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A review by a_chickletz
The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould
3.0
I'd like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's press for allowing me a chance to review this book. It was actually a surprise that I was chosen since I don't remember requesting or asking to read it.
But I did, and I feel this book will certainly appeal to people who are looking for something along the lines of Stranger Things.
It is difficult to focus on any level of this book without letting a spoiler come through. Yet, picture a girl who lives with her two dads. One of them is distant, the other present. They both run a paranormal investigation team that has a show that is quite popular. The father who is distant is currently residing in Oregon where a teen has gone missing. Reluctantly the girl and her other father return to Oregon where they meet up with him and that's when things start hitting the fan. Because her parents have a history in this town, and their return is not taken too kindly.
Homophobia is a big part of this book and what spurs a lot of the actions of the characters. At times, I forgot this is a supernatural book because it felt more or less like a thriller or a fiction book without a supernatural angle. I feel the mixture of the supernatural bit weighed down the homophobia and the two did not blend together so well by the end. I felt the supernatural reveal was not as strong or emotional as it should have been. Personally, I would have chosen one or the other as the focus. Or perhaps the author was not that strong with writing for both of the topics.
In any case, it is what sunk the book down two stars for me. This book is getting a lot of 4/5 star reviews which had me excited to read it. Yet I felt coming away from this that I was missing something. Oh well.
But I did, and I feel this book will certainly appeal to people who are looking for something along the lines of Stranger Things.
It is difficult to focus on any level of this book without letting a spoiler come through. Yet, picture a girl who lives with her two dads. One of them is distant, the other present. They both run a paranormal investigation team that has a show that is quite popular. The father who is distant is currently residing in Oregon where a teen has gone missing. Reluctantly the girl and her other father return to Oregon where they meet up with him and that's when things start hitting the fan. Because her parents have a history in this town, and their return is not taken too kindly.
Homophobia is a big part of this book and what spurs a lot of the actions of the characters. At times, I forgot this is a supernatural book because it felt more or less like a thriller or a fiction book without a supernatural angle. I feel the mixture of the supernatural bit weighed down the homophobia and the two did not blend together so well by the end. I felt the supernatural reveal was not as strong or emotional as it should have been. Personally, I would have chosen one or the other as the focus. Or perhaps the author was not that strong with writing for both of the topics.
In any case, it is what sunk the book down two stars for me. This book is getting a lot of 4/5 star reviews which had me excited to read it. Yet I felt coming away from this that I was missing something. Oh well.