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A review by paradoxically
Diving into the Wreck by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
4.0
Super enjoyed this! It's not going to be everyone's cup of tea--the book is essentially divided into three distinct parts and there's not much in the way of action, though there's plenty in the way of tension. It's also in first person POV (your mileage may vary) and a couple of the characters have some truly awful (nick)names (Squishy. Turtle. Boss). And the book just nestled close to my heart because there's a Mystery In Space and there are strange creepy places (that I, uh, basically wanted the characters to explore more and if there's a regret it's that they didn't do that).
Boss (yes, unfortunate name. Nickname. Something) is one of those people you just kind of grow fond of and don't really know why. She's a loner and is perfectly content with this (yay). She's competent, but she knows very well when people have more experience/knowledge than her and she's not afraid to utilize those people. At the same time she's passionate about history and believes that the wrecks she dives into are important for historical value. Also, she wants to assuage her curiosity. It's a little low key, but this curiosity is a big part of who she is and I can't help but become excited alongside of her.
My favorite part about the books is the mystery behind everything. And the slight creep factor. I don't even think I'm explaining this right, haha. You can take something rather ordinary, give it a little twist of something other and suddenly it becomes electrifying. For example, the Room of Lost Souls (which is the middle of the three parts of the book). It's a room on an abandoned station that basically lets people in and nobody comes out. See that? That right there? I love things like that.
But don't get me wrong, the book has flashes of what I detailed above, but a lot of it (most of it, admittedly) is planning and other stuff. The actual exploration doesn't last all that long and you come away with a few questions as well as answers. And there's not a lot of action either. No great shoot outs or anything like that. There's a lot of tension, but also a lot of introspection.
The actual plot is--well, at first you're not sure where the book is going and what it's trying to accomplish. You see the stirrings of a plot, but the first third is basically an extended introduction into Boss's world. The second third is build up for the last third of the book, which segues nicely into the next book. But I did enjoy this book. It made me a bit sad, but prodded at my curiosity. I disliked a few characters, but mostly I liked them. You don't really delve into other people's pasts or see who they truly are as people for the most part though; Diving Into the Wreck is very much centered on Boss. 4 stars.
Boss (yes, unfortunate name. Nickname. Something) is one of those people you just kind of grow fond of and don't really know why. She's a loner and is perfectly content with this (yay). She's competent, but she knows very well when people have more experience/knowledge than her and she's not afraid to utilize those people. At the same time she's passionate about history and believes that the wrecks she dives into are important for historical value. Also, she wants to assuage her curiosity. It's a little low key, but this curiosity is a big part of who she is and I can't help but become excited alongside of her.
My favorite part about the books is the mystery behind everything. And the slight creep factor. I don't even think I'm explaining this right, haha. You can take something rather ordinary, give it a little twist of something other and suddenly it becomes electrifying. For example, the Room of Lost Souls (which is the middle of the three parts of the book). It's a room on an abandoned station that basically lets people in and nobody comes out. See that? That right there? I love things like that.
But don't get me wrong, the book has flashes of what I detailed above, but a lot of it (most of it, admittedly) is planning and other stuff. The actual exploration doesn't last all that long and you come away with a few questions as well as answers. And there's not a lot of action either. No great shoot outs or anything like that. There's a lot of tension, but also a lot of introspection.
The actual plot is--well, at first you're not sure where the book is going and what it's trying to accomplish. You see the stirrings of a plot, but the first third is basically an extended introduction into Boss's world. The second third is build up for the last third of the book, which segues nicely into the next book. But I did enjoy this book. It made me a bit sad, but prodded at my curiosity. I disliked a few characters, but mostly I liked them. You don't really delve into other people's pasts or see who they truly are as people for the most part though; Diving Into the Wreck is very much centered on Boss. 4 stars.