A review by rorikae
Below the Edge of Darkness: A Memoir of Exploring Light and Life in the Deep Sea by Edith Widder
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
'Below the Edge of Darkness: A Memoir of Exploring Light and Life in the Deep Sea' by Edith Widder is a memoir of Widder's experience as a marine biologist, particularly her study of bioluminescence, paired with information on how animals use bioluminescence. It pairs accessible discussions on bioluminescence with Widder's passion for marine biology.
I really enjoyed the first half of this book and learning about bioluminescence but I found that it fell flat because it focused so specifically on Widder's marine biology work without incorporating more of her life and personality. We learn a lot about her specific dives and the breakthroughs that she was a part of but we don't get as much of her personality as I would have hoped. This book was pitched to me as an exploration of deep sea life and bioluminescence colored by the author's experience with partial blindness. Though this is touched on, it was far less important to the story than I was expecting.
I think this book would have benefited from Widder incorporating more of her personal experience and life outside of her biology work and how that weaves into who she is as a person. Ultimately, it felt more like a textbook but told through her experiences, which was less engaging than I had hoped. I didn't love the audiobook narration either, which didn't help.
I would love to read more about this subject in the future but I would seek out a book that is either strictly an informational book about the subject or one that better weaves the memoir aspects into the wider story.
I really enjoyed the first half of this book and learning about bioluminescence but I found that it fell flat because it focused so specifically on Widder's marine biology work without incorporating more of her life and personality. We learn a lot about her specific dives and the breakthroughs that she was a part of but we don't get as much of her personality as I would have hoped. This book was pitched to me as an exploration of deep sea life and bioluminescence colored by the author's experience with partial blindness. Though this is touched on, it was far less important to the story than I was expecting.
I think this book would have benefited from Widder incorporating more of her personal experience and life outside of her biology work and how that weaves into who she is as a person. Ultimately, it felt more like a textbook but told through her experiences, which was less engaging than I had hoped. I didn't love the audiobook narration either, which didn't help.
I would love to read more about this subject in the future but I would seek out a book that is either strictly an informational book about the subject or one that better weaves the memoir aspects into the wider story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical trauma, Medical content, and Confinement
Minor: Death