Going Dark by Melissa De La Cruz piqued my interest first with its premise - a missing influencer and the para-social relationships between fan and creator when headlines and internet influence begin to merge. I'm not normally a mystery-genre person but found myself hooked the entire way from start to finish.
isbn: 978-1-4549-4764-6 | pages: 321
publication date: January 31, 2023 | source: physical/publisher
genre: young adult, mystery
rating: 6.8/10
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After a massive fight that came out of nowhere, Josh finds himself on the flight back from Europe with no idea where his influencer girlfriend is. The mystery itself was really surprising - while I'm not the most experienced in the genre, the ones I have picked up tend to revolve around similar plot/antagonist tropes that become predictable. However, Melissa De La Cruz challenges the boyfriend antagonist stereotype and brought it to a whole new level. I loved watching the story progress and untangling each knot to reveal the next bit of information.
We also get to delve into the world of social media relationships from the content creator's side and from the fan's perspective. It speaks volumes about the influence that creators are given and there's clear commentary revealed between why the internet goes into a frenzy looking for Amelia Ashley, but has remained silent when an unknown girl disappears. It begs the question of individual importance through the lens of social media.
Going Dark is incredibly fast paced and one of those stories that you can easily lose yourself in - finishing the entire novel in just one sitting. With a captivating plot and intriguing characters, the author did a fantastic job writing an incredible mystery that delves into the complicated stories of the past and how social media defines the individual.
