I have loved Marisha Pessl's previous work (especially Night Film) and was therefore very excited to dig into Darkly. And it did not disappoint! A very well-written Y.A. mystery with intriguing characters and excellent twists and turns, this book definitely goes on my recommendations list!

This book was a really interesting read, I really liked the concept of the book, it had you wondering what was part of the game and what was not. It was almost like solving several mysteries at the same time with lots of twists and turns!!
I will say that the first few chapters I struggled through. They were slow and I kept wondering where it was going. I feel like once you get to the end, the beginning information makes more sense, but I could see someone getting detached and DNFing the book in the first few chapters if that’s the kind of reader they are. ALTHOUGH if you are one of those people and read this whole review and are deciding on quitting, PLEASE stick with it, it is a good read!
It was a pretty quick read for me, there’s so much going on, but in a good keep the story moving way, that you find yourself not wanting to put it down. I was so invested in finding out the mystery behind Louisiana and the why behind this “internship” that I just wanted to keep reading! I must say I did see a few of the twists coming but not the end!

YA thrillers can go either way for me, and this one was right down the middle. Pessl has come up with a fascinating and twisty story, but the characters were very flat and some elements were confusing at times. It was a fast and entertaining read, but I would have liked to feel any sort of connection to the characters. Seven teenagers are chosen for an internship at a defunct game company whose games are mired in mystery and controversy along with their (now-dead) creator, Louisiana Veda. The story focuses on one of the teens, Dia, and her and the other interns' quest to find answers about the dark and dangerous game Valkyrie. This book is filled with puzzles and mysteries, some more effective than others, but most fairly engaging. There are some questions left unanswered, making me wonder if there will be a sequel. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's | Delacorte Press for a digital review copy.

This book had a really intriguing synopsis but I struggled to keep up with it. A lot of characters are introduced at once and then thrown into this game competition/solving a mystery. There's also some multimedia like images of newspaper articles between chapters, but I was unable to read that since I couldn't make the text on the photos bigger. I wonder if that had an effect on the plot and how much I was missing from that.

I know Pessl's previous novel Night Flim is somewhat of a cult classic within the horror fandom, but I've never read it, so when I saw she had (another) YA novel coming out described as a psychological thriller I was intrigued. Right off the bat this is 100% a novel I think anyone who was a fan of The Inheritance Games series should read. It has so many of the elements that made that series a huge hit, and I hope that it will translate well to sales for this book too, because it's undeniably a great successor/read-alike. I really enjoyed Dia as a main character, she was down to earth and full of spunk. She was also determined, and she seemed to genuinely connect with people. Our love interests were fun too, although I think I would have been just as happy (if not happier) without that aspect of the story. I think the most intriguing part of this book was the Darklys, it was a fascinating element, and I honestly wish they were real, because if there was anything I was left with it was wanting to go play one of these games, because they sound so cool. I'll admit, the intricacies of the story were a little far-fetched, but then again so were the ones in The Inheritance Games, so I can't really fault it there. I will admit I was a little confused as to how exactly everything ended up tying together in the very end, ideally this book should probably be read a little slower than I ended up reading it, and to fully grasp everything I think a second read-through would probably be ideal. But that's not a bad thing. I do think that this book has the potential for a sequel, although it certainly does stand on its own as well, and if this is all we get I won't feel cheated. Either way, I think Pessl has created something that is, while not wholly new, still a lot of fun, and I certainly will recommend it to anyone looking for stories like TIG. I've already written a shelf-talker for it, and I hope that it does well enough that we both get a sequel as well as more books for Pessl, because she does have talent as an author and she certainly has the potential to make it big.

When someone says that a book is atmospheric this is what they mean. Creepy, insanely suspenseful and impossible to put down, Pessl has built an immersive world full of amazing imagery. Dia wins an internship with a company tasked with preserving the work of the visionary Louisiana Veda, the late creator of legendary board games. She and six other teenagers from around the world will be living on an island where the cult company “Darkly” had its headquarters. Everything is dilapidated and falling apart but, if they play the game right, it may change their lives. Pessl creates not only the “real” world of Dia and her friends, but also Louisiana’s backstory and the games that she created. Everything is so well thought out that every little detail made me want to play the game. The boards, the rules, the clues… everything is built with loving attention, like Louisiana’s own games. The urban legends, the stories, the cast of characters, every single word brings this world to vivid life. Dia is a likable heroine, and all of the characters are funky and interesting. There is not a single thing I didn’t love and I’d give this novel 6 stars if I could. Simply excellent!
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Random House Children's | Delacorte Press.

