Scan barcode
A review by c8_19
Dark Things I Adore by Katie Lattari
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
I don't often wander into the land of thrillers, and this book reminds me why. I am DISTURBED. For all you thriller lovers, I'm sure this is the exact kind of review you want to hear. I'm also reminded of when I read In Cold Blood (Capote) two years ago and didn't pick up anything remotely terrifying for months and months because I was so spooked. Now here I am. Again. Unsettled in the most effective way.
I deeply admire Katie, as I've had opportunities to work with and learn from her about the craft of writing. This piece is now another chance for me to learn more things because her wordsmithing is so well done. Ambiance is key here, and if you ever thought the remote, northern words of Maine would be the perfect setting for a thriller you were right.
The way Max's perspective was handled was quite impressive to me because, as a reader, I clearly saw him as this scummy guy who did some terrible things to a young woman (well, multiple young women, but those are side details). There's great consistency with him in the fact that he always manages to justify his actions but not in having evil, malicious intentions sort of way. Rather, he's just so self-absorbed that he does not see the accuracy of what his choices resulted in. I think that's of note because his motives make for a more interesting character and keeps character dynamics/dialogue from being cliché.
There's another character who does some horrifying things, too, and I don't feel like there were full answers about why they did what they did. There was a little bit near the end where some motives were given, but I also thought there seemed to be more rage in this character simmering beneath the surface than went explained.
My final thought is about the ending because I'd actually been reading the last section and thinking, "This is a nice way to conclude. The final pieces of drama have played out. Audra is doing her thing. Life is carrying on. I can breathe again." And then, literally, the last two pages were like, "Psych! Here's one more thing." I wouldn't label it a cliffhanger, and it wasn't cliché. It was more about being lulled into smooth sailing only to be handed a pertinent (shocking? I had been wondering about this) character detail, allowing the disturbing vibes to persist.
I deeply admire Katie, as I've had opportunities to work with and learn from her about the craft of writing. This piece is now another chance for me to learn more things because her wordsmithing is so well done. Ambiance is key here, and if you ever thought the remote, northern words of Maine would be the perfect setting for a thriller you were right.
The way Max's perspective was handled was quite impressive to me because, as a reader, I clearly saw him as this scummy guy who did some terrible things to a young woman (well, multiple young women, but those are side details). There's great consistency with him in the fact that he always manages to justify his actions but not in having evil, malicious intentions sort of way. Rather, he's just so self-absorbed that he does not see the accuracy of what his choices resulted in. I think that's of note because his motives make for a more interesting character and keeps character dynamics/dialogue from being cliché.
There's another character who does some horrifying things, too, and I don't feel like there were full answers about why they did what they did. There was a little bit near the end where some motives were given, but I also thought there seemed to be more rage in this character simmering beneath the surface than went explained.
My final thought is about the ending because I'd actually been reading the last section and thinking, "This is a nice way to conclude. The final pieces of drama have played out. Audra is doing her thing. Life is carrying on. I can breathe again." And then, literally, the last two pages were like, "Psych! Here's one more thing." I wouldn't label it a cliffhanger, and it wasn't cliché. It was more about being lulled into smooth sailing only to be handed a pertinent (shocking? I had been wondering about this) character detail, allowing the disturbing vibes to persist.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt