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mitchelldavis1997's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
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
All I can say is, I wish Goodreads had a vocal option to talk about a book. I absolutely loved this book. I don’t really have words to describe how much this book meant to me. There was love, action, killing, the most importantly, the power of friendship and hope This book has not received the hypo that deserves. I think that this book went onto so many levels that people need to explore you’re gonna laugh they’re gonna cry. They’re gonna do everything and I certainly hope that this gets added to everyone’s 2025 Book books to read. I am so excited to share this book with my friends because I think that everyone will learn to love this book so much. This is a great book for people that maybe don’t literary fiction but love murder mystery true crime, coming of age everything in so I just think it’s a great book. This is why you need voice reviews! I can’t say enough good things about this. I would say this is probably in my top 10 favorite books of all times at this moment.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
kay_chan's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Split rating, rounded up:
Formatting & Storyline Execution: ⭐️
Characterization & development: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Writing style & theme elements: ⭐️⭐️
I have a lot of thoughts about this book. The storyline could have been decent had the execution been delivered accordingly. This did not need to be over 200 mini chapters with varying povs and no sense of a timeline. I was annoyed from the get-go. I feel like this book took me so much longer than it should have just to get through. Honestly could have been summed up in under 80 chapters.
Besides getting to know the characters very well, there's a lot of alluding and plot holes that never get explained-I'm assuming all for the sake of characters being mysterious. Serious plot points are only mentioned incredibly briefly, so if you're not paying attention amongst the monotony, you end up having to go back a lot.
I'm honestly happy that in the end, Patch did not get caught and put back in jail. I was confused for a bit of the book about who and why exactly he was back in jail for because they had alluded to him murdering a zookeeper and I was so confused. And I at least cannot remember a conversation between Patch and Saint about the relationship between Saint and her veterinarian ex-husband, the abusive POS. I was also surprised that Saint took on "raising" Charlotte in Patch's absence. I would have liked to hear more about the relationship between Patch and the correctional officer. It's also quite curious that both Patch and the Doctor ended up at the same jail. And at least for the audiobook, I had a difficult time remembering minor characters and how they were involved in the storyline. At first I didn't even recognize Grace's father's name and how he was connected to the murders and with the doctor. And it goes against the storyline having his conclusion so far away from the storyline conclusion because by the end of it I didn't even remember what had happened to him- was he murdered? Did he go to jail? I don't know , I assume so. But that would have been a good placement near the end chapter for a reminder of what had happened in his case.
Formatting & Storyline Execution: ⭐️
Characterization & development: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Writing style & theme elements: ⭐️⭐️
I have a lot of thoughts about this book. The storyline could have been decent had the execution been delivered accordingly. This did not need to be over 200 mini chapters with varying povs and no sense of a timeline. I was annoyed from the get-go. I feel like this book took me so much longer than it should have just to get through. Honestly could have been summed up in under 80 chapters.
Besides getting to know the characters very well, there's a lot of alluding and plot holes that never get explained-I'm assuming all for the sake of characters being mysterious. Serious plot points are only mentioned incredibly briefly, so if you're not paying attention amongst the monotony, you end up having to go back a lot.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, and Grief
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, and Blood
Minor: Homophobia, Abortion, and Murder
kelly_e's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
Title: All the Colors of the Dark
Author: Chris Whitaker
Genre: Literary Mystery
Rating: 5.00
Pub Date: June 25, 2024
T H R E E • W O R D S
Sweeping • Intricate • Haunting
📖 S Y N O P S I S
1975 is a time of change in America. The Vietnam War is ending. Muhammad Ali is fighting Joe Frazier. And in the smalltown of Monta Clare, Missouri, girls are disappearing.
When the daughter of a wealthy family is targeted, the most unlikely hero emerges—Patch, a local boy, who saves the girl, and, in doing so, leaves heartache in his wake.
Patch and those who love him soon discover that the line between triumph and tragedy has never been finer. And that their search for answers will lead them to truths that could mean losing one another.
💭 T H O U G H T S
This book needs no introduction as it's been absolutely everywhere for the past 4 months. I'll admit was pretty indifferent after readingWe Begin At the End, my first Chris Whitaker novel. For that reason, I wasn't initially planning to read his newest release All the Colors of the Dark. However, a few glowing reviews from trusted bookish friends with similar reading tastes as me managed to change my mind. It was an added bonus that it was selected as the October book for my in person book club.
