In Chris Whitaker’s hit, All the Colors of the Dark, it’s 1975 and girls are going missing from Monta Clare, Missouri. When Misty Meyers, one of the town’s most popular girls (and from one of the wealthiest families) is attacked, a poor, one-eyed boy known as Patch saves her, and emerges as a hero. We learn that Patch underwent his own harrowing drama at the hands of some kind of monster; through that ordeal and through what he’s shared with his best friend, Saint, he’s certain a young girl named Grace is still alive and just out of safety’s reach–having once taken care of him.

Lara: I read this book a couple of months ago, after much hype and coverage, and I must say I loved it. A slow burn suspense story is not your typical fare. What made you want to read it?

Jennifer: Um, YOU did. AGAIN. I think I read what you wrote in an online book club we’re in, which I will now quote at length:

This is you:

“Oh friends. This book. Heck yes, I finished it. I read over 300 pages yesterday to complete this completely engrossing story. . . Whitaker’s story ripped me apart and stitched me back together, in many of the same ways that Hanya Yanagihara’s A Little Life did. All the Colors of the Dark goes on my list of lifetime favorites and, while a chunker of a book, I recommend reading this–the writing will mesmerize you and literally stop you in your reading tracks. Like, I put my kindle down and looked out into the void several times.”

You are responsible, Lara.

Lara: Haha, okay, fair. I have to admit that, pretty early on, when Patch was also missing, I almost put the book down. It wasn’t clear what was actually happening, but my mom (who had just finished it) encouraged me to keep reading. I think you got caught where I did. Are you glad you stuck with it?

Jennifer: Before I answer, I’m going to ask you to write our “Trigger Warning.”

Lara: Ah, got it. I do think HSPs (highly-sensitive persons) may want to proceed cautiously due to the following subject matters, which are part of the story in a discussed-but-not-shown manner: kidnapping, child/domestic abuse, abortion, rape, murder, suicide. 

Jennifer: Okay, folks, Lara warned me to shut up about it. I’ll just warn our readers that the book might potentially bug you in its, um, “political correctness.” Its portrayal of certain issues . . . 

Lara: It’s not a spoiler that Patch safely emerges. And in doing so, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing Grace. To manage his grief and pain, with the help of family friend and local art gallery owner, Sammy, he puts brush to canvas and paints a stunning portrait of Grace. It’s as much a tribute to her as it is a call to find her. Time passes and his best friend, Saint, works her own angle of the case, attempting to partner with local authorities. The book spans many years, and we see the painfully slow pace that solving crimes takes. We also get a coming-of-age story of Patch and Saint, and the impacts of their choices as they navigate trying to bring a criminal to justice. 

What worked for you?

Jennifer: The language. I’ll play my Snob Card. It’s beautifully written. It’s pretty much classified as suspense, mystery, thriller; I thought it was all of these things–but it’s a literary book. The writing was strong, and it was very complex. Whitaker mentions good books in his novel, too! I admired the storytelling.

Here’s a nice quote:

“Saint wanted to ask what it was like, to lose the thing that defined you. But perhaps she knew: it left you someone else. A stranger you had no choice but to tolerate, and see each day and feel and fear.”

Lara: Totally agree about his writing! Here was one of my favorite passages:

“At ten years old he realized that people were born whole, and that the bad things peeled layers from the person you once were, thinning compassion and empathy and the ability to construct a future. At thirteen he knew those layers could sometimes be rebuilt when people loved you. When you loved.”

There is so much of this book that reads “American.” The setting, of course, but the characters, their mannerisms, the nuance. All of it. I was taken aback when I learned the author is British. Did that surprise you?

Jennifer: Yes! It’s got the “Great American Novel” Vibe. I was surprised. What’a a Brit doing writing so Americanish? There are road trips and small towns and the movie, Grease. It has the American diner and the good cop/bad cop drama. It has a Huck Finn/Shawshank Redemption tone. I wonder if a story like this could be set in another country. Probably not. 

What did not work for you? 

Lara: When Patch was missing. It was really hard to understand what was going on. While I read it, I think this would be hard to consume as an audiobook – several times I had to stop, go back and reread sentences. In part, because they were so well-written. Not sure if that’s the fault of the author or me.

Jennifer: Actually, let me say this. It’s the author’s fault. 

I did do audio, and I think beautiful language that’s obscure is problematic. Clarity is key.

Both of us almost put the book down. I almost quit when Patch was missing too; I was confused. It sounds as if both of us kept reading because someone else intervened. You told me to stick with it.

I AM glad I did, but I will say that I only “like” the book. I’d still read Whitaker again. Good writer. I think I’m STILL confused about Grace. For the most part, I understand–thanks to you–but I still have unanswered questions. Like, BIG ones. I’m just going with it.

And, truthfully, I think Saint’s life makes me sad. 

Plus, I didn’t love Patch’s choices.

Lara: I don’t want to give anything away here, but I think the ending is more realistic than “wrapped in a bow” and that worked for me. Whitaker earned the ending he wrote. 

Jennifer: I’m going to be surprisingly systematic here. I know you want me to like the book more than I do. Here I go . . . 

WHAT WORKED: language, Sammy (colorful character), literary name-dropping, Saint, Nix, Norma, the setting, the complexity.

WHAT DID NOT WORK: black-and-white treatment of some issues, I got lost and stayed lost way too much, I felt like there were some wasted lives in here, and I got sad for Saint.

The End. 

Lara: Haha – I don’t entirely disagree with you, but I disagree with you enough to say that I loved the book. Was okay with some of the uncertainty and unanswered questions. Will definitely read more by him!

So, what have you been reading lately?

Jennifer: I’ll only mention two right now. I read Rob Sheffield’s book on Taylor Swift, Heartbreak Is the National Anthem: How Taylor Swift Reinvented Pop Music and I re-read (for the gazillionth time) J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye. On Sheffield, I’ll say that I really do admire Taylor Swift and I think she is truly talented, but I think I like Rob Sheffield’s writing better than I like Taylor Swift. On Salinger: it’s the perfect book. I always approach any rereads with trepidation. I get afraid that I won’t like it as much as I remember. But this book remains my very favorite of all time. It’s perfect . . . .

I’m going to start Boyne’s Fire tonight!

Lara: I am terrified to reread Catcher. My memory of it is too perfect. I am so glad it worked again for you. Since we last met, I read John Boyne’s Fire. It’s HELLA dark but it’s a brilliantly written book. I can’t wait to see what you think. I listened to Liane Moriarty’s latest, Here One Moment, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Sharon McMahon’s non-fiction collection, The Small and the Mighty: Twelve Unsung Americans Who Changed the Course of History from the Founding to the Civil Rights Movement should be read by every American. And I finally read John Steinbeck’s East of Eden. I liked it; I didn’t love it.

(Jennifer thinks Lara should reread The Catcher in the Rye.)

Next Up! 

It’s our year-end Superlatives Edition! The best, the worst, and everything in between.