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A review by bookishmillennial
The Dark Place by Britney S. Lewis
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I enjoy most books for what they are, & I extract lessons from them all. Everyone’s reading experiences are subjective, so I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me on Instagram: @bookish.millennial or tiktok: @bookishmillennial
Britney has described this as having Coraline vibes, because the main character Hylee slips into an alternate timeline, and time travels to a time her brother was alive & well. In the present, Hylee has moved to the suburbs in Missouri from Kansas City, Kansas, and her brother has gone missing. Her family refuses to discuss him, as they are all in denial and struggling with their grieving process.
Hylee meets a boy at a party, Eilam, and she accidentally disappears right in front of him, much to her chagrin. They begin to unravel what happened the night her brother went missing, and navigate what is happening to Hylee and her time traveling!
I appreciated the way that Hylee's entire family approached or avoided the conversation about her brother. It showed a realistic representation of what grief looks like, and how it can feel differently based on the person. I don't blame Hylee's parents for the way they behaved, because I can only imagine being in their positions. I have read so much about the inexplicable pain a parent feels when their child goes missing, and feeling resigned to never having answers. It's devastating, and I think Lewis illustrated their utter hopelessness and avoidance so perfectly.
I enjoyed the subplot of romance between Hylee and Eilam; I loved the little reveal between them, and thought they were both valid in their frustrations with the other. I especially enjoyed the ending, because I adore the trope of having to find each other after inevitably changing the present by altering the past. I imagine a HFN for them, as they re-get to know each other, and as Hylee fills in Eilam on all they did in her alternate timeline .
This book was a beautiful tale of coming-of-age, eerie paranormal/science fiction, different types of grief, loss of a sibling, and finding the truth out for yourself!
Britney has described this as having Coraline vibes, because the main character Hylee slips into an alternate timeline, and time travels to a time her brother was alive & well. In the present, Hylee has moved to the suburbs in Missouri from Kansas City, Kansas, and her brother has gone missing. Her family refuses to discuss him, as they are all in denial and struggling with their grieving process.
Hylee meets a boy at a party, Eilam, and she accidentally disappears right in front of him, much to her chagrin. They begin to unravel what happened the night her brother went missing, and navigate what is happening to Hylee and her time traveling!
I appreciated the way that Hylee's entire family approached or avoided the conversation about her brother. It showed a realistic representation of what grief looks like, and how it can feel differently based on the person. I don't blame Hylee's parents for the way they behaved, because I can only imagine being in their positions. I have read so much about the inexplicable pain a parent feels when their child goes missing, and feeling resigned to never having answers. It's devastating, and I think Lewis illustrated their utter hopelessness and avoidance so perfectly.
I enjoyed the subplot of romance between Hylee and Eilam; I loved the little reveal between them, and thought they were both valid in their frustrations with the other. I especially enjoyed the ending, because I adore the trope of having to
This book was a beautiful tale of coming-of-age, eerie paranormal/science fiction, different types of grief, loss of a sibling, and finding the truth out for yourself!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Child death, Gore, Grief, Death, Blood, Racism, and Body horror