Reviews

Down by Ally Blue

Only show reviews with written explanations

m316's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious tense

Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

madimattei's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

Blue's creepy tale plays on the fears we all have of what lurks at the depths of the ocean and twists your heart as she leads you through a story of body horror, animal violence, and the unknown. While I quickly realized what was happening well before the characters, Blue's near-future setting, cast of characters, and concept make the story just as enjoyable as if I were figuring it alongside Mo, Armin, and the other survivors of BathyTech 3.

callie_books's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot

3.5

callme_sly's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

Oh my gosh! This is horrifying and amazing and intriguing all at once!!!

The implications of what the "mermaids" are and where they are from (also what they are doing) is super creepy! This book is gruesome, bloody, grabs a hold of you and doesn't let you go... until you choose:

"Change, or die."

wordswritinstarlight's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

The Thing by way of The Abyss, with overtones of The Shape of Water, and thoroughly well-executed. I love a good story about The Horrors Of The Deep(TM) and this is a great ride, with a balanced diet of pitched tension and outright gore. The sci-fi elements were thought all the way through and really creative, and felt natural to the setting rather than existing purely as plot devices. Also, I’m delighted by how Mo and Armin’s romance goes down. Coworkers-with-benefits-to-lovers isn’t a dynamic I see done well often, since it’s usually fraught with manufactured drama and assorted bullshit, but seeing the boys lean on each other increasingly more over the course of the book was so sweet and their connection felt very believable. Plus I love the ending, although I’d warn anyone that

whether or not it’s “happy” depends a lot on personal interpretation.

I think that in terms of narrative and structure, the last chapter ends in with a perfect cinematic close (speaking of which, 10/10 would watch this movie), but as a reader

I DID want a little more about Armin and Mo getting to go off and be Horrors together.

Recommended for other people who like ocean horrors, especially if you enjoyed books like Into The Drowning Deep or The Archive Undying, or if the above movie combination appeals.

Content Warnings

vaguewhisperings's review against another edition

Go to review page

Writing style read too much like fanfic- really basic descriptions (ergo no ambiance) and characters had no distinct voice. All POVs read the same. Took no time to establish normalcy and once things started happening, they seemed to happen at random. Couldn't engage with story without wanting to fix it.

Also, romance was almost entirely sexual and there was no established chemistry beyond They Fucked. Came off extremely fetishizing. Don't really think a spooky voice sexually harassing someone counts towards scary.