Through deeply layered storytelling, descriptive and atmospheric writing, engrossing and quick paced chapters, and fully formed characters with complex emotions, Whitaker has delivered a new forever favourite!
While this story is in many ways dark and tragic, it is equally filled with light and hope. It unpacks a lot of trauma, yet what really stood out for me is how it is weaves an epic love story - love lost and found, biological and found family love, love between friends and romantic love, and parental love. It shows the sacrifices love asks of us and it allows love to be messy - something often forgotten.
The cast of characters is beyond large, so much so that I needed to make myself a character list to keep the connections straight. Many of the characters comes and go, but the loyalty and friendship between Patch and Saint is constant and unlike any I've read before. The narrative tells how their paths diverged and converged over the decades, each remaining vulnerable in a host of ways.
It's quite possible All the Colors of the Dark is entirely too long, however, I never got distracted with the wordiness and was immersed in the slow, constant pacing. This is exactly the type of story that will stick with me long after I've read the final page. The type of book you sit with and savour, and I did exactly that.
Marketing All the Colors of the Dark as a thriller is deceiving and an utter disservice to the novel. It does not read like a thriller. The characters feel too real and relatable for a thriller. The level of depth and emotion goes way beyond a thriller. The writing is much more exquisite than most thrillers. Simply put this just isn't a thriller - it is so much more than that. The short chapters make for an easy reading experience, yet its the writing that keeps the plot moving. A story about second chances that combines pain and loss with hope and love, I'm certain it'll be landing on many #TopReadsOf2024 lists in a few months time... Maybe even mine. It's also great on audio read by Edoardo Ballerini.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• missing person mysteries
• unlikely pairings
• coming-of-age stories
• beekeeping
⚠️ CW: kidnapping/abduction, missing person, confinement, murder, death, child death, death of parent, death of partner, sibling death, grief, rape, sexual assault, physical abuse, domestic abuse, child abuse, emotional abuse, incest, homophobia, lesbophobia, violence, gun violence, blood, injury/injury detail, fire/fire injury, pregnancy, abortion, mental illness, alcoholism, alcohol, drug abuse, addiction, cursing, terminal illness, cancer, suicide attempt, suicide, bullying, mass shooting
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Friendship was a difficult art to master."
"Saint wanted to ask what is was like, to lose the thing that defined you. But perhaps she knew it left you someone else. A stranger you had no choice but to tolerate, and see each day and feel and fear."
"Do something meaningful. Or maybe just mean everything you do."
"Why do we hold on to the bad things and forget the good?"
"'I guess maybe someone all wrong for me in the ways that counted least. We fell in love and it was like... You know when all of a sudden there is meaning. Actual true meaning and purpose.'
'Like color in the dark,' Patch said.
'Yes. Exactly yes. Nothing is so dark with them in the world.'"
"Grief is a part of life. It's the unknown that truly ruins us."
"People say it gets easier, but that’s only because each day we get a little closer to seeing them again."
"To love and be loved was more than could ever be expected, more than enough for a thousand ordinary lifetimes."
"Reading isn’t a privilege, sir. I believe we all have the right to leave our problems and escape into another world, if only through the written word."
Author: Chris Whitaker
Genre: Literary Mystery
Rating: 5.00
Pub Date: June 25, 2024
T H R E E • W O R D S
Sweeping • Intricate • Haunting
📖 S Y N O P S I S
1975 is a time of change in America. The Vietnam War is ending. Muhammad Ali is fighting Joe Frazier. And in the smalltown of Monta Clare, Missouri, girls are disappearing.
When the daughter of a wealthy family is targeted, the most unlikely hero emerges—Patch, a local boy, who saves the girl, and, in doing so, leaves heartache in his wake.
Patch and those who love him soon discover that the line between triumph and tragedy has never been finer. And that their search for answers will lead them to truths that could mean losing one another.
💭 T H O U G H T S
This book needs no introduction as it's been absolutely everywhere for the past 4 months. I'll admit was pretty indifferent after readingWe Begin At the End, my first Chris Whitaker novel. For that reason, I wasn't initially planning to read his newest release All the Colors of the Dark. However, a few glowing reviews from trusted bookish friends with similar reading tastes as me managed to change my mind. It was an added bonus that it was selected as the October book for my in person book club.
