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paigepeploe 's review for:
The Dark We Know
by Wen-yi Lee
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It was very fortunate that the moment I swore off pre-ordering books from Gillian Flynn’s imprint, I was granted an ARC of its next upcoming book, The Dark We Know! This YA story follows Isadora as she returns to her hometown to receive an inheritance from her father’s death, only to find out once she gets there that an old friend, Mason, needs her help taking down the evil spirit that is suspected of causing the deaths of children in town, including two of Isa’s and Mason’s best friends.
My favorite part of this novel was the atmosphere. I kept picturing an abandoned town in Appalachia with views of the surrounding forest and ancient houses. This pairs well with the horror elements, which were also extremely well done. It had rat attacks, bloated bodies, decrepit libraries and more! There is also great gender and sexual orientation diversity in this book, which we love to see in a YA book. I would describe the writing style as lyrical, especially the portions of the book from the Angel’s POV. Because of the writing style, I would consider this a slower paced book so keep that in mind if you decide to pick it up.
On the downside, I felt that the flow and pacing of the novel were off. I was so interested in the main storyline that the growing number of side plots and adventures started to tire me out, not to mention that everything that happens in this book feels like a major surprise. I wanted to feel like I knew where the story was headed but the twists and turns didn’t allow for that.
*Thank you to NetGalley for exchanging an e-ARC of this book for an unbiased review!