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From Below: Die Toten warten
Tief unter der Meeresoberfläche wartet ein Friedhof ...
1928 verschwand der Ozeandampfer SS Arcadia auf der Fahrt von den USA nach Großbritannien spurlos. Obwohl noch drei Notrufe gesendet wurden, die seltsamerweise schnell wechselnde Koordinaten übermittelten, konnten weder das Schiff noch Überlebende gefunden werden.
60 Jahre später wird das rostige Wrack auf dem Meeresgrund geortet – mehr als 300 Meilen vom ursprünglichen Kurs entfernt ...
Ein Taucherteam will herausfinden, was mit dem angeblich unsinkbaren Schiff passiert ist.
Aber die Arcadia hat noch nicht genug vom Tod: Etwas Dunkles und Hungriges wartet in der Tiefe.
Darcy Coates, die Autorin vieler unheimlicher Bestseller, zieht uns hinab in eine fesselnde Geistergeschichte. Eine Gruppe von Tauchern muss sich durch ein unaussprechliches Grauen kämpfen.
Darcy Coates, die Autorin vieler unheimlicher Bestseller, zieht uns hinab in eine fesselnde Geistergeschichte. Eine Gruppe von Tauchern muss sich durch ein unaussprechliches Grauen kämpfen.
Booklist: »Unheimlich, klaustrophobisch und durch und durch beängstigend.«
Publishers »Coates versteht es besonders gut, etwas Unheilvolles nur anzudeuten …«
1928 verschwand der Ozeandampfer SS Arcadia auf der Fahrt von den USA nach Großbritannien spurlos. Obwohl noch drei Notrufe gesendet wurden, die seltsamerweise schnell wechselnde Koordinaten übermittelten, konnten weder das Schiff noch Überlebende gefunden werden.
60 Jahre später wird das rostige Wrack auf dem Meeresgrund geortet – mehr als 300 Meilen vom ursprünglichen Kurs entfernt ...
Ein Taucherteam will herausfinden, was mit dem angeblich unsinkbaren Schiff passiert ist.
Aber die Arcadia hat noch nicht genug vom Tod: Etwas Dunkles und Hungriges wartet in der Tiefe.
Darcy Coates, die Autorin vieler unheimlicher Bestseller, zieht uns hinab in eine fesselnde Geistergeschichte. Eine Gruppe von Tauchern muss sich durch ein unaussprechliches Grauen kämpfen.
Darcy Coates, die Autorin vieler unheimlicher Bestseller, zieht uns hinab in eine fesselnde Geistergeschichte. Eine Gruppe von Tauchern muss sich durch ein unaussprechliches Grauen kämpfen.
Booklist: »Unheimlich, klaustrophobisch und durch und durch beängstigend.«
Publishers »Coates versteht es besonders gut, etwas Unheilvolles nur anzudeuten …«
592 pages, Paperback
First published June 7, 2022
1448 people are currently reading
29160 people want to read
About the author
Darcy Coates
72 books13.8k followersDarcy Coates is the USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen horror and suspense novels.
She lives in the Central Coast of Australia with her family, cat, and a collection of chickens. Her home is surrounded by rolling wilderness on all sides, and she wouldn't have it any other way.
You can hear about her next book by joining her newsletter: www.darcycoates.com/updates
She lives in the Central Coast of Australia with her family, cat, and a collection of chickens. Her home is surrounded by rolling wilderness on all sides, and she wouldn't have it any other way.
You can hear about her next book by joining her newsletter: www.darcycoates.com/updates
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,741 reviews
December 1, 2022
“From Below” by Darcy Coates started out really interesting at first. This was the first novel I’ve read by Coates and I can easily tell she is a great author that has an excellent style of writing. As I kept reading, I loved all the explanations of what truly happens when it comes to deep-sea diving and exploration. Talk about some truly claustrophobic moments!
I thought it was a brilliantly unique idea to format this novel by going to the past of the SS Arcadia and then the present with explorers to figure out why this weird ship mysteriously vanished. My favorite reading genres are horror, mystery, suspense, and thriller so I immediately started to get into this story as it was unfolding. Unfortunately, things started to get a bit too slow for my taste and drag on for long periods of time while reading.
Despite having some solid characters in the beginning, especially the main protagonist Cove, I just felt this novel started to get dull and repetitive as I went through the chapters. I enjoyed all the great atmospheric elements of this, especially the underwater situations, but after a while, it just started to get boring.
In my opinion, for a successful horror novel, especially one that is a whopping 482 pages, there needs to be a lot more action, scary action at that, than what was written. At first, I chalked it up to maybe it is a slow-burn kind of novel but it just took way too long for scary stuff to actually happen and when it did, even that was repetitive and not at all horrific enough.
This felt more like a paranormal mystery than an actual full-fledged horror novel. As events started to unravel, that was the vibe I got in this being more mystery than actual horror. There’s nothing wrong with that but being a huge horror enthusiast, I needed scarier events and situations than all this extra dialogue, often which was just repeating what had already transpired. I definitely wanted more scares, creepiness, and what you’d typically find in a horror novel.
I felt if this novel was shorter and tighter, it would have gotten a higher score in my book. This easily could have been 100-200 fewer pages by removing situations and events that didn’t really add much to the overall story that could have been omitted. Maybe then this would have been a better read if it just didn’t drag on as much as it did. There were bits of horror here and there but they just didn’t do it for me and weren’t enough in the grand scheme of things.
When it comes to the later chapters up to the end, I wasn’t a fan of how they abruptly ended right when good stuff happened. It was very frustrating since when it happened and brought a little bit of a spark while reading, I was left hanging until the chapter after next when it returned to that specific timeline. Combine that with the slow pacing of this novel and it’s just something that leaves much to be desired.
The ending I felt was okay but there needed to be more explanation as to what happened with the SS Arcadia and you know, give readers a satisfying ending that checks all the boxes. I honestly believe that this would have been a scarier ghost story if it stuck with just the entire angle and events on the SS Arcadia. Maybe flesh that out even more instead of going back and forth in time and it could have worked out better as a horror novel. That felt a lot scarier and more interesting than the endless dialogue and situations of the present, especially those specific characters in that timeline.
I give “From Below” by Darcy Coates a 2/5 because her writing skills are fantastic as it’s not easy to write the incredible atmospheric descriptions that she did so eloquently. Those were some intense situations being underwater and all, especially when it came to exploring the SS Arcadia. Unfortunately, that’s all I enjoyed in this novel. I felt the pacing was way too slow, too much dialogue, and not enough scary moments. This felt more like a paranormal mystery than actual horror as I was expecting a lot more in that department.
I thought it was a brilliantly unique idea to format this novel by going to the past of the SS Arcadia and then the present with explorers to figure out why this weird ship mysteriously vanished. My favorite reading genres are horror, mystery, suspense, and thriller so I immediately started to get into this story as it was unfolding. Unfortunately, things started to get a bit too slow for my taste and drag on for long periods of time while reading.
Despite having some solid characters in the beginning, especially the main protagonist Cove, I just felt this novel started to get dull and repetitive as I went through the chapters. I enjoyed all the great atmospheric elements of this, especially the underwater situations, but after a while, it just started to get boring.
In my opinion, for a successful horror novel, especially one that is a whopping 482 pages, there needs to be a lot more action, scary action at that, than what was written. At first, I chalked it up to maybe it is a slow-burn kind of novel but it just took way too long for scary stuff to actually happen and when it did, even that was repetitive and not at all horrific enough.
This felt more like a paranormal mystery than an actual full-fledged horror novel. As events started to unravel, that was the vibe I got in this being more mystery than actual horror. There’s nothing wrong with that but being a huge horror enthusiast, I needed scarier events and situations than all this extra dialogue, often which was just repeating what had already transpired. I definitely wanted more scares, creepiness, and what you’d typically find in a horror novel.
I felt if this novel was shorter and tighter, it would have gotten a higher score in my book. This easily could have been 100-200 fewer pages by removing situations and events that didn’t really add much to the overall story that could have been omitted. Maybe then this would have been a better read if it just didn’t drag on as much as it did. There were bits of horror here and there but they just didn’t do it for me and weren’t enough in the grand scheme of things.
When it comes to the later chapters up to the end, I wasn’t a fan of how they abruptly ended right when good stuff happened. It was very frustrating since when it happened and brought a little bit of a spark while reading, I was left hanging until the chapter after next when it returned to that specific timeline. Combine that with the slow pacing of this novel and it’s just something that leaves much to be desired.
The ending I felt was okay but there needed to be more explanation as to what happened with the SS Arcadia and you know, give readers a satisfying ending that checks all the boxes. I honestly believe that this would have been a scarier ghost story if it stuck with just the entire angle and events on the SS Arcadia. Maybe flesh that out even more instead of going back and forth in time and it could have worked out better as a horror novel. That felt a lot scarier and more interesting than the endless dialogue and situations of the present, especially those specific characters in that timeline.
I give “From Below” by Darcy Coates a 2/5 because her writing skills are fantastic as it’s not easy to write the incredible atmospheric descriptions that she did so eloquently. Those were some intense situations being underwater and all, especially when it came to exploring the SS Arcadia. Unfortunately, that’s all I enjoyed in this novel. I felt the pacing was way too slow, too much dialogue, and not enough scary moments. This felt more like a paranormal mystery than actual horror as I was expecting a lot more in that department.
September 10, 2024
Very Slow at Times.
This is one of those books that doesn’t get interesting until it’s at 70%. You are given a peek of the upcoming horror to come, but nothing happens.
And why did we need Aiden’s “mission” to get a piece of cloth to be a secret? Why did Aiden carry something on his dives, only so he could lose it?