Louisiana Veda, the enigmatic creator of the Darkly game empire, crafted board games that pushed well beyond simple entertainment. Her elaborate puzzles, steeped in Victorian gothic aesthetics, garnered a cultish following before her mysterious death rendered them collector's pieces worth millions. Enter Arcadia "Dia" Gannon and six other teens, chosen from across the globe for a coveted internship at the Veda Foundation. Their summer quickly transforms into what appears to be Veda's final, unreleased game - one that never made it to production, perhaps for good reason. Pessl's world-building shimmers with dark imagination, carrying forward the same haunting intrigue that made Night Film so compelling. The games she's invented feel startlingly authentic, each one a clever fusion of artistry and psychological manipulation. Dia's sharp perspective keeps us invested as the mystery deepens, and the plot unfolds in clever layers. This is a swift, addictive read that proves Pessl hasn't lost her touch for crafting deliciously dark tales about brilliant, enigmatic creators and the chaos they leave in their wake.

i received an e-arc in exchange for an honest review of my own free will

i LOVED this book. the mystery was so well fleshed out through the entire book. there wasn’t a moment i felt bored or like there was a lull or any sort. i loved how everything pieced together, however the ending did fall a tad flat for me :( or not flat, but rushed. however, the incredible writing of the mystery well made up for it. i can’t wait to see all of the letters and other media in a physical copy once this comes out!!

A very interesting premise. I love the idea of these super interactive/immersive board games. The pacing was fast, almost to fast at times though. The characters were interesting as well but there were so many I actually lost track of them a bit and none really stood out except for the MC as its her story. While this may not have been my cup of tea though I can certainly see how others would enjoy it all the same.

I'm definitely a Marisha Pessl fan, having re-read Night Film a couple of times, and I still think about the weird experience that was Special Topics in Calamity Physics. Neverworld Wake was a tougher one to enjoy, and this book left me wishing that Pessl would stick to adult novels.
There is A LOT to love about the details of this story. The idea of Darkly and the intricate games Louisiana created were so compelling and unique, I wanted more. I wanted more of how the games worked and how people interacted with them. I wanted more about just about everything. This novel felt choppy in its execution, quickly jumping from scene to scene, as though there was more book and it was edited down. I enjoyed the photos, letters, and documents peppered throughout the book- something that was fun in Night Film, so it was a treat to have these extra details again. I think the story would have been better served by making it an adult novel and fleshing out some of the darker aspects of the plot.

Darkly by Marisha Pessl is an eerie, atmospheric novel that masterfully blends suspense with dark psychological tension. As a reader, I was hooked by Pessl's sharp writing and the unsettling, layered narrative that keeps you questioning reality. The book's twists and haunting mood made it a truly immersive and unforgettable read.

Dia Gannon is obsessed with Louisiana Veda and her game company, Darkly. She applies for an internship at Darkly Games and is chosen along with six other teens. However, the truth turns out to be different than they had thought, and they find themselves in a very dark game. This was a very unique and captivating story to read. I really enjoyed the gaming aspect; it was very creative and interesting. Overall, it was a really great mystery book, and I highly recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's | Delacorte Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I'll post my review closer to the publication date.

Dia Gannon is one of 7 teenagers picked to intern over the summer for the Louisiana Veda Foundation. Dia, like almost everyone else, has been obsessed with Louisiana Veda and her Darkly games. She soon finds herself immersed in a living board game and a mystery to solve.

I thought this was s a good easy, exciting read. There were lots of twists and turns for Dia which kept a nice pace to the book. Not knowing who to trust. Learning alongside her what there was to discover about Louisiana and what truths to tell the others as she'd learned. Playing this game through her eyes was very interesting. I feel like some of the teens didn't get much time on page - so not sure why we needed so many. This felt very Scooby Doo-esq to me, all these darn teens running around uncovering things and sneaking into places they shouldn't be, which was fun. Loved the reveal and aftermath but did not love the ending, it felt a bit different than the rest of the book to me. Despite that, I think I would recommend this to other YA Thriller readers!

