In a Dark, Dark Wood: A Journey Through a Forest of Flaws
As soon as I stumbled across In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware, I was intrigued. The title evokes a sense of mystery and foreboding, and I was ready to dive into what promised to be a gripping psychological experience. However, it didn’t take long before I found myself ensnared in the tangled web of emotions and questionable decisions woven by the characters.
At the heart of this story is Nora, a 26-year-old woman whose very existence seems overshadowed by a break-up that occurred a decade ago when she was just 16. I must admit, I’ve seldom encountered a protagonist who made me feel such a mix of disdain and pity. Nora’s fixation on her high school ex-boyfriend, James, who she lost to her former best friend, Clare, made me wonder what led her down this path of immaturity. The idea that a breakup from adolescence could haunt her into her late twenties felt, frankly, absurd. Readers might find themselves incredulous at her inability to move on, which unfortunately overshadowed any relatable qualities she might have possessed.
Clare, on the other hand, adds another layer of absurdity to the narrative. I thought it was quite remarkable that she is still fearful of social judgment from adolescent mischief a decade earlier. The drama escalates to the point where she considers murder as a solution to her petty worries—yes, murder! Clare’s actions felt exaggerated to the point of farce, and I struggled to suspend disbelief amidst such grandiose, nonsensical plotting.
One shining element in the muddied waters of character development is Ware’s writing style. The prose flows effortlessly, and while the characters may be flawed, Ware’s lyrical tone captures the mood of the story. The pacing draws you in, keeping you engaged enough to turn the pages, eagerly anticipating the unfolding mystery surrounding James’s fate. Although I was frustrated by the characters’ choices, I still felt compelled to unravel the plot.
However, I must address the marketing of this book as a horror novel. Readers with a taste for genuine psychological thrills may finish the book feeling misled, as Ware’s work leans more toward a mystery than any realms of horror. It lacks the rich, terrifying depths of a horror novel while striving for complexity reminiscent of Gillian Flynn’s work. Alas, Nora’s struggle lacks the depth or strength found in Flynn’s protagonists; it’s as though Ware’s characters exist on a different spectrum.
Despite my many reservations, I gave In a Dark, Dark Wood two stars. Why? Because despite its absurdity, it contains the kernel of a promising narrative. It’s clear that Ruth Ware has a storytelling voice worth exploring further. I found myself invested enough to read to the end, clinging to the hope that character growth—or at least some reasonable explanation—would salvage the journey.
In conclusion, if you enjoy psychological mysteries with a dose of dark, twisted themes and don’t mind an eye-roll-inducing protagonist, this book could pique your interest. For readers seeking a fully realized, thrilling experience, however, you might want to tread carefully. As for me, while I emerged from the dark woods feeling slightly shaken, I discovered that even flawed tales have their own unique charm—and perhaps, another opportunity for reflection.