Black Swan meets Paranormal Activity in this compelling ghost story about a former dancer whose grip on reality slips when she begins to think a dark entity is stalking her.Something is wrong with Marianne. It’s not just that her parents have finally split up. Or that life hasn’t been the same since she quit dancing. Or even that her mother has checked herself into the hospital. She’s losing … checked herself into the hospital.
She’s losing time. Doing things she would never do. And objects around her seem to break whenever she comes close. Something is after her. And the only one who seems to believe her is the daughter of a local psychic.
But their first attempt at an exorcism calls down the full force of the thing’s rage. It demands Marianne give back what she stole. Whatever is haunting her, it wants everything she has—everything it’s convinced she stole. Marianne must uncover the truth that lies beneath it all before the nightmare can take what it thinks it’s owed, leaving Marianne trapped in the darkness of the other side.
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What a haunting and wonderfully executed concept, The Dark Beneath the Ice explored self-doubt and hated manifesting into a poltergeist sort of possession. It makes for an eerie read but also an emotional one. Marianne lacks something; she lacks love as her family tore her apart emotionally. She questions her hobbies, trying to decipher her interest as her own instead of as wish-fulfillment created by her mother. It is a tough scenario she lives in, but to make it even more complicated for Marianne, she also questions her sexuality.
Through the paranormal lens, the reader can see the toxicity of trying to be someone else, of trying to live in a world that pushes one to be “normal,” that pushes one to deny their true self. Marianne is unhappy, verging on depressed as she seeks to live her life and find her true self, and the possession, the haunting going on around her, it allows her to open up and see herself. The possession breaks her out of the glass box society has put her in.
The Dark Beneath the Ice a compelling and emotional read not only because of the underlying complexity and depth of the story but also because Bérubé is excellent at keeping the tone and atmosphere tense. The mystery that goes into exploring what is wrong with Marianne allows the sinister atmosphere to grow, giving breathe to the reality that denying one true self is damaging. The possession and “physical” manifestation come through life in the eeriness, keeping the reader on edge as the story evolves.
The synopsis gives the impression that the story is going to be a possession story, but the evolution of that idea and the way Bérubé ties it to reality gives it a powerful substance. Bérubé elevates her own story into a complex character examination while also reflecting on the toxic normality that society continues to try to impose on individuals. By trying to conform, Marianne is dying inside, but the moment she breaks out of that box, she is much happier, and that message alone makes this an excellent read.
This was a book that caught my attention when I first heard about it. I am a big fan of paranormal stories, and I love a good ghost story, especially possession or even poltergeists. In fact, when I was a teenager, I used to check all the nonfiction books on poltergeists and other ghosts out from the library all the time. While there were points in this that were spooky, all in all I wasn’t blown away. I get that part of the author’s plan was to leave us wondering the whole time just what was real and what wasn’t, hence the reference to the movie Black Swan on the back cover. However, it also references Paranormal Activity, and that made me expect some more jump in your seat type of moments. It’s possible that this is a story that just would need to be on screen for the effect of losing time and creepiness around the edges to do anything really for me. And I could totally see this as a movie. I feel like in this case, I’d probably appreciate it more. For a book it just didn’t grab me enough, soon enough, for me to be blown away by it. I still gave it 3 stars, because as I said, I could see it as a movie doing a good job at scaring me. And I’m sure there are others who enjoy that kind of story in a book, so I don’t want anyone to not pick it up because of my issues with it. I think if you’ve been interested in reading it, you should just think about whether the things I look for in a story are the same as what you look for, and if not, then you should definitely give it a try! That’s what so great about books, there are so many different types and different stories and different writing styles out there, there is something for everyone.
I struggled at first to click with this book, but after a few chapters, I didn’t want to put it down. The story kept me guessing. I didn’t figure out before the end what the deal was with the “ghost”, and that’s a plus for me. The characters were well-written and sympathetic.
This book was provided to me free of charge. My review is given voluntarily.
The Dark Beneath The Ice by Amelinda Berube is one of the best books I’ve read this year. Wow. This book is amazing. At first, I had no idea what was going on. But as the book progressed, I was taken along on a roller-coaster of fear and terror with the main character. Was she being haunted, was she crazy? I just wasn’t sure! I definitely did not see that ending coming at all!! That was 100% a surprise twist I did not see coming! 5 stars and 2 very enthusiastic thumbs up!