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yvo_about_books's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Finished reading: June 7th 2024
“In the brief moment he'd touched the metal, he'd felt the danger of the place. This ship wasn't a gem on the ocean floor, waiting to be found. It was a trap.”
I had a fantastic first experience with Darcy Coates' writing last year, and I've been meaning to read more of her books ever since. I was fascinated by the claustrophobic vibe of the blurb of From Below with the mysterious ship wreck, the dive angle and the promise of something dark lurking within... And I have to say that this story definitely delivered for me. While a tad overlong, the ominous and claustrophobic vibe of this paranormal horror slash locked room thriller made it impossible to stop turning those pages. From Below actually uses a dual timeline structure, where we switch between the present with the dive team and 1928 on board of the SS Arcadia in the days leading up to its disappearance. I wasn't expecting the historical POV, but I understand why it was added as it gave the story so much more dept as well as adding to that ominous atmosphere. The fact that you, like the characters in both timelines, don't have a clear idea what is happening added a hint of urgency, and while certain parts did feel a bit repetitive, it wasn't enough to prevent me from wanting to know more. From Below definitely classifies as paranormal/supernatural horror, so make sure you are prepared for things to get proper creepy along the way... Especially in the second half of the story where things become more intense. Honestly, I'm not sure why the dive team even returns to the Arcadia after the second dive! I would have run away screaming instead... If you are looking for a properly frightening and tense paranormal horror read with a locked room vibe and a truly claustrophobic feel with the majority of the present timeline set 300 feet under water, From Below without doubt fits the bill. It's true that the story is a bit overlong and the pace isn't always consistent, but the plot itself is intriguing enough to keep you fully on board anyway.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Blood, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Body horror, Confinement, Violence, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, and Suicide
beepsies's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, and Death
Minor: Death of parent and Grief
harpoonholly's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Audiobook read by Abby Craden. She's a fine reader, though sometimes her pacing took away from the story rather than added to it. But, she handled each character's personalities well and their individual moments of fear, anxiety, despair, and joy.
I've been looking for a deep sea horror that is both "deep sea" and "horror" and From Below nails it. It's atmospheric in its description of the SS Arcadia, it is the sublime underneath, making the wider ocean seem like a safe haven in comparison. Coates takes what is often thought of as a Lovecraftian subgenre (to both horror and the gothic) and deviates from the weirdist (weirdism sub-subgenre) norm.
I've been looking for a deep sea horror that is both "deep sea" and "horror" and From Below nails it. It's atmospheric in its description of the SS Arcadia, it is the sublime underneath, making the wider ocean seem like a safe haven in comparison. Coates takes what is often thought of as a Lovecraftian subgenre (to both horror and the gothic) and deviates from the weirdist (weirdism sub-subgenre) norm.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Body horror, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicide
Moderate: Death of parent and Murder
There might be more horror/gothic ambience in reading the text directly, letting the readers' imaginations to get away with them. The audiobook was enjoyable, but had a kimd of impersonal, voyeuristic vibe. Of course, I couldn't stop listening till I was through, so maybe not...aas's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Gore, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Confinement, Grief, and Murder
wrensreadingroom's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Medical trauma, Child death, Death of parent, Body horror, Blood, Alcohol, Confinement, Death, Murder, Cursing, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
svangleboyer's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Darcy Coates delivers another great horror that will give you chills and question whether some mysteries should stay hidden.
From Below follows our heroine Cover and her documentary team as they explore a long-lost ship the Arcadia that sunk and has been located on radar after all these years. Everything appears to be going well until the team enter the ship and then things start to go very wrong.
I am a big fan of isolation horror, and you can't get more isolated than the middle of the ocean. Darcy Coates does an amazing job creating such suspenseful and creepy moments that will keep you riveted. I really like the direction the author took with the idea of a haunted ship because I felt it was a bit unique. I also loved how the author handled writing two different timelines that flowed together so seamlessly. The pacing was very consistent throughout until you get to last 100 pages when things get really creepy.
I love all the characters because they are very interesting, and I loved the character depth of each one. I would have loved to learn a bit more about Deveraux and Roy backstory because they are still a bit of a mystery to me. It is hard to pick a favorite character for me because I related to them all in one way or another, but I would say that Vanna was my favorite. Vanna is very dedicated to doing her job and doing it well even if it could be hazardous to her.
