The Luminous Dead: A Novel

Product Information

Starling, Caitlin (2 April 2019). The luminous dead: a novel (Firsted.). New York. ISBN 978-0-06-284690-7. OCLC 1090731632. {{ cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher ( link) Bourke, Liz (2019-04-03). "Rich and Complicated Survival Horror: The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling". Tor.com . Retrieved 2020-12-24. Data beget ghosts. Old code, caches of information left unattended, glitches, remnants of a virtual life, perpetual self-replication. As Gyre goes deeper into the cave, she has more encounters with history. She meets Em’s long lost-family, a bereaved mother, and cavers who have died before her. She reads their files and watches videos of them to keep her isolation at bay, and they begin to float at the edges of her vision.

The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling: a claustrophobic The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling: a claustrophobic

but even though its creepy elements are fantastic, what really lies at the heart of this book is the relationship between gyre and em. it’s a psychological descent into darkness more than anything else, and you get to know both of them intimately while they encounter incredibly taxing, life-threatening situations.the catch? nothing is as it seems. as gyre descends further and further beneath the surface, both she and em discover just how far they can push each other -- with devastating consequences. Sheehan, Jason (April 7, 2019). "Monsters Imaginary And Real Haunt The Caves Of 'The Luminous Dead' ". NPR.org . Retrieved 2020-12-24. It’s such a repetitive book and I thought the relationship was forced and toxic. Gyre and Em are a terrible couple who are brought together by mutual trauma and that is all. They both take terrible actions and make mistakes that they don't learn from. Gyre especially is so frustrating and dramatic. Ugh, I just really didn’t like this. Like The Children of Time, it could have played on fundamental fears--in this case, claustrophobia--but somehow, through the writing, I was only riveted. Except for the water scenes. Those were scary. In some ways, it is like The Martian, only with a main character who is far less well-adjusted and funny. I'd say character-building is the clear strength of this book.

The Luminous Dead - Caitlin Starling - Archive of Our Own The Luminous Dead - Caitlin Starling - Archive of Our Own

A certain unnamed good friend strongly suggested it after reading it. Here's how she sold it: "It takes stones of steel to write a full novel with only two characters and a cave for the setting. So far, it's done very, very well." Nearly thirty, all spelunkers like Gyre, sent down to be eaten by this horrid, horrid cave. And it's a rigged game. The lies, the obsession of the woman underwriting each one of these expeditions is the half the novel. The other half is the horror adventure.The best word to describe this novel is claustrobic. Blending together science fiction with elements of light horror, this story offers an atmospheric, yet gripping, reading experience. Bourke, Liz (2019-04-03). "Rich and Complicated Survival Horror: The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling". Tor . Retrieved 2020-12-23. Except it's not really the suit keeping her alive. It's Em. It's always been Em. And there's always been secrets. What's a few more, if it means Gyre lives? Horror Writers Association - Past Bram Stoker Award Nominees & Winners". www.horror.org. Archived from the original on 2014-10-09.