Brothers Nick and Alan have been running their whole life from evil magicians who build their powers from sacrificing innocent people to demons. Nick's and Alan's mother once was also a magician, but she fled their group with a valuable talisman, becoming insane after her flight. One day, the brothers receive the message that the magicians are tired of their escaping again and again and are now going to hunt them with everything they have. Desperately, Alan and Nick try to turn the tables on them and find out what the magicians are really after.[return][return]The story is told from Nick's point of view, which is very cold and empty of feeling. Nevertheless, Sarah Rees Brennan manages to describe his strong affection to his brother, without ever really going into his feelings, which is quite a feat in my opinion. And although the big surprise of the ending is not that surprising anymore, at the start of the book you don't know at all how the story will develop, which makes it exciting and gripping throughout.[return][return]The one point I did not like is that the setting very much resembles Rob Thurman's "Nightlife". Two brothers, one surly and distant, one caring, flee from magicians or demons respectively, and even the big surprise of the ending is extremely similar.[return][return]Taken by itself, "The Demon's Lexicon" is a well-written, gripping book with likeable characters. If you like it, though, you should definitely also read "Nightlife".