A review by undersea
All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

challenging dark funny sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

I enjoyed the story and the scope of this book. I enjoy stories with this type of sweeping timeline & interesting characters with some mystery involved. That said, I have issues. 

First of all the writing style never really clicked with me, though I did get used to it over 600 pages 🙄 The short chapters are helpful but there are detailed, luxurious descriptions of landscapes & then key plot elements
like Saint’s pregnancy & labor
that are literally skipped over in order to create a “twist” later on.  Cliff hangers are really done a disservice to the momentum, leaving one character’s story line hanging for “anticipation” only to have it kind of glazed over and summarized when we finally come back to it. 

Also, possibly because of the writing style or the length, when new mysteries would pop up I would literally sigh. I was just tired. It felt emotionally manipulative. 

I will say, the chosen family that is built in this book is truly wonderful. It might be what kept me going most through 600 pages of Patch. 

Are we supposed to like Patch? I feel empathy for him for sure, but the entire book is basically saying: let men act however they need to act, support them no matter what, do the actual work of hunting down a serial killer while he paints & searches backwards for victims families instead of trying to prevent more people from becoming victims, & because of that ladies, you’ll get all the love & thanks you deserve which is none. Literally every woman in this story is there in support of Patch & he gives them nothing. Saint & Misty & Norma & Charlotte & even Sammy are so amazing & interesting, but we are only treated to them as they relate to and support Patch with this undying, unending support. That is never, not once returned. Unless you count killing which just takes Patch further from them.
This is why I don’t read male authors much😒
Expand filter menu Content Warnings