I have a lot of problems with this book, but to name them all will have me telling the plot and I don’t want to ruin the book for those who wish to read it.
Three stars. ✨✨✨
This is one of those books that doesn’t get interesting until it’s at 70%. You are given a peek of the upcoming horror to come, but nothing happens.
And why did we need Aiden’s “mission” to get a piece of cloth to be a secret? Why did Aiden carry something on his dives, only so he could lose it?
I have a lot of problems with this book, but to name them all will have me telling the plot and I don’t want to ruin the book for those who wish to read it.
Three stars. ✨✨✨
June 7, 2022
The dark deep realms of the ocean, a claustrophobic underwater world - and scene of The SS Arcadia’s final resting place.
‘From Below’ opens with a dive team preparing to do their first dive to one particular shipwreck, firstly to confirm that the wreck being seen on sonar imagery is actually the SS Arcadia, (which they all hope it is) and then to search the wreck to ascertain what made this great ship sink without trace many years ago. She lies in her final resting place, way down below on the ocean floor.
Distress calls in the form of garbled messages, were received from the SS Arcadia in her last hours - messages that no one was able to understand, couldn’t make any sense of them, but perhaps this dive, sponsored by Vivitech who will be using the footage for a forthcoming documentary, will finally reveal what really happened.
Simple eh? Well no, definitely no! This dive expedition will be like no other, as the team are being watched inside this sunken wreck by something utterly terrifying! If you’re not already claustrophobic, then I’m sure you’ll feel that way reading ‘From Below’ as the author’s descriptions of what it’s like within a ship that’s underwater, with little light and little air are both stunning and frightening. The tension was unbearable at times - but yet I couldn’t look away!
*Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
‘From Below’ opens with a dive team preparing to do their first dive to one particular shipwreck, firstly to confirm that the wreck being seen on sonar imagery is actually the SS Arcadia, (which they all hope it is) and then to search the wreck to ascertain what made this great ship sink without trace many years ago. She lies in her final resting place, way down below on the ocean floor.
Distress calls in the form of garbled messages, were received from the SS Arcadia in her last hours - messages that no one was able to understand, couldn’t make any sense of them, but perhaps this dive, sponsored by Vivitech who will be using the footage for a forthcoming documentary, will finally reveal what really happened.
Simple eh? Well no, definitely no! This dive expedition will be like no other, as the team are being watched inside this sunken wreck by something utterly terrifying! If you’re not already claustrophobic, then I’m sure you’ll feel that way reading ‘From Below’ as the author’s descriptions of what it’s like within a ship that’s underwater, with little light and little air are both stunning and frightening. The tension was unbearable at times - but yet I couldn’t look away!
*Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
July 22, 2022
My thanks to Poisoned Pen Press, Darcy Coates and Netgalley.
Every single thing about this story just somehow managed to freak me out!
I've been a swimmer and a diver. But, something about spending 2 hours in decompression just scares the "youknowwhat" out of me!
Oh yeah, lets not forget all the horrors that go on in this ship from hell!
Darcy Coates is very much hit or miss with me. This was Ms. Coates hitting it out of the park!
Yes, I was a bit more freaked out then I would have ever believed.
I loved this very messed up tale!
Every single thing about this story just somehow managed to freak me out!
I've been a swimmer and a diver. But, something about spending 2 hours in decompression just scares the "youknowwhat" out of me!
Oh yeah, lets not forget all the horrors that go on in this ship from hell!
Darcy Coates is very much hit or miss with me. This was Ms. Coates hitting it out of the park!
Yes, I was a bit more freaked out then I would have ever believed.
I loved this very messed up tale!
July 3, 2022
I love me a good haunted ship read, and this one delivered. Definitely recommend!
July 13, 2025
—— 𝟒.𝟓 ☆ 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬. 🚢
❝𝑯𝒖𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒉𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈.❞
📖┆𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐛𝐲 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬
🏷️┆𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: ℍ𝕠𝕣𝕣𝕠𝕣, 𝕊𝕦𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕟𝕒𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕒𝕝 𝔽𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟
📆┆𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝: 𝟟/𝟙/𝟚𝟝 - 𝟟/𝟙𝟘/𝟚𝟝
📋┆𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬
「 “Years ago, the SS Arcadia vanished without a trace during a routine voyage. Though a strange, garbled emergency message was broadcast, neither the ship nor any of its crew could be found. Sixty years later, its wreck has finally been discovered and Cove with her dive team have been granted permission to examine the wreck, film everything, and, if possible, uncover how and why the supposedly unsinkable ship vanished. But the Arcadia has not yet had its fill of death.. something dark and hungry watches from below. With limited oxygen and the ship slowly closing in around them, Cove and her team will have to fight their way free of the unspeakable horror now desperate to claim them.”」
❝…𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒕 𝒖𝒏𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆. 𝑨𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒑𝒖𝒍𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑𝒘𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝒉𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒘. 𝑨𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎.❞
﹌ ﹌ ﹌ ﹌ ﹌ ﹌ ﹌ ﹌ ﹌ ﹌ ﹌ ﹌ ﹌ ﹌ ﹌
❝ “𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒈𝒐 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒏’𝒕 𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒓𝒚 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒂 𝒇𝒆𝒆. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒆𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒑𝒂𝒚 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂 𝒍𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒅, 𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒑𝒂𝒚 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆.” ❞
ᴍʏ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: ★★★★½
ɢᴏᴏᴅʀᴇᴀᴅꜱ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: 𝟹.𝟿𝟾 ☆ ꜱᴛᴀʀꜱ
ᴘᴀɪʀ ᴡɪᴛʜ: ꜱᴘᴀɢʜᴇᴛᴛɪ ʙᴏʟᴏɢɴᴇꜱᴇ 🍝
ꜱᴘᴏᴏᴋɪᴇꜱ: 👻½
ꜱᴇᴀꜱᴏɴ: ☀️🎃
ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ʀᴇᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇɴᴅ?: ✅
⊱ ────── {⋆♫·¯·♪¸¸♩·¯·♬⋆} ────── ⊰
lıllılı.ıllı.ılılıılıı.lllııılı.
ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴄᴇᴀɴ — ʙʟᴜᴇ ᴏᴄᴛᴏʙᴇʀ
1:30 ———♡——— 4:00
⇄ ◃◃ ⅠⅠ ▹▹ ↻
╰┈➤ˎˊ˗ not knowing how to think I scream aloud, begin to sink. my legs and arms are broken down with envy for the solid ground, I’m reaching for the life within me, how can one man stop his ending?
⊱ ────── {⋆♫·¯·♪¸¸♩·¯·♬¸¸⋆} ────── ⊰
ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
🚢 ᴅᴜᴀʟ ᴛɪᴍᴇʟɪɴᴇꜱ
🤿 ᴛʜᴀʟᴀꜱꜱᴏᴘʜᴏʙɪᴀ
🚢 ʜᴀᴜɴᴛᴇᴅ ꜱʜɪᴘᴡʀᴇᴄᴋꜱ
🤿 ᴘᴀʀᴀɴᴏʀᴍᴀʟ ᴇʟᴇᴍᴇɴᴛꜱ
🚢 ᴏᴄᴇᴀɴ/ᴅᴇᴇᴘ ꜱᴇᴀ ʜᴏʀʀᴏʀ
🤿 ᴄʟᴀᴜꜱᴛʀᴏᴘʜᴏʙɪᴄ ꜱᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢꜱ
⚠️ TW: suicidal ideations, death, claustrophobia, deep water, mild body horror
❝𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝒘𝒂𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒂 𝒈𝒆𝒎 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒄𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝒇𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒓, 𝒘𝒂𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅. 𝑰𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒑. 𝑨 𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒔, 𝒉𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒑.❞
﹌ ﹌ ﹌ ﹌ ﹌ ﹌ ﹌ ﹌ ﹌ ﹌ ﹌ ﹌ ﹌ ﹌ ﹌
💬┆𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
• It’s giving The Walking Dead, but underwater.
That’s it.
That’s the review.
Jk. But for real, if I didn’t like yapping about books so much, I feel like that could pass as a sufficient review. 🤷🏼♀️
• You all should know by now that I love me a good niche genre 🤌🏼 and on today’s episode of Brooke’s Favorite Niche Genres, we have ocean/deep sea horror. I have been fascinated with the ocean & the ocean’s abyss since as long as I can remember and when you combine two of my favorite things, horror & the ocean, you know my ass is sat and ready.
• From Below checked off all the boxes of what I like in a deep sea horror and then some. I don’t scare easily from books, so when you can get me to feel any type of heebie geebies, you’ve done something right. Although the book did run a little slow at some parts, I was still invested and locked in because of how fascinating I found the subject, but if you’re not an ocean nerd like me, you might find yourself a tad bit bored. Don’t worry though, the action does resume!
• Sometimes dual timelines don’t really work for me. Instead of adding to the story, they can confuse me by the constant whiplash of switching from past to present. In this case, it ended working out really well. Some of my favorite chapters included going back in time to 1928 to see what happened to the Arcadia and what caused its deceased to stay stuck on the ship for eternity. If the Titanic is your roman empire, you’ll love this.
• Another banger from my girl Darcy Coates. She just has this way with her writing that makes you feel like you’re right there, deep diving alongside the characters in the dark abyss. All hail my atmospheric horror queen 👑
﹌ ﹌ ﹌ ﹌ ﹌
❝𝑳𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒕. 𝑳𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒕 𝒂𝒔 𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒍, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒔𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔. 𝑼𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓, 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒛𝒆𝒅. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒑��𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒔. 𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒆𝒘 𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒘, 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏.❞
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❝𝑨 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒆 𝒈𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑.
