Reviews with content warning for Cancer - All the Colors of the Dark

Reviews tagging 'Cancer'

All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

64 reviews

cardcatalogdreams's review

dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
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

All the Colors of the Dark is an ambitious novel with a compelling premise, but its execution didn’t entirely work for me. The story follows a tangled web of characters, centering on the search for a missing girl and the two people - Saint and Patch - who seek justice in very different ways. Saint, an FBI agent, works within the system, while Patch, a man operating outside the law, takes a more unconventional path. Their shared goal but opposing methods were one of the most compelling aspects of the book.

However, the novel felt overly long and slow in several places, making the pacing a challenge. The writing style also came across as choppy and jilted, which occasionally pulled me out of the story. Some plot points were confusing, and I found myself needing to reread sections to fully grasp what was happening.

Despite these issues, the core story was intriguing, and the themes of justice, redemption, and survival resonated. If you’re a fan of slow-burning literary thrillers with morally complex characters, this might be worth a read - just be prepared for a somewhat uneven journey.

Content Warnings

katewiggins's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

This book started well, dragged through much of the middle, and had a bunch of quick turns at the end.

Content Warnings

celticthistle's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

amwrosenlund's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

katies_bibliotherapy's review

Go to review page

dark sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Another case where I feel like I read a different book than everyone else. The third star is for me for finishing this. 🤪

This book has no business being as long as it is. Although I love short chapters, this is a case where I would've preferred slightly longer chapters if it meant the book could be condensed. I felt like the plot was so strung out that I found myself not caring but also waiting and hoping it would get better. There were also too many characters and too many moving parts and I was honestly lost more often than not. I tried reading this physically and when I couldn't get into it I switched to the audiobook, which only has one narrator. This book would've benefitted from multiple narrators.

Content Warnings

bnhunt's review

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Be prepared for a slow burn with this one. I wouldn’t call it so much a thriller as I would a literary drama. With thriller I think fast paced, twists and turns around every corner. This book is beautifully written and the author is great at painting you a picture of every scene. The chapters are super short, making it for a quicker read but it’s 261 chapters! The book spans over decades and with all the time passing, different characters, and sub plots, it can be confusing and hard to focus at times. I think I will like this one more the 2nd time I read it now that I have a better grip on all the characters. It’s a love story without the romance with a mystery at its core. I love the main characters, Patch and Saint, even though I wanted to strangle both of them at times. It doesn’t focus so much on the crime that takes place early in the book but the aftermath and trauma that occurs after experiencing such a crime. This one was different than my typical read and I enjoyed it.

Content Warnings