All the Colors of the Dark is an epic story of complex, memorable characters mixed in with a grand overarching mystery. I was unfamiliar with Whitaker's writing prior to reading this book but WOW--he has a way with words. The story is long and at times meandering but it is so gripping that I didn't want to stop reading to do anything else.

If you like beautifully thought-out characters and epic story-telling, you're sure to enjoy All the Colors of the Dark.

Thank you for this ARC! I loved this book. Despite its length, it was a real page turner. So much happens, but it was not hard to keep track of the story or characters. It had excellent character development, excellent suspense and a satisfying ending. I fully recommend!

All the Colors of the Dark is a big, long compelling novel that is ideal for long days of reading. It is reminiscent of the novels of John Irving, following the lives of independent young characters in Missouri who grow into their complicated lives. The basics of the plot involve years of searching for a murderer who is targeting young girls, but the well-drawn characters bring in their own themes of loss, friendship, and love. Excellent novel.

A gripping, epic slow burn mystery. Not the typical formulaic mystery/thriller. Beautifully written with stories within stories and memorable characters. A captivating and entertaining read!

This book caught me off guard. All kinds of stories going on within the main story…beautifully written, might I even call it an epic novel. Such well developed characters, sweeping over a wide timeline.

This book deserves all the acclaim the writer is earning! Wondeful book that I devoured! You will fall in love with Patch, an aptly named moinker for the main character, and you will follow his life as he becomes a hereo, artist, and then finally a convict. Such a great story!

A sweeping epic that follows Patch and Saint over several decades with a wonderful cast of side characters. I came for the serial killer mystery and I stayed for the character development. The background is always weaving around solving a mystery, but the book is ultimately about so much more than that, and it's a book I know I will think of often.

This is a gripping, slow-burn mystery, filled with unforgettable characters. The story develops over several decades and will both break and mend your heart. After reading two books by Whitaker, I've come to the realization that whereas his books are rather long, they are beautifully written, and I really appreciate his short chapters.

I found myself absolute lost in this book. A captivating tale with unforgettable characters. Strongly recommend. Will pick up her other books.

Wowza. This one was a LONG one and what I felt a very slow burn, with much of the action happening in the last 20% of the book. That being said— this is a story of love, hope, some mystery. It’s my first by this author and surely won’t be my last. I can totally understand why this book is being so hyped up but the length of it really was a struggle for me. I loved how it all came together in the end and overall I’m giving it a 4/5! It needed to be shorter and less descriptive. Big win on the short chapters though, had they been longer, I’m not sure I could have stuck with it.

Chris Whitaker's All the Colors of the Dark is a gripping story, told over several decades, with unforgettable characters. This is one of those books that you'll be thinking about long after finishing. I loved it.

There are many things I can say that Whitaker does well but mostly it's his ability to emotionally destroy me. 😭

This is the story of Patch, a 13 year old boy who believes he's a pirate due to his missing eye, and Saint a lonely girl in his class that he befriends. The two of their lives intertwine in so many ways that it will take decades to untangle.

This epic 600+ page book that spans decades is nothing short of magnificent. I won't speak of the plot because it is so intricate, so emotionally compelling, so nuanced that I will only sound like a blubbering idiot in the wake of Whitakers brilliance. This man is so talented that I am truly in awe and so very grateful to be able to savor the words he puts on the page. It's books like this that remind me why I love reading so much. When an author can reach into the very depths of your soul leaving you breathless.

This book is painful. It will make you ache.

I admit it will take me a bit to put the pieces of my heart back together again but it was worth every minute of destruction.

Every single one of these characters touched me in ways I could never have imagined and I will never forget them. Highest recommendation. ALL. THE. DAZZLING. STARS.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for my complimentary copy.

Favorite parts:

+ This book is beautifully written with well developed characters that you grow to love.
+ I loved how much background we got to the mystery and characters- it is often what I miss in "typical" thrillers or mysteries.
+ I loved the references to and inclusion of art.
+ There are lots of short chapters which kept me turning the pages. I also enjoyed the style in which the story was told- it felt as if I was piecing together a puzzle along with the characters.
+ The ending was satisfying and tied together nicely.

Parts I could've done without:

- There were a lot of religious messages that didn't feel necessary to me or authentic to the characters. I could have done without them and the many pop culture references that also went over my head.
- While there were several other good surprises, one of the biggest "mysteries" I guessed at the very beginning- this left me feeling slightly underwhelmed at the ending.
- It was very long. As a result, I sometimes found it hard to keep track of some of the characters and smaller details. If I were reading it again, I'd try to read it quickly or in larger chunks of time so that all of those details stayed fresh in my mind.
- Without any spoilers, I was hoping for a different outcome for Saint's character.

Overall: This book (and especially the characters) are memorable and I enjoyed reading it. The high quality writing easily deserves 5 stars, but due to my personal preferences I'd give my experience of reading it 4/5 stars. I would still highly recommend it to anyone looking for a literary mystery & can see why Chris Whitaker is such an acclaimed author. I look forward to reading more of his work.

I loved this book. Saint and Patch were two memorable characters. The plot was original and it moved fast. I couldn’t put it down. This would make an excellent book club choice.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the eARC.

Chris Whitaker's "We Begin at the End" was the first book I read in 2022 and my favorite book of 2022. When I was approved for his new novel I was overjoyed. All the Colors of the Dark is a sweeping, heart breaking story that I really could not look away from. The length was intimidating at first, but I should have known how Whitaker's writing would draw me in and captivate me. This story is full of tragedy and friendships and keeps you hooked thanks to the short chapters.

All the stars.

Amazing! This will be one of my top books of the year. While the story is dark, the writing sings with short chapters that kept me hooked. It also grapples with the complexity of life and being a human. The dark is not with out the light. The wide characters were deep and multi-dimensional. I enjoyed the unexpected theme of art throughout. Highly recommend this one!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advanced copy of this novel.

I had high hopes for this one as a few of my "book twins" raved about it. I was super excited to get into it.

Unfortunately, it fell flat for me. I had a hard time deciphering what the author was trying to portray. I think I am going to pick up a hard copy and see if that is any different. I honestly believe this is a right book, wrong time situation.

3.5-4⭐️
I couldn’t put this down, but I kept having a nagging feeling of feeling underwhelmed. The characters and heart are big, but plot felt like it didn’t rise to meet the characters’ potential. I felt like some thing would be building, and then a plot twist would happen that didn’t really seem to fit. And then we would jump to the next section of the book. I still maintain that Chris Whitaker is an all-time favorite author, but this wouldn’t be the first book by him I suggested to new readers.

Having read Chris' previous book, We Begin at The End, I was aware of his writing style and looking forward to this one! His writing is kind of poetic, and has sentence fragments. Maybe I'm growing up but I really enjoyed the way he writes in his newest book, All the Colors of The Dark! Short synopsis is a young boy named Patch, who considers himself a pirate of sorts and somewhat of an outsider, saves a girls life which then changes his future and the future of those around him. Along with his Best Friend, Saint they embark on a story that spans decades.
I personally love any kind of saga, I love books that cover decades, and we see how these characters develop. I became very invested in Patch and Saint. This book has been hailed as one of the best books of 2024 for good reason! There is suspense, and literary elements as well as some romance.
Pros- spans decades
short chapters
likeable characters

Cons-
writing style could be off putting to those that don't like a more poetic style.
600 pages

Thank you to netgalley and Crown publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Two friends who keep love alive throughout years of trauma. A story that bends genres, and will remind you that, in the midst of pain, there are people who make life worthwhile. This will be a favorite book of the year for me.