Playing for the Devil’s Fire explores the influence of the drug cartel on a small town in Mexico. The story focuses on the victims of the cartel rather than the cartel itself and is told through the eyes of a child, named Boli.
Boli’s parents are determined to be missing towards the beginning of the novel, and Boli must strive to maintain hope and find answers to his many questions. Boli attempts to find these answers through the help of the police and then through the help of the Catholic church, but in both of these location he instead finds corruption, indifference, and deceit. Boli’s resilience leads him to befriend a luchador and together the two face the evil that has infiltrated the town. Because of Boli’s belief and hope, Chicano the luchador is transformed into a town hero and does his best to fight the injustice consuming Boli’s town.
The town is met with endless horrors and after the great number of murders Boli and the remnant of his family ultimately leave town. Despite this destruction and death, Boli still holds onto a hopeful future. Even as he leaves his home, Boli promises to become a luchador and to fight for justice. Through Diederich’s novel he illuminates the tragedy and violence that accompanies the presence of the drug cartel. Diederich’s novel is inspired by real life events and tells the frequently untold stories of victims of cartel violence. Through this dismal reality, Diederich still provides hope in the form of a resilient young boy who is able to see the possibility for good in a world consumed by evil.
