The Silver Devil by Teresa Denys is a legendary and expensive out-of-print collector’s bodice-ripper romance novel with a cruel alpha hero. Find out how to read The Silver Devil for free online in the review.
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, Sweet Savage Flame earns a small percentage from qualifying purchases.
The Silver Devil by Teresa DenysRating:
Published: 1978
Illustrator: H. Tom Hall, Unknown
Published by: Ballantine, Futura
Genres: Gothic Romance, Historical Romance, Bodice Ripper, Forced Seduction, Renaissance Era Romance
Pages: 380
Format: Paperback
Buy on: Amazon, ThriftBooks
Reviewed by: IntrovertReader
TOTAL SPOILER ALERT ⚠
The Book
I’ve put off posting an analysis of Teresa Denys‘ first book, The Silver Devil, for a long time because I didn’t quite know how to critique it. If you’re a hard-core lover of old-school romance or bodice rippers, you might be familiar with this legendary novel.
A Legendary Romance
Teresa Denys was a brilliant author whose writing captivated readers from the first word and held their attention until the end. Unfortunately, she passed away in the mid-1980s at the age of 40 after only publishing two books. The Silver Devil was followed by the phenomenal Gothic bodice ripper, The Flesh and the Devil. Both are excellent works of fiction.
The Silver Devil is an out-of-print book, plus it’s very hard to find. And if you do, it will cost you quite a penny! On eBay, the only one I currently see available costs $400+. That’s relatively cheap compared to the other listings, which are upwards of a thousand dollars or more.
I purchased my Futura Publications Ltd./Troubador edition in April 2010 for $12. At the time, I thought that was too much! Fortunately, there are ways to read The Silver Devil for free.
This book is highly valued for a good reason.
The Silver Devil captivated me with its stunning characterization and intense, passionate tone. The 380-page enclosed world of the imaginary Dukedom of Cabria made me believe that a proud, handsome, and omnipotent Duke lived there, and with just a snap of his fingers, he swiftly obtained whatever he desired.
Including one lovely peasant girl named Felicia.
The Set-Up
“He sat on his horse unmoving, a somber black figure in startling contrast to the vivid colors about him, the sun dazzling on his white gold hair… There was no laughter in his face, and his eyes were not searching the housefronts for diversion—instead, he was staring intently straight up at my window.”
THE SILVER DEVIL
It is a hot summer in the year 1604 in Fidena, a fictional town in the fictional province of Cabria, set just north of Naples. Felicia Guardi is the sister of an innkeeper who’s just gotten married. Her sister-in-law, Celia, is a greedy and harsh taskmistress. Felicia’s half-brother, Antonio, is not much better, as he bears no love for the girl with whom he only shares a mother.
Felicia was not the child of their mother’s husband. Her actual father spent one brief night at the inn, sharing a fleeting moment of passion with her mamma.
Adding to the gothic allure of this novel is the narration. The story is told from Felicia’s first-person perspective, appropriate for such a macabre tale of lust and love. She describes the overwhelming heat and decay of Fidena during a hot summer when the plague runs through town.
Like a princess out of a fairy tale, Felicia is forced to slave away her days until a handsome prince falls in love with her and takes her to his castle home.
The Villainous Hero: The Silver Devil
One day, Felicia stands by the window and is seen by Duke Domenico, a white-blond-haired, black-eyed sensualist of a tyrant. His desire for her is powerful and instantaneous. The Duke demands to have her, and with a snap of his fingers, she is made his.
Felicia does not want to go willingly. Yet what is she, an illegitimate peasant, to do? In vain, she resists. Felicia’s brother and sister-in-law drug her to surrender to the devil’s demands.
Although Felicia is attracted to this magnetic demi-god, she displays a strong will, refusing his seduction despite how futile her efforts are.
Domenico treats her as a jealously guarded treasure. Felicia’s innate strength demands no less than a queen’s respect.
do you not love me?
“Do not regret your chastity—it is sweeter to lose it than to keep it.”
“I could not choose.” Suddenly I felt cold: cold and very calm. “Am I free to go now?”
The laughter left his face. “Where?”
“Back to the city. You can want no more of me now you have done your pleasure.”
“That is for me to decide—I said you shall stay until I bid you go, and it is treason to disobey.”
“Stay where?” I demanded stupidly.
“Here in the palace, to supply the office that you did last night. A prisoner is not ransomed so easily.” The mockery in his voice did not touch his eyes; they were watchful beneath the heavy lids. I stared back at him uncomprehendingly.
“But why?”
His lips curved cynically. “You will learn soon enough.”
“But Your Grace . . .”
“Your Grace!” he mimicked. “So ceremonious!”
“I am no greater now than I was yesterday.”
“Not many will think so.” He lay back, watching me with a sort of lazy curiosity. “To be the Duke of Cabria’s mistress is no slight honor.”
“Not slight,” I retorted recklessly, “but something common.”
“You shall be no common mistress.” His face was unreadable. “But I shall not let you go before I choose. And you shall swear to be true to me.”
I said in simple astonishment, “You cannot command that! Your fancy will sicken speedily enough—you will have change, and then my constancy will be as irksome as Madonna Maddalena’s!”
“Yet I command it.” His eyes were slitted and angry.
“Why? To satisfy your tyranny?”
His hand, vicelike in my hair, pulled me stooping over him. “I do not trust any man—or woman either—to stand by what he says unless he swears to it.”
“I owe you no faith. I will not swear.”
“Why, do you not love me?”
The sudden, silken question nearly made my heart stop beating; I would not meet Domenico’s eyes, for somehow I dared not. At last he said, “Do you not, indeed?” He spoke in an odd, stifled tone, his fingertips stroking my neck. “Take heed you love no one else, then, or the man you choose shall pay for it—his hand if it touches you, his eyes if he looks too long—or if his speech charms you, I shall take his tongue. There are other forfeits.” His hand slid from my throat to my breast. “But beware my jealousy if I spare your oath, Felicia.”
