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It’s the year 2018, and with human society seriously disrupted by the economic upheavals of the previous decade, Lucifer has increased the number of demons in all major cities. Atlanta is no exception. Fortunately, humans are protected by Demon Trappers, who work to keep homes and streets safe from the things that go bump in the night. Seventeen-year-old Riley, only daughter of legendary Demon Trapper Paul Blackthorne, has always dreamed of following in her father’s footsteps. When she’s not keeping up with her homework or trying to manage her growing attraction to fellow Trapper apprentice, Simon, Riley’s out saving citizens from Grade One Hellspawn. Business as usual, really, for a demon-trapping teen. When a Grade Five Geo-Fiend crashes Riley’s routine assignment at a library, jeopardizing her life and her chosen livelihood, she realizes that she’s caught in the middle of a battle between Heaven and Hell.

I love the idea of this book. The dystopian world was well built and captivating, the main plot was interesting, the ending was unexpected and beautiful. But I’m not sure if all the parts of this idea were well executed.

One thing especially irked me. In a world where gas prices are insanely high and Riley has serious trouble paying her rent, how can she own a car?

How Riley treated fellow trapper Beck also drove me insane! I understand her prejudices against him, but I wish that at some point she’d just get over it already and stop assuming the worst of him, especially after all of his help.

And then there’s all the love interests. In The Demon Trapper’s Daughter, there is not only a love triangle, as in so many other YA books, but the potential for a love square. I mean, how many guys can like one girl? Unrealistic!

But enough with all the negative.

I’ve always adored the classic Girl VS. Boy battle, and The Demon Trapper’s Daughter has an interesting take on it. While becoming a demon trapper in a Guild that is traditionally male, Riley’s life is not easy. Every mistake she makes is blamed on her sex, and the stakes are high, what with her father being the most famous trapper in the Atlanta Guild. And when more powerful demons start attacking Riley, she makes a lot of mistakes.

I also thoroughly enjoyed the demonology. It added a fun twist to the world building and didn’t bore me like the usual info-dumping. I loved how the demon’s are sorted into classes, grade 1 demons being the relatively wicked, sort of cute, lesser demons, and the grade 5 ones being the all-powerful, murderous, very dangerous hell-spawn.

Riley. Though I hate her name and at times groaned at her complaining and screamed at her stupidity, she proved to be a strong, kick-crack heroine. She has relative depth and an an appealing perception of milk. (Moo juice! Who knew?)

I am likewise fond of Oliver’s world. I loved how, in the future, some parts of Atlanta were reduced to the past; due to the high prices of gas, horse-drawn carriages are a common mode of transportation. School is held in abandoned coffee shops and grocery stores. People believe in witchcraft and sell holy water at the market.

The holy water, of course, is a matter of convenience. In the midst of the age-old clash of Heaven versus Hell, the demon trappers and hunters (who knew that they were so different?) must overcome the demons. Riley, who definitely has something to prove, must overcome the demons. But when grade 5 hell-spawn comes after her… who knows who’ll win?

My final proclamation: A good dystopian read that flows well and is relatively entertaining. For fans of the paranormal and girl power. 3.5/5 stars.

I’ll keep you posted,