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phantasmaboo's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware, we follow a character named Nora who is invited to attend the Hen Night of an old friend. Once she arrives, she comes to find that there may be ulterior motives for her invitation, culminating in a tragic turn of events.
Overall, I thought this was a solid book by Ware, although not one of their strongest. The plot is told in a most non-chronological order, flashing the reader forward and back as Nora's memories unwind. I wouldn't say the ending was a surprise, and I did think that it was quite abrupt considering the pacing of the other parts of the book. Still, it was set up well and I could feel the tension in the final sections. I couldn't stop reading.
Some characters are fairly well-developed, while others only partially so. It was easy to tell who among the 6-7 "main" characters were suspects, because they received the most care and attention. Some side characters, like Nina, were developed more, but there were others who, quite literally, disappeared mid book only to never be discussed again. I found myself wondering why those characters were there at all if their sole purpose was to disappear.
As I mentioned, the ending was not a surprise and it was abrupt compared to the rest of the pacing. I wish that there had been more investigation on behalf of the protagonist, more so than what was in the final chapters of the book. Still, I think that the plot did well at making the reader doubt the protagonist's memory.
Finally, there were several incidents of xenophobic language used by Ware. For example, one person of color in the book is a taxi driver, whose accent is mocked by the main character as being "funny", a detail that was completely unnecessary other than to perpetuate harmful stereotypes. I would recommend the read with the understanding that this type language is used. It's not surprising as books by Ware have contained fatphobic and xenophobic language used.
Overall, I thought this was a solid book by Ware, although not one of their strongest. The plot is told in a most non-chronological order, flashing the reader forward and back as Nora's memories unwind. I wouldn't say the ending was a surprise, and I did think that it was quite abrupt considering the pacing of the other parts of the book. Still, it was set up well and I could feel the tension in the final sections. I couldn't stop reading.
Some characters are fairly well-developed, while others only partially so. It was easy to tell who among the 6-7 "main" characters were suspects, because they received the most care and attention. Some side characters, like Nina, were developed more, but there were others who, quite literally, disappeared mid book only to never be discussed again. I found myself wondering why those characters were there at all if their sole purpose was to disappear.
As I mentioned, the ending was not a surprise and it was abrupt compared to the rest of the pacing. I wish that there had been more investigation on behalf of the protagonist, more so than what was in the final chapters of the book. Still, I think that the plot did well at making the reader doubt the protagonist's memory.
Finally, there were several incidents of xenophobic language used by Ware. For example, one person of color in the book is a taxi driver, whose accent is mocked by the main character as being "funny", a detail that was completely unnecessary other than to perpetuate harmful stereotypes. I would recommend the read with the understanding that this type language is used. It's not surprising as books by Ware have contained fatphobic and xenophobic language used.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abortion and Pregnancy
Minor: Xenophobia