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readdrinkandbehappy's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
nibbseyreads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
cgrady_30's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
paradise_library's review against another edition
3.0
Traditionally, murders take place in large mansions, islands cut off from the mainland and isolated cabins. Yet, what is more desolate and bleak than Antarctica?
The setting for The Dark is incredible: atmospheric and beautifully dangerous. Nothing but ice and snow for miles around, in a place where there is less and less sunlight each day. Stuck in close proximity with colleagues in artificial light for months, it’s not surprising people would feel a little claustrophobic.
Descriptions of the outside world and the little details (like the lack of fresh food and the freezing of sweat) are excellent and we really feel Kate’s fear when she’s caught outside with no torch, fumbling in the dark to find her way back. These sections are powerful and terrifying.
However, the story lets the book down. It starts off very slowly, with multiple characters introduced. There’s a lot of diversity in the characters, but Kate judges them all by their appearance and we never get to know them as well as we should. I also wonder about the amount of alcohol (and weed) available at the station, as well as how on Earth Kate passed the medical checks for the role… The author hints at Kate’s past, but we are never sure what happened, which makes me think she wanted us to suspect Kate as well, especially considering her serious addiction, which would affect her reactions and perception.
It’s sold with one body and 12 suspects, but the first body (or lack thereof) is why Kate is there in the first place… and then all of a sudden, there are loads of them! I was quite invested in the story to begin with, but the second part feels very rushed and the ending is quite ridiculous! But if you’ve had a caesarean and think it’s feasible, please let me know…
The book is well-researched and the descriptions of the Antarctic are breath-taking. However, overall it’s disappointing and does not deliver a satisfactory ending.
The setting for The Dark is incredible: atmospheric and beautifully dangerous. Nothing but ice and snow for miles around, in a place where there is less and less sunlight each day. Stuck in close proximity with colleagues in artificial light for months, it’s not surprising people would feel a little claustrophobic.
Descriptions of the outside world and the little details (like the lack of fresh food and the freezing of sweat) are excellent and we really feel Kate’s fear when she’s caught outside with no torch, fumbling in the dark to find her way back. These sections are powerful and terrifying.
However, the story lets the book down. It starts off very slowly, with multiple characters introduced. There’s a lot of diversity in the characters, but Kate judges them all by their appearance and we never get to know them as well as we should. I also wonder about the amount of alcohol (and weed) available at the station, as well as how on Earth Kate passed the medical checks for the role… The author hints at Kate’s past, but we are never sure what happened, which makes me think she wanted us to suspect Kate as well, especially considering her serious addiction, which would affect her reactions and perception.
It’s sold with one body and 12 suspects, but the first body (or lack thereof) is why Kate is there in the first place… and then all of a sudden, there are loads of them! I was quite invested in the story to begin with, but the second part feels very rushed and the ending is quite ridiculous! But if you’ve had a caesarean and think it’s feasible, please let me know…
The book is well-researched and the descriptions of the Antarctic are breath-taking. However, overall it’s disappointing and does not deliver a satisfactory ending.
demi_binnema's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
paskendus's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
pollyanna_paperback's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars!! I loved this book! I definitely predicted ALOT but even then I found it SO enjoyable!
nadiamer's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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
4.0
At first I wasn’t sure if I liked the characters, they seemed the basic whodunnit /thriller characters but as I got to know them better, I really liked them. Mainly Arne, Caro, Sonya and Katie (the main character) The secluded and dangerous location where the location itself could murder you was a great choice of atmosphere. I always love a whodunnit although you can usually guess the direction it’s going to go to - they usually follow the same main things so when you’ve read a lot of them you can guess well based on how they’re usually written - this one though did have some suprising and well done plot lines. Towards the end I HAD to know if I was right with who I guessed was the murderer or murderers and I was half right. I was thinking about all the clues of who it could be whenever I wasn’t reading. There was no plot holes from my knowledge and I think it was just a very enjoyable book!
lunaseline's review against another edition
3.0
Ibland är det skönt att landa i något välbekant. Något där läsförståelsen behöver aktiveras minimalt, då genrekunskapen redan leder hjärnan rätt och lätt.
Som när Kate landar på isen vid forskningsstationen och vi vet att det snart kommer att vara ett gäng personer instängda tillsammans, i kyla och mörker och med noll möjligheter att ta sig därifrån.
Personerna presenteras, men du behöver inte anstränga dig särskilt mycket: du vet att du får ungefär "en av varje" (en tyst och stark ryss, en kryddande kock från Bangladesh, en lesbisk brittisk skönhet, en stram ledar-fransyska, und so weiter).
Det enda som stör är författarens envisa upprepande av "lost in translation"-dialoger, där dessa högutbildade och utvalda personer då och då inte förstår Basic engelska, eller huvudpersonen godmodigt får översätta simpla idiom (som finns i betydligt fler språk än brittiska och förmodligen förstås bättre av killen från Island eller Tyskland.) Imperialism i det lilla, och rätt ovärdigt en bok som försöker vara lite internationell.
Men hey. Det är också en enkel thriller, så det blir lite löjligt att klaga på språket.
För det är skönt att landa i det välbekanta.
(Och ja: det är den man tror det är redan från början - inget att bekymra hjärnan med där heller. Gott så.)
Som när Kate landar på isen vid forskningsstationen och vi vet att det snart kommer att vara ett gäng personer instängda tillsammans, i kyla och mörker och med noll möjligheter att ta sig därifrån.
Personerna presenteras, men du behöver inte anstränga dig särskilt mycket: du vet att du får ungefär "en av varje" (en tyst och stark ryss, en kryddande kock från Bangladesh, en lesbisk brittisk skönhet, en stram ledar-fransyska, und so weiter).
Det enda som stör är författarens envisa upprepande av "lost in translation"-dialoger, där dessa högutbildade och utvalda personer då och då inte förstår Basic engelska, eller huvudpersonen godmodigt får översätta simpla idiom (som finns i betydligt fler språk än brittiska och förmodligen förstås bättre av killen från Island eller Tyskland.) Imperialism i det lilla, och rätt ovärdigt en bok som försöker vara lite internationell.
Men hey. Det är också en enkel thriller, så det blir lite löjligt att klaga på språket.
För det är skönt att landa i det välbekanta.
(Och ja: det är den man tror det är redan från början - inget att bekymra hjärnan med där heller. Gott så.)