Reviews

I liked how the past events were explained. I loved the atmospheric vibes!! Some scenes gave literal goosebumps!! And my favourite character out of the bunch was definitely vanna!!

I only effectively hated one thing about this whole story and that is how dumb do you have to be to go BACK to the ship full of the undead that you barely escaped- knowing that your friends will follow you down there and all for some stupid piece of metal?? Like a rational normal human wont work that way allured by the ship or not! This plot point right here really dod disappoint me cuz it felt like an unnecessary- forced- reason for the crew to go back to the ship for one final showdown. Although i did end up liking the said showdown so it was sort of ok!!!

slou_i's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.0

Content Warnings

absynth's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

Characters are very shallow which doesn't match the otherwise in-depth setting and plot.

meganlovesbooks's review against another edition

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slow-paced

1.0

e_e_wilkes's review against another edition

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adventurous dark fast-paced

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

5.0

Content Warnings

yvo_about_books's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

4.0

Finished reading: June 7th 2024

“In the brief moment he'd touched the metal, he'd felt the danger of the place. This ship wasn't a gem on the ocean floor, waiting to be found. It was a trap.”

I had a fantastic first experience with Darcy Coates' writing last year, and I've been meaning to read more of her books ever since. I was fascinated by the claustrophobic vibe of the blurb of From Below with the mysterious ship wreck, the dive angle and the promise of something dark lurking within... And I have to say that this story definitely delivered for me. While a tad overlong, the ominous and claustrophobic vibe of this paranormal horror slash locked room thriller made it impossible to stop turning those pages. From Below actually uses a dual timeline structure, where we switch between the present with the dive team and 1928 on board of the SS Arcadia in the days leading up to its disappearance. I wasn't expecting the historical POV, but I understand why it was added as it gave the story so much more dept as well as adding to that ominous atmosphere. The fact that you, like the characters in both timelines, don't have a clear idea what is happening added a hint of urgency, and while certain parts did feel a bit repetitive, it wasn't enough to prevent me from wanting to know more. From Below definitely classifies as paranormal/supernatural horror, so make sure you are prepared for things to get proper creepy along the way... Especially in the second half of the story where things become more intense. Honestly, I'm not sure why the dive team even returns to the Arcadia after the second dive! I would have run away screaming instead... If you are looking for a properly frightening and tense paranormal horror read with a locked room vibe and a truly claustrophobic feel with the majority of the present timeline set 300 feet under water, From Below without doubt fits the bill. It's true that the story is a bit overlong and the pace isn't always consistent, but the plot itself is intriguing enough to keep you fully on board anyway.

Content Warnings

wondernikel's review against another edition

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2.0

Guess this one just wasn't for me. I will admit horror is very muss for me. This one was too boring, the scratching in the walls, nit enough to draw in my attentions...

catofbones's review against another edition

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mysterious slow-paced

2.5

Probably a 2.5. I don't think I 100% vibe with this style of horror. But this book is almost 500 pages and it suffers from pacing issues and problems maintaining dread and tension. Immaculate setting and atmosphere, though.

I've only read a few Coates books, but each one seems invested in making sure no real harm ever comes to the main characters. This lack of stakes also seems to lead to a lack of character development or growth. It's an odd choice for a horror novel, and it doesn't work for me. I do see why other people would find this appealing, but I wanted more.

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