Review by aussiegirlinuk - All the Colours of the Dark

aussiegirlinuk 's review for:

All the Colours of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

4.5

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

This book broke me — in the best possible way. Haunting, unforgettable, and achingly beautiful. I first heard about it last year and immediately placed a library hold (position 256!); when it finally came in, I couldn’t wait to dive in.

A mystery. A thriller. A love story. Whitaker somehow weaves all three into something utterly unique. Set in 1970s Missouri, it follows Patch — a one-eyed boy abducted one summer — and Saint, the fierce girl determined to bring him home. In his darkest moments, Patch finds hope in the voice of a girl named Grace. But when he escapes… she’s gone. Or maybe she never existed.

Spanning decades, this is a story about love and loss, justice and redemption, and the long shadows that tragedy casts — on people, families, and entire towns.

It reminded me of Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead in how it explores poverty, legacy, and the quiet devastation of systemic failure — but at its core, this is a book about hope. And obsession. And how far we’ll go for the people we love.

Impeccably crafted. Deeply emotional. Entirely shattering.

Read it. Let it stay with you.

Content Warnings