Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

43 reviews

aas's review

challenging dark emotional sad 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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Gun violence, Death, Stalking, Blood, Murder, and Violence

_david_'s review against another edition

dark hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.0

Oof to me, every part of this book missed its mark. In general I found everything in the book a bit over the top. 

First of all, Jason is supposed to be a genius. Yet it takes him ages to even think of the theory which can be figured out as a reader very quickly. If you've figured it out before Jason, there's not much joy in reading the story until he has figured it out too. You're just waiting and turning the pages until he does and you can finally continue. The way he acts is so hard to relate to. It's very hard to imagine the situations he encounters so it's hard to emphasize with his choices. However, at least after it all goes wrong once you'd think he change his behaviour right? 

Secondly, I'd like to discuss the science behind it. To me, it's very noticable that what we're reading has been written by an author who wanted to tell a story and then looked up the physic theories which would fit it best. The logic is not consistent and some of it almost works like magic. Yet the characters in the book use big words and existing theories to clarify the science behind it all. This is a very personal ick, I've barely ever encountered a piece of media that manages to do this well. The only ways I have seen this be pulled off, is to make up your own very clear very consitent rules or just pretend it's magic and do not explain it beyond what is necessary. 

My favourite part of the book beyond the very first chapter, in which Jason only talks about his family night and life choices, are the final few chapters. Yet I wish they pushed a little further. Let Jason be a little more selfish or a little more existential. I've read another review which points out a major flaw related to the inconsistent physics which did ruin these last chapters for me as well. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Blood, Physical abuse, Gore, Violence, Murder, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Stalking, Grief, Kidnapping, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Mental illness, Abortion, Car accident, Police brutality, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Alcohol, Animal death, Drug use, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Self harm, Drug abuse, Pregnancy, and Suicidal thoughts

melaschnie's review against another edition

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gun violence, Death, Drug use, Violence, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Stalking, Suicide, Grief, Medical content, Terminal illness, Death of parent, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Vomit, Alcohol, Forced institutionalization, Abortion, Child death, Toxic friendship, and Torture

anni_swanilda's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Grief, Blood, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Stalking, and Violence

Moderate: Medical content and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Child death and Sexual content

sierrabowers's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This was a great science fiction story that is extremely relatable to the average reader. Have you ever wanted to change one decision that you have made and wonder what your life would be like if you had chosen differently? This book realistically answers that question through quantum mechanics and the theory of the multiverse. It sounds insane and it really is, but it also makes you think about your morals and what you would do if you were in the situation that Jason is in. If you’re a science lover and can comprehend complex situations, such as multiple versions of the same character in the same room, then go ahead and read this. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Blood, Cursing, Death of parent, Child death, Gaslighting, Gore, Abandonment, Abortion, Violence, Gun violence, Alcohol, Car accident, Death, Grief, Infidelity, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content

michaelion's review

adventurous dark hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.25

Something must've been in the book publishing water in the 2010s because this is the second book I've read dealing with the multiverse. Now there's so many multiverse movies! Or maybe this is nothing because I don't have enough evidence but still !!!

At first I thought this was just like that episode of Rick and Morty, then I realized it was like a different episode of Rick and Morty, kinda, then I realized none of these other medias will ever be EEAAO. So.

Negative points for being written by a man. When he said "Spanish eyes" I went oh lord here we go but also the action scenes made me think aww boys having fun playing with their toys so he kinda got the points back there. I really liked the ending.

I like when things can't go back to how they were. Even though, after we learn there's multiple other Jasons, that means there are universes with no Jasons at all and he could've just went to one of those... But also loving your wife so much you'd kill multiverse versions of yourself? That's so real. This one's for the yearners.

Last note, nothing to do with the book, it must be really acclaimed because when I placed the audiobook hold I started off in 57th place. Had it on hold almost 3 months.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Murder, Classism, Pandemic/Epidemic, Stalking, Misogyny, Torture, Gun violence, Death, Violence, and Grief

Minor: Death of parent, Police brutality, Body horror, Medical trauma, and Infidelity

stephliljazz's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.75

I loved the story line of this book. It is a definite edge of your seat not sure what's gonna happen next kind of book for the most part. I struggled getting through some of it and almost DNF it because there are several parts that get way to detailed about the physics behind what's going on and it just slowed the story way way down. Since I listened on audible I will talk about narration too. The narrator wasn't bad but I found him to be a bit monotoned. He did change voices for the different characters pretty well. With that being said I am super picky about narrators because I'm bothered by certain pitches and tones so he could be a great narrator for someone else. Over all I give 4star because there was too much of the physics in some parts that kept the storyline from progressing and I didn't find most of the physics to be important to the story. The story was awesome though the theory of there being a multiverse was just written very well. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Body horror, Cursing, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Infidelity, Murder, Violence, Police brutality, and Blood

chloeve's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

3.75

The concept of this book was really interesting and it kept my attention. However, sometimes it did get a little repetitive (understandably), and I got lost with the science talk. I didn't see how it was going to end though, and I did like it. Also, the chapters were wayyyyy too long for me, so it felt like I was taking forever to read the book. Overall, I did enjoy it and would recommend it.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, Drug use, Gun violence, Murder, and Death

Moderate: Stalking, Kidnapping, Alcohol, and Grief

Minor: Sexual content, Pandemic/Epidemic, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Terminal illness

ababytapir's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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

4.5

Like Recursion, Dark Matter is fantastically mind-bending and all too easy to read in a day. It's incredibly violent and thought provoking. If you like your sci fi thrillers tinged with horror, existential dread and romance, this is the book for you. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Kidnapping, Gore, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Stalking, Drug use, Gun violence, Murder, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Torture, Child death, Abortion, Self harm, War, Violence, Death of parent, Suicide, Car accident, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Cancer, Pregnancy, Rape, and Terminal illness

If you struggle with derealisation, dissociation or depersonalisation, or any sort of identify disorder, this book could potentially be incredibly triggering. Proceed with extreme caution. Violence warning: There is an incredibly detailed description of a gory epidemic/pandemic. There are multiple gory descriptions of dead bodies, murder, and horrific natural disasters. There is a long kidnapping scene. There's multiple instances of stalking.

karbolak's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

Very strong beginning. It was absolutely fantastic. Unfortunately, the farther towards the end, the worse.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Murder, Medical content, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Child death, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Pandemic/Epidemic, Death, and Grief