Chapter summaries The Devils Joe Abercrombie

The Devils Chapter 13: Least Worst Choices Summary and Analysis

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary (Chronological)

The chapter opens with the company traveling through heavy rain, which has turned the road into a bog. Brother Diaz suffers from chafing and general misery, complaining constantly. Princess Alexia is equally damp and unimpressed. Vigga, by contrast, revels in the weather, stripping down to a vest.

Jakob of Thorn announces a change of plans: they cannot go to Ancona because Marcian knew their route. He proposes Venice as an alternative, despite the Serene Republic being at odds with the Papacy and known for vice. Brother Diaz protests vehemently, citing excommunications and poisonings, but Jakob and the others argue that Venice’s reputation makes it the last place anyone would look for a Pope-supported princess.

Princess Alexia then suggests joining a pilgrim gathering near Spoleto, where hundreds travel daily to Venice for the voyage to the Holy Land. She overrides Diaz’s objections by pointing out that Cardinal Zizka appointed him precisely because he would follow orders. After a tense exchange, Diaz reluctantly accepts.

The company arrives at the pilgrim camp, a vast, squalid tent city filled with debauchery, preaching, and filth. Diaz is horrified but the others, especially Vigga, seem intrigued. They decide to buy pilgrims’ habits, sell their horses, and walk to Venice as part of a larger group, blending in with the devout—or not so devout—travelers.

Key Events

  • The company endures miserable rain and road conditions.
  • Jakob decides Ancona is compromised and proposes Venice.
  • Brother Diaz’s objections are dismissed by the group and by Alexia.
  • Alexia reveals the plan to join pilgrims near Spoleto.
  • The group arrives at the chaotic, vice-ridden pilgrim camp.
  • They purchase rough habits and prepare to walk to Venice.

Character Development

Brother Diaz continues to lose control of the mission. His complaints are ignored, his authority is undermined by Alexia’s sharp reminder that Cardinal Zizka, not the Pope, chose him. Diaz’s terror of the monsters around him and his physical discomfort highlight his unsuitability for this adventure.

Princess Alexia shows growing assertiveness. She interrupts Diaz’s shrieking outburst to propose the pilgrim plan, and she dismisses his claims of authority with a withering look. She is pragmatic and willing to use deception to reach Troy.

Jakob of Thorn remains the de facto leader, making the hard call to change destination and insisting on walking to Venice despite his arrow wound. His stoicism contrasts with Diaz’s whining.

Baptiste and Baron Rikard provide dark humor and sharp commentary. Baptiste’s anecdote about pirates and the baron’s theological jabs add texture to the group’s dynamics.

Vigga and Sunny remain enigmatic but loyal, with Vigga’s gleeful embrace of the rain and Sunny’s ability to pass unnoticed.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Least Worst Choice: The chapter’s title and Alexia’s line “Venice is the least worst choice” encapsulate the theme of compromised decisions in a flawed world. Jakob echoes it: “least worst is the best you can hope for.”

  • Pilgrimage as Masquerade: The group adopts the guise of pilgrims to hide in plain sight. The pilgrim camp itself is a symbol of hypocrisy—sinning before seeking absolution—mirroring the group’s own moral ambiguity.

  • Authority and Pragmatism: Brother Diaz’s formal authority is repeatedly overridden by practical necessity. The group functions through consensus and the strength of characters like Jakob and Alexia, not through rank.

  • Rain and Discomfort: The persistent rain symbolizes the constant erosion of their plans and comfort. It emphasizes the gritty reality of travel versus romantic ideals.

Why This Chapter Matters

“Least Worst Choices” is pivotal for setting the geographic and thematic course of the latter part of the journey. The decision to go to Venice reroutes the group away from expected escapes and into a city known for corruption, which will likely test their alliances. The chapter also solidifies Alexia as a leader in her own right, not merely a passenger. The pilgrim camp provides a microcosm of the book’s world—a place where the sacred and profane collide, and where survival requires disguise and cunning. Diaz’s marginalization here foreshadows further erosion of his control.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does the group decide to go to Venice instead of Ancona?
Answer: Ancona was compromised because Marcian knew their plans, likely due to leaked information in the Papal States. Venice is a busy port with few ties to the Pope, making it easier for them to blend in.

2. How does Princess Alexia demonstrate her growing agency in this chapter?
Answer: She interrupts Brother Diaz’s protest with a concrete plan to join pilgrims near Spoleto. She also directly tells Diaz that Cardinal Zizka picked him to follow orders, implying that his authority is limited.

3. What does the pilgrim camp reveal about the book’s attitude toward religion and hypocrisy?
Answer: The camp is a chaotic, vice-filled sinkhole where pilgrims sin openly before their holy journey. This reinforces the theme that outward piety often masks corruption, and that the sacred and profane are intertwined in human nature.

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