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3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
I really liked the creepy small town this book was set in, and I definitely wanted to know more about the history of the town. I also loved the horror aspect of the book, the generational trauma, the writing, everything was great! I especially loved the writing during the interludes with a different narrator, I remember highlighting a few sections there!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Dark We Know is an ambitious debut, featuring important themes of friendship, identity, isolation, grief, family dynamics, and depression leading to suicidal ideation. I can tell the author spent a lot of time drafting the novel’s fantastical elements and giving life (and afterlife) to the small town of Slater. Unfortunately many of the story’s parts were disorienting as it was difficult to identify the concrete events of the plot amongst the magical elements and the literary devices. As I reader I felt like I was thrown in the middle of the story as it seemed like there was a whole novel worth of backstory that wasn’t sufficiently covered including Isadora’s friendships and losses of her two friends Zach and Ren, her relationship with her abusive father, and her subsequent life outside of Slater in art school. The reader is made aware of these relationships and we see glimpses of their influence throughout, but it is difficult to understand the true weight of the emotional impact of these deceased characters on the main characters of Isadora and Mason and to find connections with all of them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Self harm, Suicide, Suicide attempt
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Transphobia, Murder
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
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
Suicide is the main theme for this book and it is the horror element. Really feels uncomfortable to me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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:
Complicated
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book was different than what I’ve read before. It was creepy and atmospheric. There were elements that definitely made me unsettled. There were also parts I had to go back and reread/relisten to due to me spacing out. Some parts I just didn’t enjoy. However, definitely a solid book to read for YA Horror.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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
I've been stalking this book waiting for the moment I could add it on GoodReads for what feels like a year. I'm so so so excited to read this book and support Wen-yi Lee!!!!
Chinese MC and bisexual male and female MCs fdjsakldfj YES PLEASE
Merged review:
I've been stalking this book waiting for the moment I could add it on GoodReads for what feels like a year. I'm so so so excited to read this book and support Wen-yi Lee!!!!
Chinese MC and bisexual male and female MCs fdjsakldfj YES PLEASE
Chinese MC and bisexual male and female MCs fdjsakldfj YES PLEASE
Merged review:
I've been stalking this book waiting for the moment I could add it on GoodReads for what feels like a year. I'm so so so excited to read this book and support Wen-yi Lee!!!!
Chinese MC and bisexual male and female MCs fdjsakldfj YES PLEASE