𝑨 𝒑𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒐𝒎 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒆𝒑,𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒅.❞
May 30, 2022
"If we die down here, our bodies may never be recovered."
I really enjoy books that have a sense of claustrophobia - that trapped feeling. This book has that and then some! Deep in the Ocean's depths, there is no one around to help you if something goes wrong. If you run out of oxygen, it you come up to fast, if you get stuck, if you can't find your way out, then you are doomed!
The SS Arcadia vanished without a trace while on a routine voyage. An emergency message was sent, but the ship and its crew were never seen again. Well, that is until sixty years later when its wreckage is found. It appears the SS Arcadia went off course, and now lies on the Ocean's floor.
Cove and her team of divers have been tasked with exploring Arcadia's wreck. To document, film, and hopefully discovered why it wrecked. Easier said than done! On their first dive, things seemed strange, eerie, and pricked up the hairs on the back of their necks! Were they seeing things? Was it the cold deep depth playing tricks on them? Nothing can live this far down, where oxygen does not exist and yet, what was that out of the corner of their eyes?
"There's writing on the wall."
Claustrophobic and eerie, From Below, takes not only the divers but readers, deep below the Ocean, to a wreck, that has hidden its dark secret for sixty years. Like the Ocean waters, it is chilling and dark. As fear envelopes them, my heart was pounding as hard as theirs was!
Darcy Coates created atmosphere in this creepy setting. The ship itself is very much a character in this book. I enjoyed the other characters as well. We get to know some more than others, but that didn't hinder my enjoyed of the book. I enjoyed the sense of unease, the dark eerie setting, the spike of fear this book evoked.
I recently discovered Darcy Coates - no I have not been living under a rock- and have enjoyed the books I have read by her. I also enjoyed the two timelines in this book where we are given more and more information as the book progresses. This piqued my interest and kept me invested. I did enjoy the current timeline slightly more. Another positive is that although this book is eerie and chilling, it is not horrific in the horror sense. Which I believe will make it more appealing to many readers. Fans of Coates will enjoy this, and this is a good start if you have not read her books before.
The only downside for me was that there were some sections that felt slow but the overall sense of unease and tension, helped me to overlooks this.
Chilling, eerie and dark!
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
I really enjoy books that have a sense of claustrophobia - that trapped feeling. This book has that and then some! Deep in the Ocean's depths, there is no one around to help you if something goes wrong. If you run out of oxygen, it you come up to fast, if you get stuck, if you can't find your way out, then you are doomed!
The SS Arcadia vanished without a trace while on a routine voyage. An emergency message was sent, but the ship and its crew were never seen again. Well, that is until sixty years later when its wreckage is found. It appears the SS Arcadia went off course, and now lies on the Ocean's floor.
Cove and her team of divers have been tasked with exploring Arcadia's wreck. To document, film, and hopefully discovered why it wrecked. Easier said than done! On their first dive, things seemed strange, eerie, and pricked up the hairs on the back of their necks! Were they seeing things? Was it the cold deep depth playing tricks on them? Nothing can live this far down, where oxygen does not exist and yet, what was that out of the corner of their eyes?
"There's writing on the wall."
Claustrophobic and eerie, From Below, takes not only the divers but readers, deep below the Ocean, to a wreck, that has hidden its dark secret for sixty years. Like the Ocean waters, it is chilling and dark. As fear envelopes them, my heart was pounding as hard as theirs was!
Darcy Coates created atmosphere in this creepy setting. The ship itself is very much a character in this book. I enjoyed the other characters as well. We get to know some more than others, but that didn't hinder my enjoyed of the book. I enjoyed the sense of unease, the dark eerie setting, the spike of fear this book evoked.
I recently discovered Darcy Coates - no I have not been living under a rock- and have enjoyed the books I have read by her. I also enjoyed the two timelines in this book where we are given more and more information as the book progresses. This piqued my interest and kept me invested. I did enjoy the current timeline slightly more. Another positive is that although this book is eerie and chilling, it is not horrific in the horror sense. Which I believe will make it more appealing to many readers. Fans of Coates will enjoy this, and this is a good start if you have not read her books before.
The only downside for me was that there were some sections that felt slow but the overall sense of unease and tension, helped me to overlooks this.
Chilling, eerie and dark!
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Read
July 7, 2023Well, I think I have now thoroughly scratched my Titan-induced itch for deep sea horror. Also I am never going in the sea again. Not even *paddling*. And fuck ships too, I get seasick anyway. Land is great. There's a reason we crawled out here.
A hugely--enjoyable is not the word--let's say *involving* story of a cursed ship and the divers who come to explore it. Terrifying, vivid, intense, terrifying, grotesque body horror (literally), also did I say terrifying. I had to stop reading it in bed and pull up a couple of favourite short stories in order to sleep.
I will say I saw the final scene coming a way ahead, but it is an excellent scene so not going to argue, and a certain inevitability is a good thing in genre fiction anyway. This book does exactly what it says on the tin, and you can't get better than that.
A hugely--enjoyable is not the word--let's say *involving* story of a cursed ship and the divers who come to explore it. Terrifying, vivid, intense, terrifying, grotesque body horror (literally), also did I say terrifying. I had to stop reading it in bed and pull up a couple of favourite short stories in order to sleep.
I will say I saw the final scene coming a way ahead, but it is an excellent scene so not going to argue, and a certain inevitability is a good thing in genre fiction anyway. This book does exactly what it says on the tin, and you can't get better than that.
August 8, 2024
From Below has Darcy Coates signature paranormal elements in the plot but it's also creepy as hell and the claustrophobic moments in the book are fantastic.
SS Arcadia vanished back in 1928. It was an ocean liner that was on a transatlantic voyage between Britain and the United States. The wreck was discovered years later, and a dive team explores it for the first time for an upcoming documentary.
I loved all the atmosphere and the setting in From Below.
The underwater wreck is eerie and made me feel uneasy while I was reading this. While the divers are exploring the halls, dining areas to the boiler room, the ship feels claustrophobic, dark, and unsettling. It's awesome!
Absolutely enjoyed all the characters in this one.
I loved how Darcy Coates has you questioning the motives of some and wondering if others are a liability for this diving expedition.
I can see how some of the deep-water diving details could be a bit much for a reader, but I actually liked it. I loved reading what a diver will experience from lack of oxygen, light, confined areas, to silt going up in the air after disturbing an area.
There's a bit of repetitiveness in the book with the diving sessions, but I didn’t have an issue with it. I felt like this would happen with a diving expedition with the day-to-day similarities of a shipwreck, and the technical and safety actions you would need to take for a successful dive.
Get to this one if you love paranormal plots. I enjoyed the supernatural atmosphere and all the horror in this one.
SS Arcadia vanished back in 1928. It was an ocean liner that was on a transatlantic voyage between Britain and the United States. The wreck was discovered years later, and a dive team explores it for the first time for an upcoming documentary.
I loved all the atmosphere and the setting in From Below.
The underwater wreck is eerie and made me feel uneasy while I was reading this. While the divers are exploring the halls, dining areas to the boiler room, the ship feels claustrophobic, dark, and unsettling. It's awesome!
Absolutely enjoyed all the characters in this one.
I loved how Darcy Coates has you questioning the motives of some and wondering if others are a liability for this diving expedition.
I can see how some of the deep-water diving details could be a bit much for a reader, but I actually liked it. I loved reading what a diver will experience from lack of oxygen, light, confined areas, to silt going up in the air after disturbing an area.
There's a bit of repetitiveness in the book with the diving sessions, but I didn’t have an issue with it. I felt like this would happen with a diving expedition with the day-to-day similarities of a shipwreck, and the technical and safety actions you would need to take for a successful dive.
Get to this one if you love paranormal plots. I enjoyed the supernatural atmosphere and all the horror in this one.
October 15, 2023
A small deep diving dream is recruited to film a documentary about the mysterious 1928 disappearance and sinking of the passenger line ship the "S.S. Arcadia". The ship is 300 feet below sea level and two of the team are very inexperienced with diving this deep within the sea and the group must get twelve hours of quality filming footage in order to be paid for this venture. The true history of this sinking ship is unknown to anyone so the team hopes to find footage of unusual damage and also clear pictures of as many rooms as possible within the Arcadia. On the second dive the team encounters some strange and mysterious occurrences that shake most of them up especially one who won't be able to make the third dive. What the last dive brings is the most horrifying sights and happenings where the the team will be fighting to save their lives and also their sanity.
Do you believe in ghosts or hauntings? After reading the terrifying adventures of this documentary team it just make you think twice about what happens after death especially when one dies in a tragic and violent death.
This was an unexpected and extremely enjoyable read by author "Darcy Coates". I appreciated the atmospheric and tense storytelling and I also became very engaged with all the characters. The story starts slowly and continues to build while giving hints of what is to come yet the reader will be completely surprised by the turn of events and the last forty percent of the book had myself holding my breath at times and feeling nervous at the disturbingly creepy happenings within the ship and what the poor crew were experiencing. I really was sitting on the edge of my seat by the time I finished this book. This was a terrific, eerie and spooky story for anyone who loves a good horror story taking place deep within the ocean. I now am a true fan of "Darcy Coates" and will look forward to reading many of her books.
I want to thank the publisher "Poisoned Pen Press" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this spooky novel and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I highly recommend this book and have given a rating of 4 TENSE AND BREATHTAKING 🌟🌟🌟🌟 STARS!!
Do you believe in ghosts or hauntings? After reading the terrifying adventures of this documentary team it just make you think twice about what happens after death especially when one dies in a tragic and violent death.
