A review by astoriareader
All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective tense fast-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

5.0

SYNOPSIS
  • We get to follow the lives of Patch & Saint over a 25 year span, namely from 1976-2001.
  • We start in the small town of Monta Clare, Missouri. Patch & Saint are young & friends, and they only have each other. They are outsiders & don’t really fit in with everyone else at school. One day, Patch saves a girl, Misty, from being taken by a man in the woods. In the process of saving Misty, Patch is taken himself.
  • I don’t want to spoil more, so I will leave it at the story follows Patch & Saint for 25 years and how they intertwine.

MY THOUGHTS
  • At 608 pages, this book may be intimidating to some, but the chapters are all short & digestible. It’s a slow burn, but a big payoff. Worth the read. Very satisfying ending.
  • The book is a mix of genres and topics - mystery, literary fiction, love story/romance, thriller, missing girls, coming of age, & even some mentions of historical events.
  • The characters are so deep, complex,  & vividly captured. One of the best character studies I have ever read.
  • Loved the exploration of loyalty, trauma, courage, vulnerability, family (ones you are born into & ones you make along the way), friendship, hope, grief, guilt, the different kinds of love, & more that I am missing.
  • A masterpiece. The plot & characters are expertly woven together. Whitaker is clearly an expert storyteller. It all flows so well. Excellent pacing.
  • Gorgeous, poetic prose. Not sure how I haven’t read any of Whitaker’s books before, but can’t wait to get his other ones.

TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️it’s only September, but this is one of the best books of 2024. one of my new favorites of all time.
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