Get lost in the pages and learn something new with this All the Colors of the Dark review. I was inspired to write about this five-star read when I sadly discovered how much misinformation and unmarked spoilers exist online about it.
In my book review, you’ll find accurate information about Chris Whitaker’s bestseller. This reading guide shares as much detail as I can provide without giving too much away or properly marking spoilers.
Read it from top to bottom or use the table of contents below if you want to jump to a particular section, whether it’s the characters, pros, and cons, book club ideas, or something else!
My All the Colors of the Dark Review
Two words sum up All the Colors of the Dark for me: haunting and transcendent. It’s not a perfect book, but it’s darn near close. This book blends genres and themes unlike any I’ve read and pours them out into luscious literary prose.
Quick Facts
- Publisher: Crown
- Publication Date: June 25, 2024
- Pages: 592. Depending on your speed, it will take approximately 8-15 hours to read.
- Accolades: Read With Jenna Book Club Pick and New York Times bestseller
- Genre: a unique blend of mystery, serial killer thriller, police procedural, historical fiction, literary fiction, and romance
- Age Rating: 18+ due to adult content involving crimes
- Setting: Monta Clare, Missouri (in the Ozarks), from 1975-2001
- Themes: coming of age, friendship, belief, hope, justice, art, connection to nature, coping with trauma and grief, women’s rights, morality, redemption
All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker has potentially triggering content on many topics, including child abduction, child abuse, captivity, confinement, sexual abuse, blood, fire, murder, domestic violence, cancer, death, abortion, and suicide.
Characters (Without Spoilers)
- Joseph “Patch” Macauley: the main character, a thirteen-year-old boy with one eye
- Ivy Macauley: Patch’s mother, an addict
- Saint: Patch’s loyal best friend, determined to find him and justice at any cost
- Norma: Saint’s grandmother and caretaker, a widow and bus driver
- Misty Meyers: a teen girl nearly abducted
- Eli Aaron: a suspicious local photographer
- Marty Tooms: a suspicious local doctor
- Callie Montrose: a missing teen girl
- Richie: Callie’s father
- Grace: a possibly imaginary girl with whom Patch was confined
- Nix: the chief of police
- Sammy: Patch’s mentor, the owner of a local art gallery
Note: There are a few more important characters, particularly Jimmy and Charlotte, but I’m intentionally sharing only their names and no spoilers about their roles.
Quick Plot Summary (Without Spoilers)
In 1975, in Monta Clare, Missouri, Misty Meyers, a teen from a wealthy family, is nearly abducted. A one-eyed thirteen-year-old boy named Patch steps in and saves her, but he is abducted. Meanwhile, another girl, Callie Montrose, goes missing.
Patch’s best friend, Saint, is determined to find him at any cost. She’s suspicious of a local doctor, Marty Tooms, and a local photographer, Eli Aaron, and frequently collides with the police chief, Nix, in her quest to find both Saint and justice.
These, and other characters’ stories, are called an “evolving tragedy” (chapter 4, page 11), which perfectly sums up the remainder of the plot without giving away any spoilers. The reader experiences all that comes after, and because of, this event in the characters’ lives for a quarter-century thereafter.
Some of the many plots in this genre-bending novel include missing person and “imaginary friend” mysteries, as well as the police’s chase for a serial killer. Whitaker uniquely explores friendship, love, family, justice, and so much more through the theme of looking for light in the dark.
Ending Explained (With Spoilers)
Click the question only if you want the spoiler answer revealed.
Yes. Grace is Eli Aaron’s daughter. At the novel’s end, Patch finds her living in confinement with him in Grace Falls, Alabama.
It is revealed that Dr. Tooms did not murder Callie Montrose. She died accidentally from hemorrhaging when he secretly performed an abortion of her father’s baby on her. Nix helped him bury her body on his property because they were secretly lovers.
Nix helped his secret lover, Dr. Tooms, bury Callie Montose’s body on his property after she died accidentally during a secret abortion of her father’s baby. Years later, Nix killed her father, believing that Tooms would be unjustly executed for murder.
Patch escapes from prison and finds Grace at the home she described. She reveals that Eli Aaron is her father, and he keeps her in confinement. Saint tracks them down, and Eli attacks her, but Patch shoots and kills him. Saint lets Patch escape. Nix murders Callie Mostrose’s father and then commits suicide because he believes his secret lover, Dr. Tooms, will be executed. Tooms did not murder Callie. She died accidentally from hemorrhaging when he secretly performed an abortion of her father’s baby on her. Tooms is released from prison. Saint and Charlotte visit Patch, who is living on a boat.
Pros and Cons
PROS AND CONS
PROS
- Characters that feel real
- Short chapters
- Propulsive mysteries that keep you on your toes
- Lots of plot twists
- Beautifully crafted prose that fits meaningful themes
CONS
- Long
- Slow-paced middle
- Some may think it attempts too much
All the Colors of the Dark is one of the best books of the year, no question about it! A lot can be said about it, but the one thing I keep coming back to is the question of what the book is ultimately about.