This was an unexpected and extremely enjoyable read by author "Darcy Coates". I appreciated the atmospheric and tense storytelling and I also became very engaged with all the characters. The story starts slowly and continues to build while giving hints of what is to come yet the reader will be completely surprised by the turn of events and the last forty percent of the book had myself holding my breath at times and feeling nervous at the disturbingly creepy happenings within the ship and what the poor crew were experiencing. I really was sitting on the edge of my seat by the time I finished this book. This was a terrific, eerie and spooky story for anyone who loves a good horror story taking place deep within the ocean. I now am a true fan of "Darcy Coates" and will look forward to reading many of her books.
I want to thank the publisher "Poisoned Pen Press" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this spooky novel and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I highly recommend this book and have given a rating of 4 TENSE AND BREATHTAKING 🌟🌟🌟🌟 STARS!!
June 27, 2022
I've read a couple of books about haunted houses by Darcy Coates, this one features a team exploring a shipwreck and is a bit different. The horror elements are quite mild and the beginning is the strongest part of the book. Starting tense and atmospheric, with a looming sense of dread, the story unfortunately slows down by halfway. The fear of being trapped underwater with a limited supply of oxygen is where the real scares are.
September 10, 2022
From Below follows two timelines: Present day where Cove and her team are preparing to dive down to the ship wreak of the Arcadia where they will film footage for a documentary, and the second is 1928 in the days leading up to that ship wreak.
“In the walls…” The voice from the radio groaned, and the sound seemed to travel not only through Phillip’s headset but into his bones as well, causing them to ache. “The walls.”
While I enjoyed the present day timeline, I loved 1928 and the strange days leading up to the inevitable disaster. The creepiness of the mist and subsequent disease overtaking the ship had me glued to it's pages. And the transitions between the two timelines were flawless.
5 stars read for me. Probably my favorite Darcy Coates read to date.
“In the walls…” The voice from the radio groaned, and the sound seemed to travel not only through Phillip’s headset but into his bones as well, causing them to ache. “The walls.”
While I enjoyed the present day timeline, I loved 1928 and the strange days leading up to the inevitable disaster. The creepiness of the mist and subsequent disease overtaking the ship had me glued to it's pages. And the transitions between the two timelines were flawless.
5 stars read for me. Probably my favorite Darcy Coates read to date.
November 17, 2022
Breath-Hitching Tension!
A small backstory:
The Arcadia which has been missing since the 1920's has been located by a diving crew (Cove, Vanna, Roy, Hestie, Aiden, Sean, and Devereaux) and they are wanting to go to explore the ship as no one knows much about what could have happened to the ship or what happened to the ship crew so they want to go check it out and record their diving footage of the ship.
Though what the diving crew find when they finally get to the ship wreckage is beyond their imagination and it will be everything they can do to make sure that they are able to get the footage they need without losing their lives!
What do the crew find within the wreckage? Do they get the video footage they need? Do the crew make it out of the wreckage alive? No spoilers here as you will just need to read the book!
Thoughts:
I have read quite a few books by author, Darcy Coates, but I think this book is one of her best books yet! The story just grabbed me right away and took me on a fast pace into the deep sea as the tension of the book took me on a roller coaster ride of emotions from breath-hitching moments of anxiety to throat closing claustrophobic atmospheric intensity as I barreled my way through the storyline!
Author, Darcy Coates is known for writing her books with atmospheric emotions but this book seemed to be hundred times more with atmosphere than any other books she has out there as I literally had to lay the book down a few times to catch my breath as I felt that I was having anxiety attacks while reading this book!
I loved all the characters as they just seemed so real and the story just drew me in so much that I felt I was right there with them experiencing the same emotions that they were going through themselves. An awesome story by this author as it will be going on my favorites shelf and a book I won't forget anytime soon! Giving this book five "Deep Sea Spooky" stars!
A small backstory:
The Arcadia which has been missing since the 1920's has been located by a diving crew (Cove, Vanna, Roy, Hestie, Aiden, Sean, and Devereaux) and they are wanting to go to explore the ship as no one knows much about what could have happened to the ship or what happened to the ship crew so they want to go check it out and record their diving footage of the ship.
Though what the diving crew find when they finally get to the ship wreckage is beyond their imagination and it will be everything they can do to make sure that they are able to get the footage they need without losing their lives!
What do the crew find within the wreckage? Do they get the video footage they need? Do the crew make it out of the wreckage alive? No spoilers here as you will just need to read the book!
Thoughts:
I have read quite a few books by author, Darcy Coates, but I think this book is one of her best books yet! The story just grabbed me right away and took me on a fast pace into the deep sea as the tension of the book took me on a roller coaster ride of emotions from breath-hitching moments of anxiety to throat closing claustrophobic atmospheric intensity as I barreled my way through the storyline!
Author, Darcy Coates is known for writing her books with atmospheric emotions but this book seemed to be hundred times more with atmosphere than any other books she has out there as I literally had to lay the book down a few times to catch my breath as I felt that I was having anxiety attacks while reading this book!
I loved all the characters as they just seemed so real and the story just drew me in so much that I felt I was right there with them experiencing the same emotions that they were going through themselves. An awesome story by this author as it will be going on my favorites shelf and a book I won't forget anytime soon! Giving this book five "Deep Sea Spooky" stars!
May 23, 2022
I had a wild time reading this. It oscillates so quickly between being a complete bore, a claustrophobic thriller, and an absurd adventure tale. It moved so. friggin'. slowly, unforgivably so considering how damn long this book is (nearly 500 pages). A good 60% of this book is just the story spinning its wheels, the same phrases and ideas and scenes repeated ad nauseum. WE GET IT. THERE'S SILT. JESUS. Even the more exciting portions, which begin around the final quarter, are so repetitive and boring because it's the same thing happening over and over.
And the actual horror of the ship is never explained. I needed something to explain this story, because everything the divers do is just stupid as hell and utterly inexplicable.
And my God, the writing. So melodramatic. So terribly paced. Nonsensical at times. There is a passage early on where a room in the wreck is described as looking as if someone left in a hurry. Like a tube of lipstick is perfectly positioned in a stateroom and all the cargo is still perfectly stacked when it's made clear that the pressure of a ship sinking will typically shatter all the windows and crush the steel hull? Not to mention that the wreck has an enormous gash in it from where it was shredded on an underwater rock formation. But sure, that tube of lipstick is placed in such a way to make a diver think someone abandoned their room in the middle of getting ready for a night out. Stupid.
But then also I raced through the middle third of this like there was a gold medal on the line. I couldn't put it down. I actively disliked almost everything that was happening, but I needed answers. (I mostly didn't get them by the time the book ended, but whatever.) So I just kept reading, chugging cheap wine and stuffing my face with Cheez-Its as I furiously clicked through pages on my Kindle. All for something that could and should have been a short story or novella or direct-to-streaming film. Ugh.
And the actual horror of the ship is never explained. I needed something to explain this story, because everything the divers do is just stupid as hell and utterly inexplicable.
And my God, the writing. So melodramatic. So terribly paced. Nonsensical at times. There is a passage early on where a room in the wreck is described as looking as if someone left in a hurry. Like a tube of lipstick is perfectly positioned in a stateroom and all the cargo is still perfectly stacked when it's made clear that the pressure of a ship sinking will typically shatter all the windows and crush the steel hull? Not to mention that the wreck has an enormous gash in it from where it was shredded on an underwater rock formation. But sure, that tube of lipstick is placed in such a way to make a diver think someone abandoned their room in the middle of getting ready for a night out. Stupid.
But then also I raced through the middle third of this like there was a gold medal on the line. I couldn't put it down. I actively disliked almost everything that was happening, but I needed answers. (I mostly didn't get them by the time the book ended, but whatever.) So I just kept reading, chugging cheap wine and stuffing my face with Cheez-Its as I furiously clicked through pages on my Kindle. All for something that could and should have been a short story or novella or direct-to-streaming film. Ugh.
November 5, 2022
Creepy book that is.
In 1928 an ocean liner gets lost at sea, the mystery of its disappearance never solved. A couple of radio message were received by other ships, but both the location and the precise nature of the Arcadia's distress remained unclear. Although, one of the last messages ominously stated that there was something in the walls.
Almost a century later the ship's wreck is found at the bottom of the sea and a film crew is diving to the wreck to hopefully uncover and document the reasons for its sinking. Something's already awaiting them.
I was expecting one of those creature features that are something of a guilty pleasure of mine but got something else. No spoilers. But regardless of its slow build-up and low body count, this is a super creepy story that had me turning the pages at a surprisingly fast pace.
Darcy Coates makes good use of the claustrophobic setting and her characters, even though they are making some dumb decisions here and there, are more plausible in their actions as is usually the case in books like this. She also employs a dual timeline that lets the reader slowly uncover what had happened aboard the Arcadia in 1928 while in the present timeline our crew of divers will find out as well. This form of storytelling was working perfectly here.
If you are able to suspend disbelief, even for horror stories that aren't going for all-out silly, then you are in for a treat.
4.25 stars
Buddy read with Cathy. We were using the buddy read feature on The StoryGraph for this, which was fun.
In 1928 an ocean liner gets lost at sea, the mystery of its disappearance never solved. A couple of radio message were received by other ships, but both the location and the precise nature of the Arcadia's distress remained unclear. Although, one of the last messages ominously stated that there was something in the walls.
Almost a century later the ship's wreck is found at the bottom of the sea and a film crew is diving to the wreck to hopefully uncover and document the reasons for its sinking. Something's already awaiting them.
