shinysarah28's review
Too slow. I couldn’t quite get in to it, especially now it’s moved to an asylum. May try again in future.
katynka_'s review against another edition
5.0
this was way more complex than i expected going in, but it really drew me into the plot. i think there's maybe like, 3 likeable characters in this? but it was completely compelling and smart and well-developed. i started to have suspicions about elements of the plot, but it was told at an excellent pace and i finished the book feeling (ironically) completely satisfied.
ajcorn's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
starslang's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
kmac2022's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
brooke_last_seen_reading's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
5.0
maryw's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
phee's review against another edition
4.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this. Historical fiction is what my brain is calling out for at the moment. I can't seem to focus on books set in modern times as they feel too false, real life isn't like that at the moment due to coronavirus. So reading about a time when it wasn't a threat makes it easier for me to escape in a book. I very much need that escape right now.
There is a lot that this book deals with. Mental illness of course. But much more than that too. The writing was gorgeous and intelligent. I'm glad I read this on kindle so I could keep looking up the words she uses in the dictionary! It was an interestingly woven story that winds around itself. Just when you think you've gotten to the end of the line, you find the coil continues. It's a dark tale that sometimes went in unexpected places, but it never felt like it was meandering. I'm glad I gave this a go.
There is a lot that this book deals with. Mental illness of course. But much more than that too. The writing was gorgeous and intelligent. I'm glad I read this on kindle so I could keep looking up the words she uses in the dictionary! It was an interestingly woven story that winds around itself. Just when you think you've gotten to the end of the line, you find the coil continues. It's a dark tale that sometimes went in unexpected places, but it never felt like it was meandering. I'm glad I gave this a go.
edmundstavros's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
silverliningsandpages's review against another edition
4.0
.
“In every life, I now believe, there is one event that is the well-spring of the fundamental agony and decision in us. It lies beneath the sunlit layers of the present moment, throwing its shade across the foundations of our being, forming the self to come. If grasped and brought to the surface, it can save us or destroy us.”
.
Boston, 1833
.
After an eventful and nightmarish stint as ship’s doctor on the USS Orbis, Carver’s path crosses again with that of the legendary sailor William Borden. This time though they are psychiatrist and patient in an asylum.
.
This is a melancholic, fascinating gothic story which explores truth, knowing, not knowing and not wanting to know. The narrator is unreliable, and many people and things are not what they seem. It’s a claustrophobic novel that really delves into the murky hidden depths of the mind and heart, the “dark water”. It challenges readers to consider what “insanity” is, its spectrum and whether the “insane” characters are closer to knowledge than their doctors. Ultimately this is a clever, compelling and cautionary novel about obsessive ambition, and the nature of heroism and sacrifice. The research behind the book has obviously been meticulous; I’ve learned quite a bit about maratime matters and the portrayal of the asylum was very insightful. I enjoyed this immensely and would happily recommend it to anyone who enjoys gothic fiction. .
“In every life, I now believe, there is one event that is the well-spring of the fundamental agony and decision in us. It lies beneath the sunlit layers of the present moment, throwing its shade across the foundations of our being, forming the self to come. If grasped and brought to the surface, it can save us or destroy us.”
.
Boston, 1833
.
After an eventful and nightmarish stint as ship’s doctor on the USS Orbis, Carver’s path crosses again with that of the legendary sailor William Borden. This time though they are psychiatrist and patient in an asylum.
.
This is a melancholic, fascinating gothic story which explores truth, knowing, not knowing and not wanting to know. The narrator is unreliable, and many people and things are not what they seem. It’s a claustrophobic novel that really delves into the murky hidden depths of the mind and heart, the “dark water”. It challenges readers to consider what “insanity” is, its spectrum and whether the “insane” characters are closer to knowledge than their doctors. Ultimately this is a clever, compelling and cautionary novel about obsessive ambition, and the nature of heroism and sacrifice. The research behind the book has obviously been meticulous; I’ve learned quite a bit about maratime matters and the portrayal of the asylum was very insightful. I enjoyed this immensely and would happily recommend it to anyone who enjoys gothic fiction. .