As mentioned, it’s a genre-bender loaded to the brim with themes. But for me, ultimately, it’s a story of friendship.
Friendship is a common literary theme, but like romantic relationships, no two friendships are alike, and Patch and Saint will go down in literary history as one of the most memorable friendships one can read about.
While some readers struggled with the long and slow-paced middle, I felt it was characteristic of real life, and the short chapters quickly propelled me through it.
Slowing down isn’t necessarily bad with prose as thoughtful as this, either. Whitaker gave us an abundance of literary wisdom to linger with and savor.
His many plot twists don’t scream, “gotcha” either. They’re quietly presented in hints and implications that make you think and keep reading to discover more.
Lastly, I’ll note that one thing I’ve learned about novels that tackle many themes, genres, and traumas is that this only sticks out like a sore thumb if they’re written poorly. Whitaker succeeds for one simple reason that means a lot: he writes with so much loving detail.
Reading Tips
TIPS
- I recommend the print or digital formats of this book. I struggled with getting into the audio version and switched over. If you struggle with physically big books, you may prefer the digital version, which will also help you more easily highlight the many quotable lines.
- If you’re struggling in the slow-paced middle, keep going. The last 100-150 pages are fast-paced and very satisfying, with several plot twists.
Fun Facts
It’s one of Jenna Bush Hager’s favorite books. Specifically, she said that All the Colors of the Dark “may be my most favorite book I’ve ever chosen.” I’ve read most of her book club picks, and many are masterpieces, so this compliment is saying a lot!
U.S. presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, as well as First Lady Jill Biden, have read Whitaker’s books.
Jenna Bush Hager’s production company, Thousand Voices, is partnering with NBC Universal Stodio Group and Dinner Party Productions to adapt All the Colors of the Dark to a television series. Chris Whitaker said three seasons are planned!
All the Colors of the Dark is partially based on a true story. On Today, Chris Whitaker revealed he was abused at the hands of his stepfather and spent a long night in the dark, alone, coping with a broken arm. This event inspired the base of the story.
Chris Whitaker is a young British man. This surprised me because, having listened to the audio of his previous book, We Begin at the End, I envisioned him like the narrator: an older American male. This is a testament to the quality of his writing!
Is All the Colors of the Dark Worth Reading?
All the Colors of the Dark is a top-rated book worth reading if you love literary and historical mysteries like The God of the Woods by Liz Moore. You shouldn’t mind some slow pacing and potentially triggering content, and you should love the beauty of the written word.
All the Colors of the Dark is also a great book club book because there are so many genres, themes, mysteries, characters, and plot twists to discuss.
Book Club Ideas
IDEAS
What It Offers For Discussion: All the Colors of the Dark offers an abundance of topics to discuss. Talk about the many plot twists, the significance of the characters’ names, Patch’s pirate identity, Patch’s obsession with Grace, how you thought each character’s story in the mystery would end, the themes of friendship and justice, the blend of mystery and literary genres, the small Ozarks town setting, women’s rights between 1975 and 2001, the morality of the characters decisions, and the role of art.
What To Eat: Honey-flavored goodies inspired by beekeeping from the novel. Pirate’s Booty would also be a fun snack reminiscent of Patch. A bourbon cocktail hearkens to Sammy.
What To Do: Like Patch, you should paint! Consider recreating the cover art; portraits of Patch and Saint, Grace, or Callie; and Grace’s house.
Favorite Quotes
This beautiful book quote about love in chapter 114, on page 287, about love has been one of my favorite literary quotes I’ve read in a long time:
“To love and be loved was more than could ever be expected, more than enough for a thousand ordinary lifetimes.”
I heard author Chris Whitaker say in an interview that this line is most frequently quoted to him:
Lastly, as a book lover, I had to also include this literary line:
“Reading isn’t a privilege, sir. I believe we all have the right to leave our problems and escape into another world, if only through the written word.”
About Author Chris Whitaker
about
Chris Whitaker is a British author known for his gripping character-driven novels. With a talent for blending suspense and emotional depth set in small-town America, he has gained recognition for works like We Begin at the End and All the Colors of the Dark.
He has won the CWA John Creasey New Blood Dagger Award, the CWA Gold Dagger, the Theakston Crime Novel of the Year, and the Ned Kelly Award.
Literary Fiction Books Like All the Colors of the Dark
While reading All the Colors of the Dark, these similar novels came to mind. They are some of my best book recommendations of the 1,000+ books I’ve read, so if you loved this All the Colors of the Dark review, then read these books next:
- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin: friendship over decades amidst trauma and tragedy
- The God of the Woods by Liz Moore: a fast-paced genre-bending mysterious historical fiction
- We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker: same author, similar style overall
- Empire Falls by Richard Russo: Tragic crime in a small American town, a slice of one particular community’s lives
- Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver: decades-long tale of a traumatized character with similar themes of friendship, art, and hope
remember, it’s a good day to read a book. – jules
