Scan barcode
A review by streetwrites
Dark Room Etiquette by Robin Roe
5.0
Character (5/5)
Plot & Pacing (4/5)
Setting & Surroundings (5/5)
Dialogue & Diction (4/5)
Craft & Voice (5/5)
Reading Experience (5/5)
Final Rating:
4.67/5
Comments:
It took me almost two months to read this book, and almost a full month to really digest it and know how to review it. This is one of the most unique books I’ve ever read, certainly in the YA space. From a craft perspective, this almost felt like two separate books occupying one space. It’s rare to see a contemporary/realistic fiction novel clock in at over 500 pages. But Roe did it this way for a reason: to show us the AFTERMATH of trauma. And not just any trauma, but significant trauma. You go through this ordeal with the protagonist, and then when it’s over, when you expect the story to conclude, there’s a whole new story that begins, that takes you on a separate but equally important journey of coping, healing, and resilience. This book did not flinch in its examination of human psychology and trauma responses. Reading it over a long span of time really got into my head, too, and I Roe’s prose made me feel as though I was right there in the passenger seat with Sayers. This was a truly moving work. I’m not sure I could ever read this again. But I am definitely glad I read it once! I highly recommend this to folks looking for hope and healing in the shadow of seemingly insurmountable trauma and personal tragedy.
Plot & Pacing (4/5)
Setting & Surroundings (5/5)
Dialogue & Diction (4/5)
Craft & Voice (5/5)
Reading Experience (5/5)
Final Rating:
4.67/5
Comments:
It took me almost two months to read this book, and almost a full month to really digest it and know how to review it. This is one of the most unique books I’ve ever read, certainly in the YA space. From a craft perspective, this almost felt like two separate books occupying one space. It’s rare to see a contemporary/realistic fiction novel clock in at over 500 pages. But Roe did it this way for a reason: to show us the AFTERMATH of trauma. And not just any trauma, but significant trauma. You go through this ordeal with the protagonist, and then when it’s over, when you expect the story to conclude, there’s a whole new story that begins, that takes you on a separate but equally important journey of coping, healing, and resilience. This book did not flinch in its examination of human psychology and trauma responses. Reading it over a long span of time really got into my head, too, and I Roe’s prose made me feel as though I was right there in the passenger seat with Sayers. This was a truly moving work. I’m not sure I could ever read this again. But I am definitely glad I read it once! I highly recommend this to folks looking for hope and healing in the shadow of seemingly insurmountable trauma and personal tragedy.