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smokeandwires's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, and Murder
Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Gore, Gun violence, Grief, and Alcohol
kaneebli's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Confinement and Murder
Minor: Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, and Classism
rochelleisreading's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
sleepye's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, and Death
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Vomit
ethapagesofwonder's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Darcy Coates 'From Below' plunges readers into a chilling tale of underwater horror that grips from start to finish. The novel excels in its evocative setting, vividly depicting the oppressive, eerie depths beneath the sea. Coates masterfully conveys the isolation and danger within the sunken SS Arcadia, crafting an atmosphere fraught with cold, pressure, and claustrophobia. These elements heighten the suspense, making it hard to put the book down.
While I usually struggle with dual timelines, 'From Below' adeptly employs them, particularly the 1920s narrative leading to the ship's demise. This storyline adds a chilling layer of mystery, keeping me engrossed in uncovering how the horrors unfolded and shaped the ship's fate. However, while hints are dropped about the cause, a deeper exploration of the backstory would have enriched the narrative.
In the present-day timeline, the exploration of the wreck induces a palpable sense of claustrophobia and suffocation, so immersive that I found myself holding my breath while reading.
Regarding the characters, some of their reckless decisions were frustrating and stressful, endangering their fellow divers. I won't spoil specific actions, but experiencing these characters firsthand adds to the immersion. Nonetheless, characters like Vanna (and even Hestie) shine through as relatable and likable.
Despite all the carefully crafted suspense and buildup, unfortunately, the revelation of the haunting presence in the sunken ship in the modern timeline felt somewhat abrupt and excessive, leaving me somewhat disappointed since I was expecting something more unique or unexpected, such as a different type of monster or entity.
Overall, 'From Below' remains an engaging read, especially for those intrigued by the eerie exploration of a sunken ship's mysteries.
While I usually struggle with dual timelines, 'From Below' adeptly employs them, particularly the 1920s narrative leading to the ship's demise. This storyline adds a chilling layer of mystery, keeping me engrossed in uncovering how the horrors unfolded and shaped the ship's fate. However, while hints are dropped about the cause, a deeper exploration of the backstory would have enriched the narrative.
In the present-day timeline, the exploration of the wreck induces a palpable sense of claustrophobia and suffocation, so immersive that I found myself holding my breath while reading.
Regarding the characters, some of their reckless decisions were frustrating and stressful, endangering their fellow divers. I won't spoil specific actions, but experiencing these characters firsthand adds to the immersion. Nonetheless, characters like Vanna (and even Hestie) shine through as relatable and likable.
Despite all the carefully crafted suspense and buildup, unfortunately, the revelation of the haunting presence in the sunken ship in the modern timeline felt somewhat abrupt and excessive, leaving me somewhat disappointed since I was expecting something more unique or unexpected, such as a different type of monster or entity.
Overall, 'From Below' remains an engaging read, especially for those intrigued by the eerie exploration of a sunken ship's mysteries.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Suicide
zandria's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
Also submachanaphobia, open water, corpses, drowning suffocationslou_i's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Suicide
Moderate: Gore and Blood
yvo_about_books's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Finished reading: June 7th 2024
“In the brief moment he'd touched the metal, he'd felt the danger of the place. This ship wasn't a gem on the ocean floor, waiting to be found. It was a trap.”
I had a fantastic first experience with Darcy Coates' writing last year, and I've been meaning to read more of her books ever since. I was fascinated by the claustrophobic vibe of the blurb of From Below with the mysterious ship wreck, the dive angle and the promise of something dark lurking within... And I have to say that this story definitely delivered for me. While a tad overlong, the ominous and claustrophobic vibe of this paranormal horror slash locked room thriller made it impossible to stop turning those pages. From Below actually uses a dual timeline structure, where we switch between the present with the dive team and 1928 on board of the SS Arcadia in the days leading up to its disappearance. I wasn't expecting the historical POV, but I understand why it was added as it gave the story so much more dept as well as adding to that ominous atmosphere. The fact that you, like the characters in both timelines, don't have a clear idea what is happening added a hint of urgency, and while certain parts did feel a bit repetitive, it wasn't enough to prevent me from wanting to know more. From Below definitely classifies as paranormal/supernatural horror, so make sure you are prepared for things to get proper creepy along the way... Especially in the second half of the story where things become more intense. Honestly, I'm not sure why the dive team even returns to the Arcadia after the second dive! I would have run away screaming instead... If you are looking for a properly frightening and tense paranormal horror read with a locked room vibe and a truly claustrophobic feel with the majority of the present timeline set 300 feet under water, From Below without doubt fits the bill. It's true that the story is a bit overlong and the pace isn't always consistent, but the plot itself is intriguing enough to keep you fully on board anyway.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
mollymoynihan's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Suicide
morethanmylupus's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This was an ok thriller. It was more horror-lite than a thriller, but I liked it. Not too scary (which is good because I don't have the stomach for most of the true horror genre). Enjoyable to listen to while doing my spring cleaning.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death