A fun, quirky little book! I think this would make a good white elephant style gift for a party.

The ebook edition I received had some definite formatting issues which will hopefully be fixed in the final ebook release.

Sadly, the title will turn many people off. This is not a book about Devil worship or hexes or any other darkness people will conjure. Instead, this is a book of modern sonnets that spans modern human life. Subjects do include sex, social media, and masturbation. But it also includes bubble baths, gas, and procrastination. These are fun and it's easy to find sonnets you can connect to. Despite some of the subject matter it isn't pornographic but euphemisms that you would hear on tv and in movies. This isn't a set of evil sonnets, but stories about the current human experience.

The text in the kindle version made this difficult to read.
Some of the sonnets were good, Some I just didn't understand.
I received a copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This is a great collection of Sonnets which really say it as it is with excellent use of poetic devices throughout this book. This book has a range of sonnets from some light and playful ones to some rather intense and dark sonnets, so there is something for everyone in this collection of Sonnets. I would definitely recommend this book if you want to read adult topics, some of which can be quite heavy, from erotic to taboo. I rate this book 3 stars as it is a good book which I couldn't put down because it was so entertaining. I would like to thank both NetGalley and the author for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book in return for an honest book review.

The premise drew me in instantly — who doesn’t want a lewd, literarily sacrilegious book? I wanted drama, I wanted obscenity. To my dismay, I found these to be infinitely tamer than Catullus.

What I deeply respect is the author’s honesty: in the introduction, Pinto states these are not meant to be literature; just a fun read. As such, I read the book through this lens, and did not look for a poetic mastery. That said, there were a few times when I felt the poems could have been easily improved with a tad more thought. I found myself rather often noting that the poems did not reach their full satirical potential. It’s as if Pinto pulled back, not daring to go as far as the premise of the book demands.

I noticed this in different aspects as well. There were quite a few poems with an overwhelmingly positive message/outlook (as in the 11th-12th-13th-14th-16th-17th-19th-20th-to a degree 33rd-36th-39th-49th sonnets), which I felt do not belong in a collection titled “The Devil’s [sic ?] Book of Sonnets”. I expected the contents to be truly terrible; instead I found them to generally lack the bite I wanted. It feels like Pinto occasionally got lost about the direction of the book.

As opposed to these, some sonnets did in fact hit the mark: the 1st, 4th, 5th, 7th, 21st, 23rd, 24th, 26th, 28th, 30th, 32nd, 35th, and the 37th ones really felt like they belong. Out of all these, the 28th sonnet, about premature ejaculation, read almost authentically like a Catullus poem! And that’s exactly what I wanted from this collection. I’d have liked all the poems to go bigger, grander, more dramatic, more salacious! I’d have wanted Catullus to be offended! (And on the subject of drama, the exaggerated lamentation of the 37th sonnet about a bad hair day couldn’t help but strike me as something Oscar Wilde might have felt and said in his day. This of course made me like the sonnet more, as someone who tends to have a deeper affinity for things I could attach some hint of a relevance to Wilde.)

Where some of the poems lacked the humour, the accompanying paintings saved the day. This was at its peak when a poem about clingy partners was followed by images of Judas kissing the Christ (which was how he signified which among the men was Jesus) — that was a wild take, and exactly the sort of blasphemy I’d expect from a “Devil’s Book”!

On missed opportunities I could give a few examples, but I’d like to focus on the 2nd sonnet titled “The Curse of Social Media”. I don’t feel too bad calling it ‘blah’. It says nothing new, in any new way. It is, as such, rather boring. I’ll circle back to my remark about wanting these poems to go grander and more overdramatic, because I can’t help but wish this were penned as a comical Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner. I know Pinto was very straightforward about this book not being a literary endeavour, but I’d have liked that to be done in a way that parodies the great literary works. This would have been an excellent opportunity!

To focus more on what was written, than what could have been written, as I progressed through the book I noticed that the vocabulary Pinto employed was quite restricted and as such, repetitive. The same words circulated, sometimes repetition was resorted to instead of a rhyme, or even within the exact same line. Again, I know Pinto never intended these to be good literary works, but that shouldn’t mean low effort either.

To briefly touch back on the paintings that accompany each sonnet, one more good thing that comes out of them is the visuality they help create: each page is colourful, the hue taken directly from its accompanying painting. This visual cohesion is very pleasing to the eye!

Rounding up this review, I wanted to note a few things for the author and/or the publisher’s concern. These didn’t affect my rating, but they should nonetheless be corrected: there are some formatting issues throughout the book, and some grammatical errors that take away from the at least visual value of the sonnets.

[DRC provided by NetGalley]

A provocative collection that delves into the complexities of human desire. From the erotic to the taboo, each sonnet captures a moment in time, a snapshot of the human experience that is both beautiful and raw. This collection is an unapologetic exploration of the human psyche, offering a glimpse into the depths of human desire and the complexities of the human experience. With its diverse range of topics and thought-provoking storytelling, "The Devils Book of Sonnets" is a must-read for anyone interested in exploring the depths of human desire.

The description said, “This collection is not for the faint of heart.” And, “a collection that is sure to leave a lasting impression.” What a hype!
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Truthfully, I didn’t really go in thinking anything was going to leave a lasting impression. And I was right. Here you have underwhelming poems about flatulence, unexpected boners, one night stands - more like a coffee table book you might find at a frat house. I did appreciate that each sonnet was paired with a classical painting. I found the paintings and the paired subject matter more amusing. Anyway. I think I would have been fine if it weren’t for the exciting description.

A bold and thought-provoking collection that explores the complexities of human desire. D. J. Pinto's satirical sonnets are both beautiful and raw, capturing the highs and lows of human exploration. Each sonnet is a unique journey that invites the reader to explore the depths of their own desires and fantasies. This collection is not for the faint of heart, but for those who are willing to embrace the complexities of the human experience. "The Devils Book of Sonnets" is a must-read for anyone interested in exploring the depths of human desire and the human psyche.

This was FANTASTIC. Not for the faint hearted but hilarious and clever. One error, though, the adult toys one had the ex lovers one again, at least in mine

I was offered this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was really excited to read this collection based on the title and description. I was even more excited when I opened the book and saw all the beautiful iconic paintings alongside each poem. This is a very visually pleasing book!

The introduction gives the reader the impression they’re about to embark on a somewhat salacious reading experience, in a good way. The sonnets are described as “unapologetic,” “raw,” “erotic,” “unflinching,” “not for the faint of heart.” I was pumped! I adore poetry that dares to be bold and sexy. And in sonnet form?! Yes, please.

Unfortunately, my biggest issue with this book ended up being the introduction; I felt it made promises that the poems didn’t necessarily deliver on. When I think of erotic, thought-provoking poetry, I think of Sharon Olds “Odes” or Kim Addonizio poems. The sonnets in this book were “fun” but by no means complex or intense. Most were crafted with abstract nouns and weak turns. The titles were fabulous, but the writing…I guess based on the introduction, I was expected more of a “literary” experience. This felt like a light-hearted tabletop book, or something one might gift someone who is relatively new to poetry. Nothing wrong with that! Just something to consider before purchasing.