Thanks to NetGalley and Marisha Pessl for the ARC of this book!

I never thought for a moment that I was going to enjoy this book as much as I did. Based on the description, cover, etc, I just thought it was something YA and not necessarily awesome YA but that was okay because I wasn't looking for a trading commitment when I stumbled over it. And then it surprised me.

Going in it feels like it's going to be a giant trope but the story really works and the characters are interesting. I'm not going to give it five stars because I can see two easy ways to vastly improve it (and I'm a little surprised neither was used.) but I would happily give it a solid 4 and will definitely watch for this author in the future.

This review is based on an advance copy that I received for free.

Thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the arc!

What a unique mystery/thriller!! An adventure from start to finish. One of my favorite genres is YA mystery so I had high hopes for this and it did not disappoint! The games were one of my favorite aspects of this book!! It made the book tense, exciting, and transports you directly into the world. This book was fast-paced and every twist kept me trapped within the pages! I do wish that the ending had a little but more but this was still a really great book!! This was my first book by Marisha Pessl and I will absolutely be reading more!

This is a top notch mystery that keeps the reader guessing literally to the last page. I don't say that lightly. Many puzzle mystery books promise that, but this one fooled or misled me repeatedly. The book's descriptor gives enough information about the plot to make it unnecessary to recap here. However,Darkly keeps the reader's interest in several ways: the newspaper articles, personal letters, and photos scattered throughout the book for the reader to study for clues (I have to admit I only scanned these, I was reading on my phone and the ability to look at these with great detail was unavailable to me). and the fact that there are so many intricately layered puzzles to solve. Obviously the the central one of the contest- find the missing boy (which seems less important as the novel goes on), but also why these contestants were selected out of the hundreds of thousands who applied? who can be trusted- the other contestants, the lawyers, the ship captain? who set up the game in the first place? who wants it taken down? and the biggest puzzle of all - just who was Louisiana Veda, the mysterious gamemaker? I raced through this book and heartily recommend it. I am downgrading it only because there were many characters' whose development was a bit thin; but the breakneck pace will keep most reader's thoroughly entertained. I was given an electronic ARC for an honest review.

The focus of this book is games. The central character is Louisiana, a quiet woman with a brilliant mind for subterfuge and hidden clues. Louisiana's dark and lonely childhood molded her into the board game designer that made her famous, and she went on to create treasured games that were not easy to solve. Games that were intricate in design, detail and rules. I loved the descriptions of the game boards, the rules, the clues, and the physical designs that were shared in the pages. I was left wishing that I could see a Darkly game board for myself! When one of the games comes to life, I was as excited as the players to join the immersive experience. The author created a rich environment to spark creativity and rivalry, and I enjoyed the clues and the links to Louisiana's life that helped you solve the riddles. You'd think that finding George, the missing boy, would be central to the story. But it isn't. He is almost an afterthought - you hope he is okay, but are too caught up in the game to give him too much thought until the end. If this was a movie, I would be raving about the set design. From the intricacies of the game boards, to the live game setup, to the game factory, to Louisiana's home. There are secrets in the walls, links in the architecture ... everything ties together. I was hoping at the end that we would find Louisiana alive and well. This is a story that captivates you .. you want to find out what happens next, what happened already, and you just want to play the game! I loved everything about this book!

Beautifully written, creepy, twisty tale about family, curiosity, and who we are as women. I loved the main character's journey, and it was well-paced and well-plotted. The love story at the end was a slight bit forced, but overall didn't detract from the story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the arc!

As a longtime fan of Pessl’s, I was excited to read this — while I hoped her next book would not be YA, I appreciated the abundant creativity here and wasn’t disappointed by the book at all. The games! THE GAMES. Also even though I’m a fan of her books, I have to say that I was caught first by the cover — how gorgeous?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this incredible book.

When Darkly came up as a choice on NetGalley I was so excited. I have been waiting fir this book and was not disappointed.

There is nothing I can say that hasn't already been said. This book is fantastic. A must read!!!

Highly, highly, highly recommend.