Through deeply layered storytelling, descriptive and atmospheric writing, engrossing and quick paced chapters, and fully formed characters with complex emotions, Whitaker has delivered a new forever favourite!
While this story is in many ways dark and tragic, it is equally filled with light and hope. It unpacks a lot of trauma, yet what really stood out for me is how it is weaves an epic love story - love lost and found, biological and found family love, love between friends and romantic love, and parental love. It shows the sacrifices love asks of us and it allows love to be messy - something often forgotten.
The cast of characters is beyond large, so much so that I needed to make myself a character list to keep the connections straight. Many of the characters comes and go, but the loyalty and friendship between Patch and Saint is constant and unlike any I've read before. The narrative tells how their paths diverged and converged over the decades, each remaining vulnerable in a host of ways.
It's quite possible All the Colors of the Dark is entirely too long, however, I never got distracted with the wordiness and was immersed in the slow, constant pacing. This is exactly the type of story that will stick with me long after I've read the final page. The type of book you sit with and savour, and I did exactly that.
Marketing All the Colors of the Dark as a thriller is deceiving and an utter disservice to the novel. It does not read like a thriller. The characters feel too real and relatable for a thriller. The level of depth and emotion goes way beyond a thriller. The writing is much more exquisite than most thrillers. Simply put this just isn't a thriller - it is so much more than that. The short chapters make for an easy reading experience, yet its the writing that keeps the plot moving. A story about second chances that combines pain and loss with hope and love, I'm certain it'll be landing on many #TopReadsOf2024 lists in a few months time... Maybe even mine. It's also great on audio read by Edoardo Ballerini.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• missing person mysteries
• unlikely pairings
• coming-of-age stories
• beekeeping
⚠️ CW: kidnapping/abduction, missing person, confinement, murder, death, child death, death of parent, death of partner, sibling death, grief, rape, sexual assault, physical abuse, domestic abuse, child abuse, emotional abuse, incest, homophobia, lesbophobia, violence, gun violence, blood, injury/injury detail, fire/fire injury, pregnancy, abortion, mental illness, alcoholism, alcohol, drug abuse, addiction, cursing, terminal illness, cancer, suicide attempt, suicide, bullying, mass shooting
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Friendship was a difficult art to master."
"Saint wanted to ask what is was like, to lose the thing that defined you. But perhaps she knew it left you someone else. A stranger you had no choice but to tolerate, and see each day and feel and fear."
"Do something meaningful. Or maybe just mean everything you do."
"Why do we hold on to the bad things and forget the good?"
"'I guess maybe someone all wrong for me in the ways that counted least. We fell in love and it was like... You know when all of a sudden there is meaning. Actual true meaning and purpose.'
'Like color in the dark,' Patch said.
'Yes. Exactly yes. Nothing is so dark with them in the world.'"
"Grief is a part of life. It's the unknown that truly ruins us."
"People say it gets easier, but that’s only because each day we get a little closer to seeing them again."
"To love and be loved was more than could ever be expected, more than enough for a thousand ordinary lifetimes."
"Reading isn’t a privilege, sir. I believe we all have the right to leave our problems and escape into another world, if only through the written word."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Violence, Kidnapping, and Grief
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Cancer, Cursing, Suicide, Terminal illness, Mass/school shootings, and Suicide attempt
abduction, missing person, death of partner, sibling deathjess_d84's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
slow-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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, and Murder
Minor: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Rape, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Abortion, Pregnancy, and War
katharina90's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.5
This book wrecked me. Entirely and absolutely.
It's the slowest paced thriller I've ever read, but the short chapters paired with a writing style that leaves you guessing did add a certain level of thrill.
I loved the complex, flawed characters and their relationships with one another. It's a heartbreaking but beautiful story. Many plot twists, some of which I really didn't see coming.
There's a lot going on in this book--maybe a little too much, maybe it's longer than it needed to be--but overall, it was a captivating and moving read.
It's the slowest paced thriller I've ever read, but the short chapters paired with a writing style that leaves you guessing did add a certain level of thrill.
I loved the complex, flawed characters and their relationships with one another. It's a heartbreaking but beautiful story. Many plot twists, some of which I really didn't see coming.
There's a lot going on in this book--maybe a little too much, maybe it's longer than it needed to be--but overall, it was a captivating and moving read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement and Kidnapping
Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Terminal illness, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, and Classism
Minor: Homophobia, Rape, and Suicide