I highly recommend From Below to any fans of the movie Ghost Ship, any fans of good ghost stories, any horror fan, and any fans of isolated locations themes.
From Below follows our heroine Cover and her documentary team as they explore a long-lost ship the Arcadia that sunk and has been located on radar after all these years. Everything appears to be going well until the team enter the ship and then things start to go very wrong.
I am a big fan of isolation horror, and you can't get more isolated than the middle of the ocean. Darcy Coates does an amazing job creating such suspenseful and creepy moments that will keep you riveted. I really like the direction the author took with the idea of a haunted ship because I felt it was a bit unique. I also loved how the author handled writing two different timelines that flowed together so seamlessly. The pacing was very consistent throughout until you get to last 100 pages when things get really creepy.
I love all the characters because they are very interesting, and I loved the character depth of each one. I would have loved to learn a bit more about Deveraux and Roy backstory because they are still a bit of a mystery to me. It is hard to pick a favorite character for me because I related to them all in one way or another, but I would say that Vanna was my favorite. Vanna is very dedicated to doing her job and doing it well even if it could be hazardous to her.
I highly recommend From Below to any fans of the movie Ghost Ship, any fans of good ghost stories, any horror fan, and any fans of isolated locations themes.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement and Death of parent
the_books_music_life's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
From Below is set around a crew of underwater divers who explore a famously unsolved shipwreck that was recently found, as well as try to uncover the mystery of what actually happened.
The duel timeline was a key piece of this book it added so much to the story that I think the reader would have been lost without. We get the see the original crew in the days preceding the wreak. The duel timeline also adds even more questions onto the mystery while answering some questions we have in the present.
I did have a little trouble following all the different POV's as it doesn't differentiate who is narrating be it the characters in the past or present. Almost all the characters where well fleshed out and had depth to them. They all had pasts and we get to learn a little about a few of the characters pasts and how it relates to the story.
I still have a ton of questions and I really thought the story would go a certain way multiple times but it didn't and it surprised me. I'm glad the story didn't go in the way I was thinking as it would have been cliché and overdone.
The aspect of the secrets the Arcadia has hidden is wonderfully thought out and you can just tell how much research went into this book.
I did have issue with some of the characters choices and I felt the book was a little longer than it needed to be. But, overall the book was wonderful and I enjoyed it immensely.
The duel timeline was a key piece of this book it added so much to the story that I think the reader would have been lost without. We get the see the original crew in the days preceding the wreak. The duel timeline also adds even more questions onto the mystery while answering some questions we have in the present.
I did have a little trouble following all the different POV's as it doesn't differentiate who is narrating be it the characters in the past or present. Almost all the characters where well fleshed out and had depth to them. They all had pasts and we get to learn a little about a few of the characters pasts and how it relates to the story.
I still have a ton of questions and I really thought the story would go a certain way multiple times but it didn't and it surprised me. I'm glad the story didn't go in the way I was thinking as it would have been cliché and overdone.
The aspect of the secrets the Arcadia has hidden is wonderfully thought out and you can just tell how much research went into this book.
I did have issue with some of the characters choices and I felt the book was a little longer than it needed to be. But, overall the book was wonderful and I enjoyed it immensely.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Body horror, Death of parent, and Panic attacks/disorders
shipwreck,dogearedbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
So I realized claustrophobic horror is defintly something that scares me silly. Not the fear of being in enclosed places but more the idea of being trapped somewhere. Unable to escape.
300 feet under the surface with your oxygen strapped to your back INSIDE something you might not be able to get put of, ya that is terrifing. Throw in a haunted ship and you get a very atmospheric spooky ride.
It flashes between past (the week up to the Ships sinking) and present (the crew diving the wreckage). This makes sense because seeing what the Arcadia crew went through is necessary for understanding the ship, but it made the book pretty long. It felt a little too long for me as well as not a satisfying ending (at least not satisfying for me).
300 feet under the surface with your oxygen strapped to your back INSIDE something you might not be able to get put of, ya that is terrifing. Throw in a haunted ship and you get a very atmospheric spooky ride.
It flashes between past (the week up to the Ships sinking) and present (the crew diving the wreckage). This makes sense because seeing what the Arcadia crew went through is necessary for understanding the ship, but it made the book pretty long. It felt a little too long for me as well as not a satisfying ending (at least not satisfying for me).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Self harm, Suicide, Death, and Murder
Minor: Death of parent
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