Dark Matter – A Spoiler-Free Book Review

Ever wish you could go back and make some different decisions, maybe send your life down a different path? What if you could?

Dark Matter - An Overview

I love the idea behind this book. We’ve all thought back to different moments in our lives and wondered how things might be different if we had made another choice. That feeling is universal. It’s that thought we’ve all had that Blake Crouch uses to pull you into this story. 

Dark Matter - What It’s About

Dark Matter is about a scientist named Jason Dessen who stopped pursuing his ambitious scientific career in order to spend more time with his wife. In fact, both he and his wife, who dreamed of opening an art gallery, put their career dreams to the side in order to have a family. However, the choices he made, and didn’t make, start affecting his life in ways he couldn’t possibly have imagined. 

Dark Matter - What I Didn’t Like

I really like this story. But as I progressed through the book, there were some ethical decisions that came up that left me scratching my head. I can’t really say if I would or wouldn’t make those same decisions if I were in the same situation. Things like that can make the protagonist in a story feel more grounded and real. After all, no one is perfect. Here, there were things he did that made me like him a little less. That’s not something I usually enjoy when trying to get behind the protagonist of a story.

The antagonist in this story is an interesting choice. I found myself kind of seeing things from his point of view. Because of this, the ending left me a little wanting. Days after finishing the book, I was still wondering if there could’ve been a more satisfying way to end it. There is a moral thread that is kind of left hanging after you read the last page. Maybe that was intentional.

Dark Matter - What I Liked

This story is so exciting! I read a few chapters the night before a flight. I read it on the plane going to and coming back from my destination. I read it during layovers. I read it in the hotel while waiting for food to be delivered. I read this book every free moment I had. I became very invested in the main protagonist. It was easy to put myself in his shoes. It helped that his name is Jason, LOL! The story moves along at a great pace. There is no Act Two slog to get through. Because of the subject, the middle of the book feels like a bunch of little climaxes. It was a very enjoyable read.

Dark Matter - Conclusion and Rating

I really liked this book. I heard that there is an Apple TV series based on it. I haven’t seen it. Maybe it’s good, but the book is just fantastic. This is one of those stories that makes it easy to become really invested. You want the main protagonist to succeed so badly! Every little success is a cause for celebration. And when things are going badly, you’re on the edge of your seat.

The idea of choices not made shines in this story. It’s that idea that I think makes this book so compelling.

If you want a great story with a very likable yet flawed protagonist you can become completely engrossed in, pick this book up. You’ll be glad you did.