Marianne’s Review:
A Line in the Dark is not your typical f/f love story with a happy ending. In fact, itʼs not a love story, and the main character doesnʼt have a romance arc at all. A Line in the Dark is a tale of best friends, and what you find yourself doing for them out of loyalty and love.
What I liked:
-The story unfolds through Jessʼ eyes, and we get to see how it gives off a very eerie vibe from the beginning.
–We donʼt know who to trust, or even whatʼs actually going on, so it was interesting to have it narrated from Jessʼ POV.
–A lot of the story feels like itʼs unfolding in a cinematic way; the way things are described are very fluid. Itʼs easy to fly through the story.
–Thereʼs lots of diversity; Jess is Chinese and queer. Her best friend Angie is queer. Margot is also queer. Margot and Angie are in a relationship. Thereʼs a Korean side character.
-The story gives off a lot of red herrings; thereʼs a murder mystery and you have no clue whodunit.
-Thereʼs an emphasis on friendships and family, and has underlying themes of loyalty.
What I disliked:
–Halfway through the book, the story shifts from 1st person narration to 3rd person, and it didnʼt feel like a particularly smooth transition, which lead to a bit of disconnect from the story.
-The book itself is so short, that the pacing suffers once the secrets finally begin unraveling.
– I wouldʼve liked a more solid conclusion.
Overall, I recommend A Line in the Dark for people who loved Dangerous Girls or We Were Liars. Itʼs captivating and thought-provoking, and leaves you breathless once you turn the last page. A great thrilling read.
