A review by aardwyrm
The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer

adventurous emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

4.0

For a book where most of what actually happens is relentlessly grim, a strangely gentle read. The whole thing is very tropey and none of the twists will likely actually surprise you, but the journey matters more than the destination. I have to say the emotional build-up early on feels a bit rushed, but then, our main characters are seventeen year old boys, so. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Suicide, Abandonment, Death, Terminal illness, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Violence, Cancer, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Child death, Gaslighting, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Death of parent, Xenophobia, Homophobia, War, Sexual content, and Genocide