Book Review: Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

“Are you happy with your life?”

Those are the last words Jason Dessen hears before the masked abductor knocks him unconscious.

Before he awakens to find himself strapped to a gurney, surrounded by strangers in hazmat suits.

Before a man Jason’s never met smiles down at him and says, “Welcome back, my friend.”

In this world he’s woken up to, Jason’s life is not the one he knows. His wife is not his wife. His son was never born. And Jason is not an ordinary college physics professor, but a celebrated genius who has achieved something remarkable. Something impossible.

Is it this world or the other that’s the dream? And even if the home he remembers is real, how can Jason possibly make it back to the family he loves? The answers lie in a journey more wondrous and horrifying than anything he could’ve imagined—one that will force him to confront the darkest parts of himself even as he battles a terrifying, seemingly unbeatable foe.

From the author of the bestselling Wayward Pines trilogy, Dark Matter is a brilliantly plotted tale that is at once sweeping and intimate, mind-bendingly strange and profoundly human—a relentlessly surprising science-fiction thriller about choices, paths not taken, and how far we’ll go to claim the lives we dream of.

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Review:

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch was one of those books that caught my attention immediately. The book synopsis had me very intrigued. Luckily, this was a good read.

The chapters are fairly long in Dark Matter. However, the pacing is very quick. I thoroughly found myself devouring each page, hungry for what would happen to Jason next.

The plot was very interesting. I didn't really know what to expect with this book based on the synopsis. Dark Matter turned into a science fiction book, and I was hooked. I kept wanting Jason to get back to his family. It was so frustrating when he couldn't find them. I would say there's probably one major plot twist towards the beginning, but after that, there's not really anymore plot twists. This is fine because the book doesn't need plot twists to continue being a good read. I would have liked to know more of what happened at the end. I guess it's more speculative in that area. I also wanted to know more about a certain character. It would have been nice to know what ever happened to that one character.

The world building is done very well. I found myself immersed in Jason's world. I felt like I was Jason at times while reading. Although it is science fiction, Jason's world doesn't feel like it. It feels as if it's something that could happen at any time especially with all the advancements in science.

Some of the dialogue went way over my head. There's a lot of scientific speak which I did not understand at all. I found myself not understanding what was going on during those scenes, but I pretty much figured it out while reading the rest of the book. Even though the dialogue gets too technical at times, Dark Matter is still a worthy read.

I enjoyed the characters in Dark Matter. Jason is a very likable character. I sympathized with him in his journey to find his family. Jason just seems like a normal guy who just wants a normal life. Daniela and Charlie were also good characters. The Dessens seem like such a normal, happy family. I would have liked to read more about Amanda. I admired her bravery, and she was probably my favorite character even if she wasn't in the book that long.

There are scenes of violence, drinking, sex (although not graphic at all), and swearing.

Overall, Dark Matter is a really interesting and intriguing read. It is easy to believe the story line especially with all the advancements in science. With the exception of the scientific dialogue in a few chapters, everything about this book is great. I would definitely recommend Dark Matter by Blake Crouch.