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smolhandsdan's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
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? Yes
5.0
This not a story for everyone, it doesn't focus on monster and super natural, they do makw an appearance here and there in the story - enough for me to be on edge when they pop up.
The main drive for the characters in this story is grief and trauma. And the fucked up system of needing money and putting yourself in a dangerous scenario just to get what you need. I liked that reality. I liked the pull and give between the characters learning to trust each other and recognize their faults and how to move past that.
The horror of cave diving, swimming through tight places, and relying on gear was enough to get me in HELL NO, NOPE headspace anxiety for the the main character. I think at times it could be a touch repetitive in the experiences chapter by chapter. The author was good at weaving new existential dread, frustration, despair, mental trauma that kept it fresh. I was sitting here wondering if the end would be depression hell or if it might turn out alright somehow. I enjoyed the grief, I think that kinda dark place isn't something everyone understands but damn was it powerful.
I enjoyed the audiobook I'm excited to check out the other authors works!
The main drive for the characters in this story is grief and trauma. And the fucked up system of needing money and putting yourself in a dangerous scenario just to get what you need. I liked that reality. I liked the pull and give between the characters learning to trust each other and recognize their faults and how to move past that.
The horror of cave diving, swimming through tight places, and relying on gear was enough to get me in HELL NO, NOPE headspace anxiety for the the main character. I think at times it could be a touch repetitive in the experiences chapter by chapter. The author was good at weaving new existential dread, frustration, despair, mental trauma that kept it fresh. I was sitting here wondering if the end would be depression hell or if it might turn out alright somehow. I enjoyed the grief, I think that kinda dark place isn't something everyone understands but damn was it powerful.
I enjoyed the audiobook I'm excited to check out the other authors works!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical trauma
thelittlestrobot's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Abandonment, Gore, Grief, and Death
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Death of parent
samferree's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, and Death
nic1894's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I really like the writing style and I would read more of this author's work. It was also fantastically tense and really interesting concept.
SPOILERS
However, there were some issues with the pacing, plot and characters. The pacing dragged at points. It felt like there were too many plot points, with some being underdeveloped and others over. The potential body horror of the suit, the spores and the tunneler was missed. The capitalist commentary was interesting, but again underdeveloped. What the main issue was that it felt like the author didn't truly understand how terrible Em is. Lots of potential and good writing style, lots of missed opportunities.
SPOILERS
However, there were some issues with the pacing, plot and characters. The pacing dragged at points. It felt like there were too many plot points, with some being underdeveloped and others over. The potential body horror of the suit, the spores and the tunneler was missed. The capitalist commentary was interesting, but again underdeveloped. What the main issue was that it felt like the author didn't truly understand how terrible Em is. Lots of potential and good writing style, lots of missed opportunities.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Gaslighting
celina246's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I had high hopes for this book but I’m a bit disappointed. It was by no means awful; it’s what I call a “quiet” horror, which means not a lot is necessarily happening but the atmosphere is kind of creepy and tense. But it teetered on boring too many times, and all the climbing jargon and descriptions of the cave routes made my eyes glaze over.
I wish CS had done a bit more with it, plot-wise, but it was character-centric and the characters were very annoying and unlikeable. Still, I feel like it could be a good movie.
I wish CS had done a bit more with it, plot-wise, but it was character-centric and the characters were very annoying and unlikeable. Still, I feel like it could be a good movie.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Confinement, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief
Moderate: Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Minor: Mental illness and Toxic relationship
hzamrzla's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I loved the premise and voice of this book, but the pacing and actual plot were so hard to stick with. There is only one REAL conflict: whether or not Gyre trusts Em, and we revisit it about 8 times with no real resolution. Reluctant trust, big betrayal, insistence on doing it alone, horrible failure due to the decision to do it alone, rinse, repeat.
Specifically, I got so frustrated with Gyre by the end because of herconstantly refusing to let Em guide/medicate/STOP her, doing something stupid, and then being in a rage that Em didn’t guide/medicate/STOP her . This happening once or twice seemed reasonable, and then for it to KEEP happening, as the only source of action in the book, felt contrived.
Also, I hate“turns out it was all in your head” books.
It got old, which is sad.
Specifically, I got so frustrated with Gyre by the end because of her
Also, I hate
It got old, which is sad.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Confinement, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Medical content, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Classism, Death of parent, and Abandonment
sunkissedcat's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
pichetteemmons's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
2.25
It’s like if Colleen Hoover wrote lesbian thrillers
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit, Death, Gore, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Suicidal thoughts
applesodaperson's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book was genuinely incredible. I mean it definitely made me want to never step foot in a cave again, because so many of the scenes, especially when Gyre was underwater, made me feel so icky and claustrophobic.
I think this book did such a good job of having consistent suspense. There were a couple small mysteries woven in that I found myself theorizing about. It also had so many times when Gyre got so close to succeeding, but then failed, which left me feeling so stressed out for her.
So this book only has two characters really, but yet it does such a good job of staying interesting. Gyre and Em are deeply complex people and also very flawed, which felt realistic and made me root for them.
I also liked the sci-fi setting. It wasn’t too complex, which was nice and easy to understand, but it also explained things well.
I also of course liked the romance.But even though I liked it, I will say that I do not think they should have ended up together. I think they should have just ended as friends. Because despite how close they feel, the majority of it came from trauma bonding, not from naturally building up romance.
Another thing this book did great was having Gyre go slowly crazy. I loved the slow build up and her constantly doubting herself. She was a perfect example of an unreliable narrator that kept me guessing at what was real constantly.
Loved this book! And it also had great representation!
Listened to on Libby.
I think this book did such a good job of having consistent suspense. There were a couple small mysteries woven in that I found myself theorizing about. It also had so many times when Gyre got so close to succeeding, but then failed, which left me feeling so stressed out for her.
So this book only has two characters really, but yet it does such a good job of staying interesting. Gyre and Em are deeply complex people and also very flawed, which felt realistic and made me root for them.
I also liked the sci-fi setting. It wasn’t too complex, which was nice and easy to understand, but it also explained things well.
I also of course liked the romance.
Another thing this book did great was having Gyre go slowly crazy. I loved the slow build up and her constantly doubting herself. She was a perfect example of an unreliable narrator that kept me guessing at what was real constantly.
Loved this book! And it also had great representation!
Listened to on Libby.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Gore
disnelyse's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Confinement, and Body horror
Moderate: Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit