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What They Do in the Dark
 
 

What They Do in the Dark [Kindle Edition]

Amanda Coe
3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)

Print List Price: £7.99
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Product Description

Review

This darkly funny, sordid, brutally honest concoction comes to a conclusion that nobody could predict, yet it could not have ended any other way, given what happens to Gemma and Pauline as their lives intertwine in a downward spiral toward disaster.

Review

This darkly funny, sordid, brutally honest concoction comes to a conclusion that nobody could predict, yet it could not have ended any other way, given what happens to Gemma and Pauline as their lives intertwine in a downward spiral toward disaster.

Product details

  • Format: Kindle Edition
  • File Size: 362 KB
  • Print Length: 255 pages
  • Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0393081389
  • Publisher: Virago (7 July 2011)
  • Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B0053YQD18
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • X-Ray: Not Enabled
  • Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #77,147 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Brutal and devastating 16 Aug 2011
By Roman Clodia TOP 50 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
It's difficult to say much about this book without giving away things which will spoil it for new readers - suffice it to say the ending really is as brutally shocking as other reviewers have claimed, the more so for the way it explodes out of what seems like nowhere.

The menacing hints do, however, hover throughout the narrative so that the ending is at least partially foreshadowed. Part of the strength of the book is the way in which so much turns on little things: a ripped school-dress, a child's haircut - so that the ending is never inevitable, and all the more terrifying for the myriad small ways it could have been circumvented.

Coe controls her story well but there are points at which I felt that she becomes a little self-indulgent: the extended story of Quentin, for example, the American film producer, is relevant to the overall tale but feels like it's given too much space.

That said, this is well-crafted and controlled: it could have been sentimentalised, or angry or bludgeoned us over the head with political and social messages but Coe never descends to easy polemic.

I especially liked the way we're never quite sure where the narrative is going or what kind of a story this is going to be, both of which serve to wrong-foot us and leave us extremely vulnerable to the devastating ending.

If you want a cosy, feel-good read don't even think about this: it's brutal, horrifying and traumatic. But if you are prepared to confront social and individual darkness this is a book which doesn't shy away from what is unthinkable and renders it on the page with acute insight.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars Disturbing read, but good writing style 26 Feb 2012
By Nicola TOP 1000 REVIEWER VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)
This is the story of two girls. One, Pauline, is from a poor background, and suffers from neglect. The other, Gemma, is from a much better home, but when her mum becomes friendly with a man who isn't Gemma's dad, Gemma finds herself in a vulnerable situation. There is also a storyline of a child star named Lallie Paluza, and the film that she is making, part of which is filmed at the girls' school.

This is a strange and intriguing read. It got off to a great start, with reminders of life in the 70s, penny mixes and Tammy comic, but then took quite a sinister turn and led to a conclusion that was agonising to read.

I really liked Amanda Coe's writing style. She certainly doesn't hold back, or worry about writing things that might offend. I must admit that I didn't think the Lallie storyline added anything to the plot at all, except to offer another view of how a child can be vulnerable. I was far more interested in Gemma and Pauline, never friends, but who teamed up in the most unpleasant of ways.

I found this to be a good read, but it did leave a slightly bad taste in my mouth. It's disturbing in several places. Sometimes this is obvious, but other times it is implied. Just the general neglect of Pauline is horrible to read, and also the situation that Gemma finds herself in. I was always compelled to read on though and find out what would happen next, and I read the end with sickening dread. As the reader, I knew the story was always heading towards something unpleasant, but I didn't know what.

I'd certainly be interested in seeing what the author would come up with next as the writing is very good. Her scriptwriting past is evident in this book's narrative and dialogue.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars Promising start but loses its way... 30 Aug 2012
By Kirsty
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I started reading this and for the first few chapters I did not want to put it down. It was completely gripping. Perhaps because I grew up in South Yorkshire in the 70's and 80's (it's based in Doncaster) i enjoyed the writing style but then, Oh dear, it really lost it's way. Not sure what the significance of the American Producer (Quentin) had to the story and I also found Lallie to be slightly pointless, I found myself skipping through some of the chapters. I found I had to finish it because I wanted to know where it was going to end. The ending (as other reviewers have said) is very brutal and I'm not sure these two girls would have taken bullying to this level. I felt very disappointed in the ending although I would give this author another chance as I found that I like her style of writing and capturing situations from the time periods in the book.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars The first book I have had to put in the recycle bin
The book is well written and oddly gripping but the tortured ending was vile and written so visually I can't get the images out of my head. Read more
Published 2 months ago by m ward
1.0 out of 5 stars Awful
This was one of the worse books I have ever read. Even though there was a warning that there was a shocking ending, it was shocking all the way through! Absolutely hated it!
Published 2 months ago by Mrs. Pamela Allen
5.0 out of 5 stars A dark and compelling read
A dark and compelling read which I will not review as I don't want to spoil it. I would recommend it as a read, it's complex with a twist I didn't see coming. Read more
Published 4 months ago by LoveShopping
2.0 out of 5 stars Don't waste your time
This novel starts well then goes downhill with an irrelevant subplot and a complete non-ending - it's as if she got bored of writing the book and just gave up. Read more
Published 6 months ago by annabeltohell
2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing.
I picked this book from my local library, mainly because of the blurb on the back. The book started off really well and took me back to my youth and things I had forgotten about. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Theresa Curnow
4.0 out of 5 stars Very dark
Very well written but i cant really say it was an enjoyable read and by that i mean that you should read it...
It's very dark and the ending is quite shocking... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Moobags789
1.0 out of 5 stars No thanks
Oh dear. Two girls, one from a very poor background, one from a much more prosperous home (although her home life is, as it turns out, in turmoil). Read more
Published 11 months ago by Kindle Junkie
4.0 out of 5 stars Dark and disturbing
This is a dark and disturbing tale of two 10 year old school girls in the mid seventies; Gemma - well brought up and cared for and Pauline totally and utterly neglected. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Rossi
4.0 out of 5 stars Clever, engaging and dark
This is a story about people.

It is about two girls who should not have been friends - but were. Read more
Published 14 months ago by J. Colin Moss
1.0 out of 5 stars Sordid and Pointless.
Came to this book on the back of some very favourable reviews.So,I can only assume I am the problem here. Read more
Published 14 months ago by David kerry.
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