I was expecting one of those creature features that are something of a guilty pleasure of mine but got something else. No spoilers. But regardless of its slow build-up and low body count, this is a super creepy story that had me turning the pages at a surprisingly fast pace.
Darcy Coates makes good use of the claustrophobic setting and her characters, even though they are making some dumb decisions here and there, are more plausible in their actions as is usually the case in books like this. She also employs a dual timeline that lets the reader slowly uncover what had happened aboard the Arcadia in 1928 while in the present timeline our crew of divers will find out as well. This form of storytelling was working perfectly here.
If you are able to suspend disbelief, even for horror stories that aren't going for all-out silly, then you are in for a treat.
4.25 stars
Buddy read with Cathy. We were using the buddy read feature on The StoryGraph for this, which was fun.
May 21, 2022
3.5 Stars
This is an entertaining Underwater horror book. The narrative felt claustrophobic and tense. The characters were decently well developed and did not feel too stereotypical. As someone who cannot swim, these kind of stories definitely appeal to me. This was my first Darcy Coates book and I think it was a great place to start.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this one from the publisher.
This is an entertaining Underwater horror book. The narrative felt claustrophobic and tense. The characters were decently well developed and did not feel too stereotypical. As someone who cannot swim, these kind of stories definitely appeal to me. This was my first Darcy Coates book and I think it was a great place to start.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this one from the publisher.
June 20, 2022
FROM BELOW, by Darcy Coates is a really tough book for me to review. On one hand, I thought the idea was phenomenal--small differences had the potential to make this into something great.
My personal problem was all the technical details made the read more of a "chore" to get through at times. My attention would be on a great scene, only to be derailed by silt moving (for the 500th time), or something else that took me "out of the moment". There was also one part that could have added so much more, if elaborated on, in my opinion.
"This ship wasn't a gem on the ocean floor, waiting to be found. It was a trap . . . "
Parts like the quote above were absolutely fantastic, and kept drawing me back into the story. If only the pacing stayed a bit more consistent (or the book maybe shortened by 200 pages of the "unnecessary" repetitions), I would have gone 4 or even 5 stars.
". . . The human mind couldn't cope with looking at nothing for very long . . ."
Don't go merely by my review on this one, because there were a LOT of parts that I truly loved. I think I just wanted a faster pacing, and more of the horror NOT being interrupted by technicalities.
". . . It's just pure cold indifference . . . "
My personal problem was all the technical details made the read more of a "chore" to get through at times. My attention would be on a great scene, only to be derailed by silt moving (for the 500th time), or something else that took me "out of the moment". There was also one part that could have added so much more, if elaborated on, in my opinion.
"This ship wasn't a gem on the ocean floor, waiting to be found. It was a trap . . . "
Parts like the quote above were absolutely fantastic, and kept drawing me back into the story. If only the pacing stayed a bit more consistent (or the book maybe shortened by 200 pages of the "unnecessary" repetitions), I would have gone 4 or even 5 stars.
". . . The human mind couldn't cope with looking at nothing for very long . . ."
Don't go merely by my review on this one, because there were a LOT of parts that I truly loved. I think I just wanted a faster pacing, and more of the horror NOT being interrupted by technicalities.
". . . It's just pure cold indifference . . . "
February 26, 2024
It is important to note that the majority of the themes explored in this book deal with sensitive subject matters. My review, therefore, touches on these topics as well. Many people might find the subject matters of the book & those detailed in my review overwhelming. I would suggest you steer clear of both if this is the case. Please note that from this point forward I will be writing about matters that contain reflections on self-mutilation, mental illness, suicide, murder, & others.
Before I say anything regarding the plot I would like to acknowledge that this is a book that I know many readers will love. I was beyond excited in the opening chapters of this story because Coates is a writer with talent; every word is poised with power & intent, & every single scene is utilized to its full potential to draw the reader into the gloomy depths of the vile ocean floor.
What I seek in books that fall into the Horror genre is for a writer to delicately take my hand & leave me feeling stranded in the pages of the book. I want to forget that I am safely tucked away in my house, far away from the ocean; needing to remind myself that I am not a passenger on a freight vessel that is trying to survive as every other member of the crew & subsequent passengers commits suicide in an attempt to escape the invisible. Coates was able to grant me that experience & for that alone, I am grateful.
I have read many scary stories in my day. I am very familiar with the sentiment of fear both in a tangible, literal sense as well as what the emotion means logically; the way our brains transform within our bodies grasping for coherent rationals to the events transpiring around us. It is the gift of a great writer to provide the reader with an experience of immersion. The beginning of this book saw us meet a cast of characters in the present day as well as view the cataclysmic events leading to the sinking of the Arcadia, through the introspection of Harland, a crew member on the ship in 1928.
This is a story about zombies, plain & simple. Should you be someone who enjoys this subject matter I truly recommend you take a chance with this book. My opinion, or more so my disappointment, is grounded in the fact that I do not like zombie stories & this one felt exceedingly long once we reached the 70 percent mark.
What is most frustrating to me is that I have read another of Coates’ books & zombies played a very key role in the plot as well. Feeling similarly about both books I must acknowledge that I am the sole factor in my disappointment. I cannot rightly place the blame on the author for writing a book that they were passionate about when I should have known better. I should have done a bit of research into Coates’ preferred sub-genre of Horror.
With that being said, I found the first 70 percent of this book riveting. I am constantly on the hunt for a world-altering scary story. Being a fan of both the Horror & Historical Fiction genres this book appeared to be my ideal match. Had Coates held steadfast in the general malaise which was being crafted throughout the first part of the story I am certain that this would have been one that I would have been loath to put down.
Unfortunately, we also read about the diving team, set in the present tense, who are exploring the Arcadia that lies 300 feet into the ocean deep. This group of people grows to become insufferable as they seem to willfully neglect logical thought & decision-making in the hopes of capturing more footage for the documentary they are shooting.
I appreciate that the corporate world leaves very little room for emotional leeway however, a member of the diving team had an apparent seizure while diving & the entire team felt it appropriate to return to the shipwreck. Perhaps I am not well equipped to speak on this as I have never been behind the eight-ball attempting to gather footage for a corporation that has been known to not pay its employees. In that same breath, I realize that the group of divers were simply misfits in their own rights & truly should not have been diving with the intent to explore ruins in any capacity.
Cove neglecting to dissuade Aidan from participating in dives was preposterous. We then read about how responsible & forward-thinking Cove is as both an individual & group leader, while it is never demonstrated to the reader. Her inability to gauge a safe site from the one in which they explored did allow the plot to move forward, however, it left me feeling confused as to why I would want to root for any of these characters.
The part of this book that enticed me the most was the flashbacks. I adored reading about Harland’s observations as the date of the sinking drew near. The details put forth to craft: the atmosphere of the ship, the terror of the faceless passengers, the overbearing fog, the seeping of mental awareness, & the deaths, were superb.
If you have ever been in a position to hear rodents scraping their talons against the inner structure of a wall I can assure you that you will have no trouble imagining the absolute horror that the passengers & crew felt round the clock. The same can be said for every other dramatic & fear-mongering aspect of this story. I cannot say enough positive things about the first half.
I recant my previous statement, there are two aspects of this book that I adored; the first being the flashbacks in time & the second being the things in the wall. This is a trope that I hold dear to my heart. It does not matter how many times I see it play out or how few times it is employed in actuality, it never ceases to riddle my heart with angst.
I am sure that every horror fanatic holds a special place in their mind’s eye for the specific piece of horror that truly overwhelms them in the very best way. To imagine a being wandering behind walls or, to picture a lump of flesh once alive sickly stuck within the confines of the structural design, well, few things scare me more.
Should you not be someone who enjoys a slow burn then I would caution you from starting this book. This story transpires very slowly & even when you think that the plot has begun to spin at high speed, there are chapters on end about the fights of the diving crew against the zombies. Had we seen fewer chapters take over the narrative of the un-dead, I would have appreciated those bits for what they brought to the story.
I acknowledge that there are few laneways to explore with this subject matter. After all, up until this point we have read about crew members & passengers alike leaping to their bone-breaking deaths on deck, burrowing their bodies into crevices, & going out of their minds due to the fear of the impending “others” who live within the walls.
Overall, I did enjoy this book. I have it in me to focus on the many aspects that worked for me & if asked, I would say that Coates is a writer whose works I would read again. Of course, I would not want to see someone return to the site of a zombie invasion simply to retrieve an engagement ring; you cannot propose marriage if you’re dead but, I digress.
The particulars of this book that irritated me are few & far between. I enjoyed the writing, & the horror tropes, the character of Harland, & I enjoyed the inclusion of tangible reasoning behind the insanity that transpired on the Arcadia.
I did not enjoy the zombies, I did not enjoy the elongated fight/escape scenes, I did not enjoy the solo return to the ship, & I did not enjoy the irrational decision-making & rather long second half of the book. However, there is always a place for the torment brought forth by psychological fear; scratching, tapping, crawling behind the tangible; these are things that wander in my mind late into the night.
Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, & Darcy Coates for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Before I say anything regarding the plot I would like to acknowledge that this is a book that I know many readers will love. I was beyond excited in the opening chapters of this story because Coates is a writer with talent; every word is poised with power & intent, & every single scene is utilized to its full potential to draw the reader into the gloomy depths of the vile ocean floor.
What I seek in books that fall into the Horror genre is for a writer to delicately take my hand & leave me feeling stranded in the pages of the book. I want to forget that I am safely tucked away in my house, far away from the ocean; needing to remind myself that I am not a passenger on a freight vessel that is trying to survive as every other member of the crew & subsequent passengers commits suicide in an attempt to escape the invisible. Coates was able to grant me that experience & for that alone, I am grateful.
