during October?