Dark Matter Book Review

Dark Matter

by Blake Crouch

Publisher: Ballantine Books
Ginasbookreport Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Science Fiction
Read This If You Love: Sea of Tranquility / TV show Fringe

“As long as I’m with you, I know exactly who I am.”

Gina’s Review

Jason Dresden is happily going along with his life when he is abducted. He wakes up surrounded by people in hazmat suits. They seem to know him, but he has no idea what is happening. He soon discovers that his wife is not his wife and his son was never born. How is this possible? The only thing Jason knows is that he will do anything to get back to his old life. 

I read this book as a buddy read with my husband, so you will see his take on Dark Matter below. Blake Crouch has quickly become a favorite author of mine and I was so happy to share his work with Patrick because sci-fi is his reading preference. Dark Matter is my favorite of Crouch’s novels, but I’ve yet to find one that I didn’t enjoy. This novel is suuuuuch a fast read. I flew through it (ha…on a plane going to vacation). It’s a fast-paced exploration of love, dark matter, scientific concepts, and what it means to be an individual. What defines us? What would we do to preserve ourselves and those we love? What complicated layers are within side each of us that could unleash under different circumstances? 

Patrick’s Review

Dr. Jason Dessen teaches at a small college in Chicago. His wife, Daniela, teaches art class. They’ve both chosen paths in their lives once they knew their son, Charlie, was coming into the world. Meanwhile, a friend’s—tolerated now that all have matured rather than truly loved—career blossoms with renown, fame, and awards. Could all of this have been different? What would have different choices, different events, resulted in? As Jason walks home from that friend's celebration party, events unfold that begin to explore those possibilities.

Jason is the central figure in this story, and part of his journey is understanding what has happened to him. And I could say more, but it would potentially spoil the novel. To me, that is a hallmark of a good thriller: revealing too much in a summary or even much at all results in unraveling the mystery for others. Such is this novel.

Dark Matter is a techno action thriller that leverages some cool scientific concepts without digging too far into the actual science. Jason perhaps too frequently engages in self-pity for my taste, but it does not derail this fast-paced plot that pauses only a few times for the reader to catch their breath. I anticipated the reason for Jason's predicament well before the reveal, but author Blake Crouch went all out and gave me a twist that was both surprising and satisfying.