I have read many scary stories in my day. I am very familiar with the sentiment of fear both in a tangible, literal sense as well as what the emotion means logically; the way our brains transform within our bodies grasping for coherent rationals to the events transpiring around us. It is the gift of a great writer to provide the reader with an experience of immersion. The beginning of this book saw us meet a cast of characters in the present day as well as view the cataclysmic events leading to the sinking of the Arcadia, through the introspection of Harland, a crew member on the ship in 1928.
This is a story about zombies, plain & simple. Should you be someone who enjoys this subject matter I truly recommend you take a chance with this book. My opinion, or more so my disappointment, is grounded in the fact that I do not like zombie stories & this one felt exceedingly long once we reached the 70 percent mark.
What is most frustrating to me is that I have read another of Coates’ books & zombies played a very key role in the plot as well. Feeling similarly about both books I must acknowledge that I am the sole factor in my disappointment. I cannot rightly place the blame on the author for writing a book that they were passionate about when I should have known better. I should have done a bit of research into Coates’ preferred sub-genre of Horror.
With that being said, I found the first 70 percent of this book riveting. I am constantly on the hunt for a world-altering scary story. Being a fan of both the Horror & Historical Fiction genres this book appeared to be my ideal match. Had Coates held steadfast in the general malaise which was being crafted throughout the first part of the story I am certain that this would have been one that I would have been loath to put down.
Unfortunately, we also read about the diving team, set in the present tense, who are exploring the Arcadia that lies 300 feet into the ocean deep. This group of people grows to become insufferable as they seem to willfully neglect logical thought & decision-making in the hopes of capturing more footage for the documentary they are shooting.
I appreciate that the corporate world leaves very little room for emotional leeway however, a member of the diving team had an apparent seizure while diving & the entire team felt it appropriate to return to the shipwreck. Perhaps I am not well equipped to speak on this as I have never been behind the eight-ball attempting to gather footage for a corporation that has been known to not pay its employees. In that same breath, I realize that the group of divers were simply misfits in their own rights & truly should not have been diving with the intent to explore ruins in any capacity.
Cove neglecting to dissuade Aidan from participating in dives was preposterous. We then read about how responsible & forward-thinking Cove is as both an individual & group leader, while it is never demonstrated to the reader. Her inability to gauge a safe site from the one in which they explored did allow the plot to move forward, however, it left me feeling confused as to why I would want to root for any of these characters.
The part of this book that enticed me the most was the flashbacks. I adored reading about Harland’s observations as the date of the sinking drew near. The details put forth to craft: the atmosphere of the ship, the terror of the faceless passengers, the overbearing fog, the seeping of mental awareness, & the deaths, were superb.
If you have ever been in a position to hear rodents scraping their talons against the inner structure of a wall I can assure you that you will have no trouble imagining the absolute horror that the passengers & crew felt round the clock. The same can be said for every other dramatic & fear-mongering aspect of this story. I cannot say enough positive things about the first half.
I recant my previous statement, there are two aspects of this book that I adored; the first being the flashbacks in time & the second being the things in the wall. This is a trope that I hold dear to my heart. It does not matter how many times I see it play out or how few times it is employed in actuality, it never ceases to riddle my heart with angst.
I am sure that every horror fanatic holds a special place in their mind’s eye for the specific piece of horror that truly overwhelms them in the very best way. To imagine a being wandering behind walls or, to picture a lump of flesh once alive sickly stuck within the confines of the structural design, well, few things scare me more.
Should you not be someone who enjoys a slow burn then I would caution you from starting this book. This story transpires very slowly & even when you think that the plot has begun to spin at high speed, there are chapters on end about the fights of the diving crew against the zombies. Had we seen fewer chapters take over the narrative of the un-dead, I would have appreciated those bits for what they brought to the story.
I acknowledge that there are few laneways to explore with this subject matter. After all, up until this point we have read about crew members & passengers alike leaping to their bone-breaking deaths on deck, burrowing their bodies into crevices, & going out of their minds due to the fear of the impending “others” who live within the walls.
Overall, I did enjoy this book. I have it in me to focus on the many aspects that worked for me & if asked, I would say that Coates is a writer whose works I would read again. Of course, I would not want to see someone return to the site of a zombie invasion simply to retrieve an engagement ring; you cannot propose marriage if you’re dead but, I digress.
The particulars of this book that irritated me are few & far between. I enjoyed the writing, & the horror tropes, the character of Harland, & I enjoyed the inclusion of tangible reasoning behind the insanity that transpired on the Arcadia.
I did not enjoy the zombies, I did not enjoy the elongated fight/escape scenes, I did not enjoy the solo return to the ship, & I did not enjoy the irrational decision-making & rather long second half of the book. However, there is always a place for the torment brought forth by psychological fear; scratching, tapping, crawling behind the tangible; these are things that wander in my mind late into the night.
Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, & Darcy Coates for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 14, 2025
It feels a little freaky and a little like destiny that I finish reading this story the eve of the anniversary of the Titanic’s sinking.
A dive team explores the wreck of missing ocean liner Arcadia. Lost a hundred years ago under mysterious circumstances, readers will follow the modern dive team on their terrifying adventure, as well as the horrifying events that occurred in 1928.
If you have event a HINT of claustrophobia, this story will be 1000x more awful and intense. I felt like I couldn’t breathe at times when the team would voluntarily enter tight spaces on the ancient ship. In the dark depths of the ocean, in dry suits, no thanks!!!
I found this book fairly fast paced, but it is long as heck. I was so invested in the characters and their outcomes that I could hardly take a break from reading and didn’t get bored at all despite the length.
A dive team explores the wreck of missing ocean liner Arcadia. Lost a hundred years ago under mysterious circumstances, readers will follow the modern dive team on their terrifying adventure, as well as the horrifying events that occurred in 1928.
If you have event a HINT of claustrophobia, this story will be 1000x more awful and intense. I felt like I couldn’t breathe at times when the team would voluntarily enter tight spaces on the ancient ship. In the dark depths of the ocean, in dry suits, no thanks!!!
I found this book fairly fast paced, but it is long as heck. I was so invested in the characters and their outcomes that I could hardly take a break from reading and didn’t get bored at all despite the length.
March 3, 2025
Maybe a little long Darcy, but I have to admit… I think this may be my favorite Darcy Coates book so far! Not a favorite book ever…. But def a fav Darcy.
As always expect to suspend your disbelief. However in this one a little less than others! This actually is probably the most well researched and thought out book Darcy has. While small details frustrated me every now and then, I really do respect it.
And again while long, when I think back to my time reading it, I also have to admit that I actually really really enjoyed it.
It was exactly what it was trying to be. A not too serious ocean horror with ghosts. I think if you like DEAD SILENCE by S.A. Barnes, you should really like this as well. Lots of similar scenes just in the ocean instead of space. Only I’d say it had more ghostly and spooky scenes than the other did.
I also liked the dual timeline of seeing what actually happened to the Arcadia. It was surprisingly bleak for a Darcy book!
The characters all had their moments and some were flatter than others. But by the end I had a soft spot for them all!
If you like a good jump scare style ghost story that’s just a fun time, I’d say read this. There were quite a few moments when I was reading at night where I actually felt uneasy in the end falling asleep. Lots of spooky and atmospheric imagery. The ghost pyramid…. *shudders*. Also great if you like claustrophobic isolated/closed in sorts of horror.
and not me crying about a robot/ROV lmao.
Just fantastic! Of course I will continue reading Darcy. This is my 5th book and the I’ve only disliked 1!
As always expect to suspend your disbelief. However in this one a little less than others! This actually is probably the most well researched and thought out book Darcy has. While small details frustrated me every now and then, I really do respect it.
And again while long, when I think back to my time reading it, I also have to admit that I actually really really enjoyed it.
It was exactly what it was trying to be. A not too serious ocean horror with ghosts. I think if you like DEAD SILENCE by S.A. Barnes, you should really like this as well. Lots of similar scenes just in the ocean instead of space. Only I’d say it had more ghostly and spooky scenes than the other did.
I also liked the dual timeline of seeing what actually happened to the Arcadia. It was surprisingly bleak for a Darcy book!
The characters all had their moments and some were flatter than others. But by the end I had a soft spot for them all!
If you like a good jump scare style ghost story that’s just a fun time, I’d say read this. There were quite a few moments when I was reading at night where I actually felt uneasy in the end falling asleep. Lots of spooky and atmospheric imagery. The ghost pyramid…. *shudders*. Also great if you like claustrophobic isolated/closed in sorts of horror.
and not me crying about a robot/ROV lmao.
Just fantastic! Of course I will continue reading Darcy. This is my 5th book and the I’ve only disliked 1!
March 8, 2024
I have always been fascinated by mysteries surrounding shipwrecks ever since I was young, so when I saw this novel from Darcy Coates, I couldn’t wait to read it. And that book cover—really fantastic!
I loved many of the cast of characters in FROM BELOW, from our main protagonist, Cove, to fearless diving expert, Vanna, who was probably my favorite by the end of the novel! But another favorite character would have to be Harland, from our past time-line, one brave SS Arcadian crew member from whom’s perspective we witness the final days on the doomed voyage.
I really enjoyed the dual time lines. Darcy Coates seamlessly moved between the two, with present day divers baring witness to horrors played out in the past’s narrative. Eerie doesn’t begin to describe the feeling I got from this story, which only helped intensify the suspense and heart-stopping terror. During most of the novel I found myself holding my breath. The scenes of the diving team in peril in the heart of the ship had me feeling as if I was right there with them, over 300 feet below the ocean’s surface. Claustrophobic doesn’t begin to describe how you will feel while reading this book!