The Story
As they travel through the hot, dusty lands of Italy to Domenico’s palace, a retinue of servants and sycophants attach themselves to the Duke.
Former mistresses surround Domenico, vying fruitlessly for his attention. He humiliates them callously while they seek his favor.
The Silver Devil was written in 1978 and, for its time, took a daring risk with the lead male character. The hero is (or was) bisexual. Domenico had a past affair with Pierro, a childhood friend who is one of his courtiers. But now, Domenico only has disdain for Pierro, who pathetically apes his former lover’s looks and style in an effort to gain his regard.
But also for Pierro and the Duke’s other cast-offs, once Domenico’s affection dies out, only contempt remains. Domenico’s eyes and heart now belong to his beloved Felicia alone.
Domenico’s ardor for Felicia becomes a raging obsession. He is monstrous in his possessiveness. In one unforgettable scene, Felicia smiles at a handsome young servant. Enraged, Domenico has the boy brutally tortured to death.
As for the rest… Well, I won’t spoil the evil deeds he has in store for his hangers-on. Suffice it enough to say he does his admirers wrong. Duke Dom is ruthless in his brutality.
A Happy Ever After Ending… and Yet…
As a result, it’s no surprise when the people of Cabria turn against their brutal Duce.
The beautiful prince falls from grace. Felicia alone stands alongside him, aiding him in his quest to regain power. His Dukedom is overtaken, and he must maneuver his way back into power. This is not done just by coalescing allies who will eagerly follow his lead. He must attain this through deception, posing as a lowly peasant.
Domenico is humbled several times over as the girl he held enslaved willingly remains with him. With her by his side, Domenico rises to power once more. In a gender-bending twist, Felicia disguises herself as a boy to travel safely through hostile territories and help her lord and master regain control.
Felicia proves she is more than an object of desire. She has grit and fortitude where others fail.
The novel culminates with Domenico declaring his love in a surprisingly vulnerable demonstration of emotion.
“I knew that love would not turn the silver devil into an angel. He would remain what he was—subtle yet childish, unfeeling yet passionate, lost irretrievably to everything but his own desire. But he loved me—and I loved him, now and forever.“
THE SILVER DEVIL
My Opinion
The Good
The writing in The Silver Devil is gripping. However, it’s not a sweet tale that leaves a pleasant taste in my mouth.
Domenico is a demon, but a fallen one. He is Lucifer. The Prince of Light did not leave Heaven of his own volition. He was brutalized and then cast out by the ones who should have cherished him. But make no mistake, he is no angel.
Watching Felicia’s descent into Hell as its ruler’s devoted bride was mesmerizing to read. Not only was it repugnant, but it was hypnotically beguiling as well. What a masterful storyteller the last Jacqui Bianchi was to weave such a twisted tale of sensuality skillfully!
The Bad
Reading this like a simple love story doesn’t work. It’s too dark, too gothic, and too gruesome for me to call it one.
It is a fascinating character study of an unhinged, narcissistic megalomaniac and his female object of jealous obsession.
I cannot give this book five stars because it fails on one singular level. The Silver Devil is fabulous historical fiction. It’s a monumental piece of psychological analysis. But is it a romance? Only if I engage in a suspension of all disbelief.
Heat Level
As for the steam factor, as a bodice ripper, The Silver Devil is a book of its time. It has forced seduction where the handsome hero forces himself on the heroine, determined to make her orgasm, and sooner or later does it.
Although it’s sensual, it’s far from erotic. The initial scenes are far from rose-colored: Felicia is violated, raped, and, yes, it is nightmarish.
Yet because this is a horror romance, over time, the villain finally turns the defiant heroine into his willing and eager victim. However, this is not due to his sensual lovemaking, but because of the emotional vulnerability he displays in their intimate moments in the bedroom.
Final Analysis of The Silver Devil
SPOILER ⚠
Although Domenico is the absolute ruler of a wealthy duchy, he is not a typical “Alpha male.” Alphas are devoted to their mates, but they are also leaders who command respect. Domenico struggles spectacularly at this.
People fear him but do not truly love him. Contrary to Machiavelli’s perspective, fear is insufficient to keep Domenico secure.
In the last pages of The Silver Devil, Felicia gives birth to a son, the heir to Cabria. The novel concludes on a gloriously positive note.
Even so, I had doubts about the happy finale. Domenico is a mad despot. I could see the inhabitants of Cabria taking him out, Mussolini-style. Lord knows what would happen to Felicia and their son! My imagination goes wild, and it’s never a good end.
For that, it’s best to close the book and leave this story in its final moment of ultimate bliss.
Rating Report Card | |
---|---|
Plot | |
Characters | |
Writing | |
Chemistry | |
Fun Factor | |
Cover | |
Overall: | 4.8 |
Synopsis
He was cold. He was cruel. A ruthless sensualist riding headlong to hell. He was the Silver Devil – Domenico, Duke of Cabria.
Felicia was the illegitimate sister of a tavern-keeper. She felt nothing but terror when they told her that she had been chosen as the Duke’s next mistress, and when they took her, decked in silks and jewels to the Silver Devil’s bed…
THE SILVER DEVIL BY TERESA DENYS
I typically refrain from sharing links to free books online unless it’s to borrow from the Open Library. However, since Bianchi passed away over three decades ago without heirs, I’ve included links to various sources where you can access the PDF or online version of the legendary bodice ripper, The Silver Devil.
You can also download or read the free The Silver Devil PDF file at this link.
Great review! I loved this book, but it scared me too!
Thanks!