harpoonholly's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Audiobook read by Abby Craden. She's a fine reader, though sometimes her pacing took away from the story rather than added to it. But, she handled each character's personalities well and their individual moments of fear, anxiety, despair, and joy.
I've been looking for a deep sea horror that is both "deep sea" and "horror" and From Below nails it. It's atmospheric in its description of the SS Arcadia, it is the sublime underneath, making the wider ocean seem like a safe haven in comparison. Coates takes what is often thought of as a Lovecraftian subgenre (to both horror and the gothic) and deviates from the weirdist (weirdism sub-subgenre) norm.
I've been looking for a deep sea horror that is both "deep sea" and "horror" and From Below nails it. It's atmospheric in its description of the SS Arcadia, it is the sublime underneath, making the wider ocean seem like a safe haven in comparison. Coates takes what is often thought of as a Lovecraftian subgenre (to both horror and the gothic) and deviates from the weirdist (weirdism sub-subgenre) norm.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Body horror, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicide
Moderate: Death of parent and Murder
There might be more horror/gothic ambience in reading the text directly, letting the readers' imaginations to get away with them. The audiobook was enjoyable, but had a kimd of impersonal, voyeuristic vibe. Of course, I couldn't stop listening till I was through, so maybe not...silverheartbookclub's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Confinement, Suicide attempt, and Suicide
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, and Murder
lindsbal's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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? No
4.5
I don't often read horror but, I love period and dual timeline books. This book was such a thrilling read and I loved how the narrative jumped between the modern day shipwreck exploration story and the days leading up to the ship sinking in the 1920s. A lot of suspense was created from knowing that the ship was going to sink but not how it was going to happen. The chapters are short and often leave you with a cliffhanger as they whip you back and fourth between the two timelines.
I'm not a diver, but the descriptions of the mechanics of a dive this deep felt plausible and it seemed like Darcy had done a lot of research into how an expedition like this would work.
My only criticism is wishing the book would have followed more than one character in the 1920s. We get to know one of the crew members but I would have loved a passenger perspective as well. (Even if it would have come at the expense of the fast pace.) There were five divers plus two people aboard the ship in the modern day timeline so it felt a bit unbalanced with the 1920's narrative where we primarily followed one person.
Overall highly recommend this one!
I'm not a diver, but the descriptions of the mechanics of a dive this deep felt plausible and it seemed like Darcy had done a lot of research into how an expedition like this would work.
My only criticism is wishing the book would have followed more than one character in the 1920s. We get to know one of the crew members but I would have loved a passenger perspective as well. (Even if it would have come at the expense of the fast pace.) There were five divers plus two people aboard the ship in the modern day timeline so it felt a bit unbalanced with the 1920's narrative where we primarily followed one person.
Overall highly recommend this one!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Body horror, and Confinement
Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic and Suicide
Minor: Murder
louisegraveyard's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Murder, Grief, and Death
sophieamreacher's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Super creepy. Hated it and loved it at the same time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Murder, Vomit, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Injury/Injury detail
aas's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Gore, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Confinement, Grief, and Murder
polarbearisla's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
So good. So terrifying and yet what an adventure! The tension developed gradually yet not painfully. The way the horror was written was so impressive. So scary and the characters were so real and lovable. Amazing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement and Body horror
Moderate: Murder, Blood, Death, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, and Violence
wrensreadingroom's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Medical trauma, Child death, Death of parent, Body horror, Blood, Alcohol, Confinement, Death, Murder, Cursing, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
the_books_music_life's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
From Below is set around a crew of underwater divers who explore a famously unsolved shipwreck that was recently found, as well as try to uncover the mystery of what actually happened.
The duel timeline was a key piece of this book it added so much to the story that I think the reader would have been lost without. We get the see the original crew in the days preceding the wreak. The duel timeline also adds even more questions onto the mystery while answering some questions we have in the present.
I did have a little trouble following all the different POV's as it doesn't differentiate who is narrating be it the characters in the past or present. Almost all the characters where well fleshed out and had depth to them. They all had pasts and we get to learn a little about a few of the characters pasts and how it relates to the story.
I still have a ton of questions and I really thought the story would go a certain way multiple times but it didn't and it surprised me. I'm glad the story didn't go in the way I was thinking as it would have been cliché and overdone.
The aspect of the secrets the Arcadia has hidden is wonderfully thought out and you can just tell how much research went into this book.
I did have issue with some of the characters choices and I felt the book was a little longer than it needed to be. But, overall the book was wonderful and I enjoyed it immensely.
The duel timeline was a key piece of this book it added so much to the story that I think the reader would have been lost without. We get the see the original crew in the days preceding the wreak. The duel timeline also adds even more questions onto the mystery while answering some questions we have in the present.
I did have a little trouble following all the different POV's as it doesn't differentiate who is narrating be it the characters in the past or present. Almost all the characters where well fleshed out and had depth to them. They all had pasts and we get to learn a little about a few of the characters pasts and how it relates to the story.
I still have a ton of questions and I really thought the story would go a certain way multiple times but it didn't and it surprised me. I'm glad the story didn't go in the way I was thinking as it would have been cliché and overdone.
The aspect of the secrets the Arcadia has hidden is wonderfully thought out and you can just tell how much research went into this book.
I did have issue with some of the characters choices and I felt the book was a little longer than it needed to be. But, overall the book was wonderful and I enjoyed it immensely.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Body horror, Death of parent, and Panic attacks/disorders
shipwreck,honeywine's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Gore, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Death, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Suicide attempt, Medical trauma, and Alcohol