Reviews

A Door in the Dark by Scott Reintgen

ellie742's review against another edition

4.0

I was genuinely surprised of how good this book was. Right from the start my expectations were low considering that I had never heard of the book at all and the cashier at the store that I went to suggested it to me. But a quarter way through I was hooked. Just the fact that a bunch of teenagers were stranded in the middle of a dangerous forest had some sort of pull. In the start of the book I could tell that there was something wrong with Ren. I think that she just saw people as objects that she could use to get height in power. I saw it even more when she was in the woods. She treated all of those people like the only reason that she needed them was for her to survive. By the end of the book when four out of the five students were dead and we are shown why they were sent to the forest in the first place I was completely dumbfound. I simply cannot believe that someone would go that far just to get revenge and power. I loved this book. The suspense was superb. I loved how the author just said the words straight out. Like when they saw that they were on the other side of the mountain and said “we’re on the wrong side”. There was just something about reading those words that made me want to read the rest as quickly as I could so that I knew what would happen next. The only thing that I didn’t like was that Theo and Ren didn’t really have a love story. I started reading this book thinking that it would be an enemies to lovers but it kind of gave off more unrequited love. But you can’t have it all.

mullinsitover's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-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

4.5

balletbookworm's review against another edition

dark tense fast-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

3.5

Maybe 3.5 stars. We picked this for our teen book group at the store (was also a monthly pick last month).

And I liked the magic system, the way it worked in concert with capitalism and class in this world. I also like how morally gray Ren was as a character (yes, I guessed the final chapter).

However, I am convinced this was originally written for the adult market and then scaled down to YA "standards." It is both overwritten and underwritten. The characters are all seniors in college and/or grad school (? wasn't clear on that) so some very adult situations are referenced (multiple characters get high throughout the book and there's a throwaway trivia bit involving nipple rings and pain play but is referred to as "alternative activities" *sideeye*) but are also very juvenilely written (for instance, Theo/other male characters are referred to as "boys" throughout despite that they're all entering the workforce and being poised for positions of power). The author isn't shy about the drug use or the violence or Ren's desire to take out House Brood to avenge her father and others in the lower class, but skitters away from the sex HARD. I think this would have been a SOLID adult contemporary fantasy series had Reintgen actually written into his adult characters rather than infantilize some of them because I would have comped this to The Magicians had it been presented for that market.

I'm also convinced this is Dramione fic (and Theo's dad? Hello Lucius Malfoy)

sleepysncring's review against another edition

in a reading slump . picking up a thriller to get me out but i will come back to this

sheri_of_literaria's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

4.25

bschweig717's review against another edition

adventurous 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? Yes

4.0

Very interesting first book, curious to continue the series and see where Ren and Theo wind up.

smolcrown's review against another edition

4.0

Spoiler

I was impressed by the world building and each character's depth. The rules for the world is well established beforehand and its enjoyable to follow along with the group as they navigate solutions within these rules. Each character feels like a real person, which each having their own complex relationship with the world.

At first I thought some of the elements (Ren's constant guilt) were repetitive but I found them to be necessary in the twist ending.

barofsoapinmyass's review against another edition

adventurous 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Ren pissed me off the whole book, i cant ever really relate to characters whos main motivation is revenge, but maybe thats just me. theos character i think just lacked a bit of substance other than that i actually liked him and i wished Ren was less of a bitch to him. the other side characters were cute and i actually loved their friendships 

priya_amrev's review against another edition

4.0

Beautiful cover
The story - wow

jody_diou's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5