Addiction Comes in the Form of "The Dark We Know"

Cover design by Karina Granda

Wow. The first word that comes to mind when I think of The Dark We Know by Wen-Yi Lee is ‘wow’. The second is ‘obsessed’. I did not expect to be as sucked in by this book as I was. That’s honestly not even the right word. This book consumed me. I’ve told everyone I know who reads about it because I cannot think of anything else. I can’t remember the last time a book has latched on so tight. 

The novel follows Isa (Isadora) Chang as she’s forced to return home to attend her father's funeral. Like all good spooky tales, Isa returns home to a dried-up mining town with a foreboding secret. Murdered teens, a lurking evil, dark mountain songs, and long-kept secrets being dragged to the surface, Isa’s short trip home looks like it’s going to become an extended stay. Alongside the only living friend she has left in Slater, Isa, and Mason set out to solve what really has been happening to the missing and murdered teens and more importantly what really happened to their best friends. 

I read this book as an ARC and wasn’t sure what I was getting into. Wen-Yi Lee is a debut author and as much of a sin as it is, I picked the book based on the cover. Admittedly, I was really nervous about whether I would like it or not. The book is written in the present tense, which for me is usually a very very hard pass, but I am so glad I kept reading. Lee’s writing is beautiful. For a YA novel, I felt that the material is mature even though the characters are young. 

As a woman in her 30s, I found Isa’s internal struggles relatable. They felt so familiar and deeply personal. Sometimes with YA novels that discuss heavier topics like suicide or abuse, the writing feels forced but with Isa’s story, it was so heartbreaking that some parts left me in tears. 

I am so grateful that I chose this book on a whim for an ARC review because it will stick with me for a while. I will never not recommend this. Thank you Wen-Yi Lee for the absolutely breathtaking book and I look forward to reading your future novels.

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