I must admit that I enjoyed the 1920s timeline most! The creep factor during the fateful final days of the SS Arcadia was off the charts! I would have loved loved more on the Arcadia, especially its history before her final crossing, as well as more mention in the ending chapters. I was so fascinated by the past scenes with Harland and the original ghost story alluded to. I’d love to see an entire book on the background of the SS Arcadia, her origins, and how she came to be haunted.
FROM BELOW is another winner from Darcy Coates! She never ceases to surprise me with the unique ways she’s able to instill terror in the reader with her amazing talent at storytelling. When I read Darcy Coates, it’s as if I’m sitting around a campfire waiting for a ghost story, all the while preparing myself for the scare of my life.
I loved many of the cast of characters in FROM BELOW, from our main protagonist, Cove, to fearless diving expert, Vanna, who was probably my favorite by the end of the novel! But another favorite character would have to be Harland, from our past time-line, one brave SS Arcadian crew member from whom’s perspective we witness the final days on the doomed voyage.
I really enjoyed the dual time lines. Darcy Coates seamlessly moved between the two, with present day divers baring witness to horrors played out in the past’s narrative. Eerie doesn’t begin to describe the feeling I got from this story, which only helped intensify the suspense and heart-stopping terror. During most of the novel I found myself holding my breath. The scenes of the diving team in peril in the heart of the ship had me feeling as if I was right there with them, over 300 feet below the ocean’s surface. Claustrophobic doesn’t begin to describe how you will feel while reading this book!
I must admit that I enjoyed the 1920s timeline most! The creep factor during the fateful final days of the SS Arcadia was off the charts! I would have loved loved more on the Arcadia, especially its history before her final crossing, as well as more mention in the ending chapters. I was so fascinated by the past scenes with Harland and the original ghost story alluded to. I’d love to see an entire book on the background of the SS Arcadia, her origins, and how she came to be haunted.
FROM BELOW is another winner from Darcy Coates! She never ceases to surprise me with the unique ways she’s able to instill terror in the reader with her amazing talent at storytelling. When I read Darcy Coates, it’s as if I’m sitting around a campfire waiting for a ghost story, all the while preparing myself for the scare of my life.
August 10, 2022
I really enjoyed the first half of this book. From Below had a great blend of creepy atmosphere, intrigue and suspense. I love deep sea horror, and found myself feeling claustrophobic and tense each time the characters went under... but I personally found that the second half dragged a little. The switching back and forth between timelines and characters made the story lose its momentum as well. Overall, not bad for my first Darcy Coates book!
Rating: 3/5
Rating: 3/5
November 25, 2022
From Below started off really strong, building a super creepy vibe, but as the story continued, it became impossible to suspend my disbelief to the extent needed to really make this a winner. Excellent premise to the story, however. In 1928, the ocean liner Arcadia went down with all hands; the only thing ever found was an oar that washed up in Poland. Coates oscillates between two story arcs for most of the book-- a dive crew that will investigate the wreck of the ship ('now') and a chronicle of the ship's last days. The Arcadia, lost in a deep, dense, and really nasty fog, slowly succumbs to madness, mainly narrated by one of the sailors. The dive crew, however, is the 'meat' of the story.
Cove, the main protagonist and leader of the dive crew, is working with a tight budget to gather enough film for a documentary on the wreck. The original plan was to use ROVs first, and then supplement the footage with human divers. Once they arrive on site, however, the ROVs are inexplicably dead, leaving all the video footage to be collected by the dive crew. Although only 300 meters plus down, that still is a very challenging dive, especially when the water is only a few degrees above freezing. Coates does an excellent job with the mechanics of the dive, and I loved the Aussie dialogue, yeah? She also does a fine job with the building tensions among the dive crew, including some 'red herrings' along the way that leave the reader guessing.
Once the mystery of the ship starts to unfold, however, Coates goes beyond trying to build up the spook factor and introduces some over the top aspects that made me in the end rate this 3 stars. This also had a few too many plot holes associated with the third dive Haunted ships are spooky, and haunted wrecks even more so, but in the end, I thought Coates tried to do too much here. Still, a solid story and YMMV!
Cove, the main protagonist and leader of the dive crew, is working with a tight budget to gather enough film for a documentary on the wreck. The original plan was to use ROVs first, and then supplement the footage with human divers. Once they arrive on site, however, the ROVs are inexplicably dead, leaving all the video footage to be collected by the dive crew. Although only 300 meters plus down, that still is a very challenging dive, especially when the water is only a few degrees above freezing. Coates does an excellent job with the mechanics of the dive, and I loved the Aussie dialogue, yeah? She also does a fine job with the building tensions among the dive crew, including some 'red herrings' along the way that leave the reader guessing.
Once the mystery of the ship starts to unfold, however, Coates goes beyond trying to build up the spook factor and introduces some over the top aspects that made me in the end rate this 3 stars. This also had a few too many plot holes associated with the third dive Haunted ships are spooky, and haunted wrecks even more so, but in the end, I thought Coates tried to do too much here. Still, a solid story and YMMV!
July 18, 2022
Documentary presenter Cove has a new project: exploring the SS Arcadia, that vanished without a trace 60 years ago. She has a team of fairly inexperienced divers, and one expert. I mean, what could possibly go wrong? In a deep-sea dive, everything. Particularly on this ship.
The build up is terrific and terrifying. Toward the end though, I was screaming "don't go back there, you friggin' idiots" as it started to resemble a bad horror movie. Nonetheless, the characters, the back-story makes this a really good and very claustrophobic ghost story in the deep, black sea, in a ship that doesn't want to let its visitors go.
The build up is terrific and terrifying. Toward the end though, I was screaming "don't go back there, you friggin' idiots" as it started to resemble a bad horror movie. Nonetheless, the characters, the back-story makes this a really good and very claustrophobic ghost story in the deep, black sea, in a ship that doesn't want to let its visitors go.
July 7, 2022
I actually give this book a 3.5. This story was a departure from Darcy Coates normal books and I thought she did a really good job. I loved the atmosphere and most of the characters. I preferred the present day passages instead of the past ones. All in all I really enjoyed this book.
May 13, 2023
8.5/10
“There are bodies in the walls.”
Cove is a dive documentarist, Devereaux historian, Vanna diving specialist, Hestie biologist, and 3 others in a dive group, seeking the sinking of the Arcadia, diving to deep sea, a level most recreational explorers never entered.
Arcadia sank about April 1928 and about 90 years after Cove's team try to explore what really happened but this ship is cursed. A true ghost ship. A phantom of the deep, manned by the bodies of the dead.
"Dread. In the brief moment he’d touched the metal, he’d felt the danger of the place. This ship wasn’t a gem on the ocean floor, waiting to be found. It was a trap. A monstrous, hideous trap. Unfeeling, unyielding."
The author perfectly captures a creepy atmosphere and builds tension with every dive the characters take, truly riveting. Each location and sensation is described in a way that is both thrilling and chilling. What sets these books apart is that they are not overwhelmingly dark, as is often the case in horror novels. For that, I like more Darcy Coates's books.
I have read all three books in Gravekeeper series and thoroughly enjoyed them. While I appreciate all of Coates's work, I must mention that the Gravekeeper books stand out for their paranormal horror, which is quite distinct from the horror found in From Below.
Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press via Netgalley for giving me a chance to read From Below by Darcy Coates, I have given my honest review.
“There are bodies in the walls.”
Cove is a dive documentarist, Devereaux historian, Vanna diving specialist, Hestie biologist, and 3 others in a dive group, seeking the sinking of the Arcadia, diving to deep sea, a level most recreational explorers never entered.
Arcadia sank about April 1928 and about 90 years after Cove's team try to explore what really happened but this ship is cursed. A true ghost ship. A phantom of the deep, manned by the bodies of the dead.
"Dread. In the brief moment he’d touched the metal, he’d felt the danger of the place. This ship wasn’t a gem on the ocean floor, waiting to be found. It was a trap. A monstrous, hideous trap. Unfeeling, unyielding."
The author perfectly captures a creepy atmosphere and builds tension with every dive the characters take, truly riveting. Each location and sensation is described in a way that is both thrilling and chilling. What sets these books apart is that they are not overwhelmingly dark, as is often the case in horror novels. For that, I like more Darcy Coates's books.
I have read all three books in Gravekeeper series and thoroughly enjoyed them. While I appreciate all of Coates's work, I must mention that the Gravekeeper books stand out for their paranormal horror, which is quite distinct from the horror found in From Below.
Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press via Netgalley for giving me a chance to read From Below by Darcy Coates, I have given my honest review.
May 17, 2022
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!
~ ~ ~
I've read a solid handful of Darcy Coates' other books in the past. I would say that most of them have been enjoyable; her stories are generally well-written and fun to read. However, there are some that are mediocre at best, and unfortunately that's where this story fell for me.
Cove is a documentary host, well-known for her fearlessness in the face of danger. When a missing ship, the Arcadia, is found on the floor of the ocean, Cove is allowed to put together a team for the purpose of shooting a documentary on the long-lost ship. What seems like a quick and easy job turns sour when the team reaches the vessel and begins to unravel the mysteries behind the sinking of the Arcadia.
Coates uses the ol' dual timeline narrative to tell this story. On one hand, you have Cove and her team exploring the ship in present day; on the other, you have the events in 1928 that lead up to the sinking of the Arcadia. I often find that stories that rely on this type of story-telling have the same problem: one plot-line tends to be more interesting than the other. This book is no exception.
