On the Devil's Court

Carl Deuker
53 pages1-hour read
Fiction
Novel
YA
Published in 1991

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Book Brief

Carl Deuker

On the Devil's Court

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 1991
Book Details
Pages

252

Format

Novel • Fiction

Genre
Realistic Fiction

•

American Literature

•

Children`s Literature
Setting

Seattle, Washington • 1980s

Theme
Coming of Age

•

Power & Greed

•

Literature
Topic
Sports
First Publication Year

1991

Publisher

HarperTeen

Audience

YA

Recommended Reading Age

12-18 years

Lexile Level

730L

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

In On the Devil's Court by Carl Deuker, 17-year-old Joe Faust moves with his parents to Seattle and struggles to choose between public Loyal High and private Eastside School for his senior year. Despite conflicts with his parents and a rivalry with talented yet troubled Ross, Joe ultimately attends Eastside, where he experiences a turbulent basketball season filled with doubt, personal growth, and triumphs.

Suspenseful

Mysterious

Challenging

Dark

Emotional

Reviews & Readership

4.0

788 ratings

71%

Loved it

20%

Mixed feelings

9%

Not a fan

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

On the Devil's Court by Carl Deuker is a compelling sports novel that effectively explores themes of superstition, self-belief, and personal growth in a high school setting. The narrative's engaging pace is well-appreciated, though some readers find the supernatural elements a bit forced. Character development excels, making it an engaging read for young adults and sports enthusiasts.

Who should read this

Who Should Read On the Devil's Court?

Readers who enjoy On the Devil's Court by Carl Deuker are likely fans of sports-themed young adult fiction with a psychological twist. Similar to S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders and M.T. Anderson's Feed, they appreciate nuanced character development and moral dilemmas intertwined with high-stakes athletic drama.

4.0

788 ratings

71%

Loved it

20%

Mixed feelings

9%

Not a fan

Character List

A 17-year-old basketball enthusiast navigating life changes after moving from Boston to Seattle, who feels overshadowed by his brilliant scientist father.

A renowned scientist known for his groundbreaking work, who struggles to connect emotionally with his son, Joe, and to appreciate Joe's basketball talent.

Joe's artistic mother who balances her role as a supportive parent and a communication bridge between Joe and his father, while pursuing her controversial sculpture work.

A pervasive and ambiguous presence in the story, influencing events through mysterious occurrences without any direct appearance or dialogue.

Joe's high school peer and basketball rival known for his carefree and risky behavior, who sometimes tempts Joe into questionable situations.

A kind-hearted and studious high school senior at Eastside and basketball teammate, who supports Joe and helps him navigate school and team dynamics.

An ex-Marine and basketball coach known for his demanding and inflexible nature, who initially underestimates Joe's abilities on the team.

Book Details
Pages

252

Format

Novel • Fiction

Genre
Realistic Fiction

•

American Literature

•

Children`s Literature
Setting

Seattle, Washington • 1980s

Theme
Coming of Age

•

Power & Greed

•

Literature
Topic
Sports
First Publication Year

1991

Publisher

HarperTeen

Audience

YA

Recommended Reading Age

12-18 years

Lexile Level

730L

Buy This Book

Continue your reading experience

Subscribe now to unlock the rest of this Study Guide plus our full library, which features expert-written summaries and analyses of 10,900+ additional titles.