Dark Matter is a haunting ghost story set in the Arctic, following Jack's journal entries as he joins an expedition to a remote uninhabited area named Gruhuken. As Jack faces isolation and darkness during the Arctic winter, he begins to witness disturbing occurrences, building tension and fear among the characters. The book explores themes of loneliness, paranoia, and the unexplained, creating a chilling atmosphere that keeps readers engaged.
The writing style of Dark Matter is atmospheric and suspenseful, drawing readers into the desolate Arctic setting and the psychological turmoil of the characters. Michelle Paver skillfully weaves a slow-burning narrative that delves into the depths of despair and the human need for companionship, while also incorporating elements of folklore and ghostly encounters to create a gripping tale of survival and fear.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Triggers may include themes of isolation, mental health struggles, animal cruelty, and implied horror elements.
From The Publisher:
January 1937. Clouds of war are gathering over a fogbound London. Twenty-eight year old Jack is poor, lonely and desperate to change his life. So when he's offered the chance to be the wireless operator on an Arctic expedition, he jumps at it.
Spirits are high as the ship leaves Norway: five men and eight huskies, crossing the Barents Sea by the light of the midnight sun. At last they reach the remote, uninhabited bay where they will camp for the next year. Gruhuken. But the Arctic summer is brief. As night returns to claim the land, Jack feels a creeping unease.
One by one, his companions are forced to leave. He faces a stark choice. Stay or go. Soon he will see the last of the sun, as the polar night engulfs the camp in months of darkness. Soon he will reach the point of no return - when the sea will freeze, making escape impossible.
And Gruhuken is not uninhabited. Jack is not alone. Something walks there in the dark. This Special Edition Ebook will feature exclusive material: AUTHOR EXTRAS: Dark Matter ¿ An exclusive interview with Michelle Paver and an extended author biography with integrated photos of the landscape of Spitsbergen.
COVER DESIGN: Dark Matter ¿ the jacket designer¿s take and cover design progression (5 x visuals). DARK MATTER - A SHORT FILM: Dark Matter ¿ Turning the novel into a short promotional film and Dark Matter - The Film Director's Cut, the rejected film scripts, the final film script and behind the scenes at filming (3 x visuals).
Ratings (27)
Incredible (7) | |
Loved It (8) | |
Liked It (4) | |
It Was OK (7) | |
Hated It (1) |
Reader Stats (130):
Read It (27) | |
Want To Read (83) | |
Did Not Finish (2) | |
Not Interested (18) |
2 comment(s)
I thought this was a good ghost story - it made me think of the recent BBC2 ghost story/horror show 'The Terror'. The descriptions are quite good and the chapters are fairly short and easy to read through. It's not a book I'm likely to think too much of after having read it but its certainly distracting for a few days at the most. I'd say this is worth a read, yes.
So spooky. "Can't sleep, clown will eat me" spooky.
A masterful picture of one man's psychological breakdown,
Dark Matter is nothing but dread from start to finish. It has a touch of
The Turn of the Screw. We can see Jack slowly breaking down and we break down with him.
Isaak! The wet round head! The bear post!
What can you read after
Dark Matter?
About the Author:
Born in Malawi to a Belgian mother and a father who ran the tiny 'NYASALAND TIMES', Michelle Paver moved to the UK when she was three. She was brought up in Wimbledon and, following a Biochemistry Degree from Oxford, she became a partner in a big City law firm.
She gave up the City to follow her long-held dream of becoming a writer. She is the author of the brilliantly successful children's series, THE CHRONICLES OF ANCIENT DARKNESS. DARK MATTER is her first adult ghost story. It arises from her lifelong love of the Arctic, which has taken her to northern Canada, Greenland, Scandinavia and Spitsbergen.
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