For the life of me, I just could not bring myself to care about the present day story-line. It dragged along for a solid two-thirds of the book before anything really started to happen. It's such a shame because Coates did such a fantastic job building this sense of dread, isolation, and claustrophobia in the beginning of the story.
I found myself much more invested in the 1928 story-line because it did a better job delivering on atmosphere and scares, in my opinion. There were some truly disturbing and horrific scenes that absolutely shook me. I liked that the spooky parts came much earlier than in the present-day parts, and I enjoyed reading about Harland much more than reading about Cove and team.
Which brings me to my next problem with this read: the characters. I found that most of the characters in this book felt really underdeveloped. We keep being told how the characters are, but some of them consistently act contrary to what we are being told throughout the story. Additionally, the motivations for most of these actions felt very weak and unconvincing to me.
When I finished this book, I just wished that the book's focus had been solely on the 1928 period of the story. While there were some horrifying moments and fantastically gross parts in the present-day sections, it just didn't really deliver for me the way that the past sections did. Additionally, I felt like the reveal was unsatisfying and kind of wishy-washy.
While this book ended up not being a winner for me, I'd encourage anyone interested in it to give it a read for sure. Darcy Coates' writing is fantastic, and I understand that others may not be as bothered by the pacing and character issues as I was.
~ ~ ~
I've read a solid handful of Darcy Coates' other books in the past. I would say that most of them have been enjoyable; her stories are generally well-written and fun to read. However, there are some that are mediocre at best, and unfortunately that's where this story fell for me.
Cove is a documentary host, well-known for her fearlessness in the face of danger. When a missing ship, the Arcadia, is found on the floor of the ocean, Cove is allowed to put together a team for the purpose of shooting a documentary on the long-lost ship. What seems like a quick and easy job turns sour when the team reaches the vessel and begins to unravel the mysteries behind the sinking of the Arcadia.
Coates uses the ol' dual timeline narrative to tell this story. On one hand, you have Cove and her team exploring the ship in present day; on the other, you have the events in 1928 that lead up to the sinking of the Arcadia. I often find that stories that rely on this type of story-telling have the same problem: one plot-line tends to be more interesting than the other. This book is no exception.
For the life of me, I just could not bring myself to care about the present day story-line. It dragged along for a solid two-thirds of the book before anything really started to happen. It's such a shame because Coates did such a fantastic job building this sense of dread, isolation, and claustrophobia in the beginning of the story.
I found myself much more invested in the 1928 story-line because it did a better job delivering on atmosphere and scares, in my opinion. There were some truly disturbing and horrific scenes that absolutely shook me. I liked that the spooky parts came much earlier than in the present-day parts, and I enjoyed reading about Harland much more than reading about Cove and team.
Which brings me to my next problem with this read: the characters. I found that most of the characters in this book felt really underdeveloped. We keep being told how the characters are, but some of them consistently act contrary to what we are being told throughout the story. Additionally, the motivations for most of these actions felt very weak and unconvincing to me.
When I finished this book, I just wished that the book's focus had been solely on the 1928 period of the story. While there were some horrifying moments and fantastically gross parts in the present-day sections, it just didn't really deliver for me the way that the past sections did. Additionally, I felt like the reveal was unsatisfying and kind of wishy-washy.
While this book ended up not being a winner for me, I'd encourage anyone interested in it to give it a read for sure. Darcy Coates' writing is fantastic, and I understand that others may not be as bothered by the pacing and character issues as I was.
June 9, 2022
June update: HAPPY RELEASE WEEK!
I'm voluntarily reviewing an advanced copy of From Below ; this title drops June 7th and it's coming up soooon!
Darcy Coates' stories are all different that I've read so far and I'm very impressed with the variety. The premise she chose here was perfect; like space, the sea is another environment rife with fodder for horror elements. Pretty much loved this, and how Coates manages maximum creepiness paired with a feeling that things will generally work out.
So, yeah, nothing like starting with an already scary plot foundation, deep sea diving, and adding a ship that went missing under weird circumstances, and supernatural elements. Like our protagonist mentions, professional divers can die in familiar waters. The unskilled and barely qualified crew in this story, plus the truly unsettling features of the area they're diving, begin us on a high level of Scary from the start.
The team was full of strong and mostly smart women (well, they chose to dive on a spooky wreck when things were already going wrong so I can't credit too much but...), one of whom was even Māori which was nice, but most character mentions felt secondary to the plot. The focus is on the ship, the sheer volume of creepy atmosphere, and trying to figure out what's going on. The dual timeline trick was used well here, I think - it wasn't overtly obvious in either timeline what was happening and that juicy tension kept absorbing me, keeping me reading past my bedtime.
Coates just keeps adding elements to make the walls close in on you, literally - having both hydrophobia and claustrophobia, I was genuinely creeped out, rare for me in all my horror reads. She skillfully leaned on the idea that when drifting in the dark, your path only lit by a headlamp, even the mundane becomes terrifying. That specific concept of abandoned places, but with incongruous things like tables, glasses etcetera left behind, as terrifying spaces.
And then the root of the spookiness. I can't say I was pleased with the sorta-explanation, but the book was executed well in terms of frightening me and painting an atmospheric picture. I came away with "really enjoyed" which is my standard for four stars. Looking forward to reading more Darcy Coates.
I'm voluntarily reviewing an advanced copy of From Below ; this title drops June 7th and it's coming up soooon!
Darcy Coates' stories are all different that I've read so far and I'm very impressed with the variety. The premise she chose here was perfect; like space, the sea is another environment rife with fodder for horror elements. Pretty much loved this, and how Coates manages maximum creepiness paired with a feeling that things will generally work out.
So, yeah, nothing like starting with an already scary plot foundation, deep sea diving, and adding a ship that went missing under weird circumstances, and supernatural elements. Like our protagonist mentions, professional divers can die in familiar waters. The unskilled and barely qualified crew in this story, plus the truly unsettling features of the area they're diving, begin us on a high level of Scary from the start.
The team was full of strong and mostly smart women (well, they chose to dive on a spooky wreck when things were already going wrong so I can't credit too much but...), one of whom was even Māori which was nice, but most character mentions felt secondary to the plot. The focus is on the ship, the sheer volume of creepy atmosphere, and trying to figure out what's going on. The dual timeline trick was used well here, I think - it wasn't overtly obvious in either timeline what was happening and that juicy tension kept absorbing me, keeping me reading past my bedtime.
Coates just keeps adding elements to make the walls close in on you, literally - having both hydrophobia and claustrophobia, I was genuinely creeped out, rare for me in all my horror reads. She skillfully leaned on the idea that when drifting in the dark, your path only lit by a headlamp, even the mundane becomes terrifying. That specific concept of abandoned places, but with incongruous things like tables, glasses etcetera left behind, as terrifying spaces.
And then the root of the spookiness. I can't say I was pleased with the sorta-explanation, but the book was executed well in terms of frightening me and painting an atmospheric picture. I came away with "really enjoyed" which is my standard for four stars. Looking forward to reading more Darcy Coates.
October 16, 2024
⭐️ 5 stars ⭐️
Exploring the Arcadia shipwreck should’ve been easy, should’ve been the experience of a lifetime. But now they’ve awakened the ship… and it wants to keep them.
— SPOILER FULL REVIEW —
Yes, yes and yes. I loved everything about this.
From the mysterious history surrounding the SS Arcadia to the flashbacks of those aboard, the eerie underwater scenes, the increasing anxiety during the dives — I could go on and on because everything about this book was perfectly chilling and captivating for me.
From Below spooked the fuck out of me and I love that. The ocean is creepy enough all on its own, but add in a haunted shipwreck, ghostly figures just around the corner, surrounding darkness AND limited oxygen??
Fuck to the no. [but also yes please, scare me]
This was awesome and terrifying, enthralling from start to finish. I felt as though I was exploring the deep dark waters right alongside the crew, fighting for air, fighting for escape.
The ending was unexpectedly sweet and happy. After all the tension and anxiety they gave me throughout the book, I was glad to see such a positive ending. Felt like a breath of fresh air after being underwater for so long.
«This ship wasn’t a gem on the ocean floor, waiting to be found. It was a trap. A monstrous, hideous trap.»
Exploring the Arcadia shipwreck should’ve been easy, should’ve been the experience of a lifetime. But now they’ve awakened the ship… and it wants to keep them.
— SPOILER FULL REVIEW —
Yes, yes and yes. I loved everything about this.
From the mysterious history surrounding the SS Arcadia to the flashbacks of those aboard, the eerie underwater scenes, the increasing anxiety during the dives — I could go on and on because everything about this book was perfectly chilling and captivating for me.
« The water felt unpleasantly alive. As though something pulsed between them and the shipwreck three hundred feet below. As though it was calling to them.»
From Below spooked the fuck out of me and I love that. The ocean is creepy enough all on its own, but add in a haunted shipwreck, ghostly figures just around the corner, surrounding darkness AND limited oxygen??
Fuck to the no. [but also yes please, scare me]
“That’s you, right? Or is it Hestie? Someone’s holding on to my foot.”
The silence dragged out for what felt like an eternity. Then Vanna said, softly, “No. We’re still on the higher floor.”
This was awesome and terrifying, enthralling from start to finish. I felt as though I was exploring the deep dark waters right alongside the crew, fighting for air, fighting for escape.
Tap. Tap. Scrape.
Like fingernails digging at the metal.
Like something that desperately wanted to be let out.
The ending was unexpectedly sweet and happy. After all the tension and anxiety they gave me throughout the book, I was glad to see such a positive ending. Felt like a breath of fresh air after being underwater for so long.
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