This was quite a beautiful story. I’d definitely read from the author again as I enjoyed the writing. The book isn’t plot heavy but I liked seeing the relationship between the characters. How they met 10 years ago, how that ended, how they’ve changed and how they found each other again.

I am a music fan so I liked that the main character was a musician and we got to see how her fans were so obsessed with her.

A beautiful but tragic love story. Two lovers get a second chance but unfortunately not a happy ending.

I received a copy of this book via the publishers and netgally in exchange for an honest review. I have to admit to it being on my TBR for quite a while. I think this book opened well and I really enjoyed the third person aspects of the narrative as the fans described their relationship to Aida and her music. However for me this book, which fits a Contemporary MPG, also has all the problems of that genre for me. It completely fails to develop a narrative line that I could actually feel I wanted to read. The characterisation was paper thin and I could not have cared less about Aida or her boyfriend. o

This is not an author i would want tread more of

A clever, beautiful story about love and creativity and modern celebrity, this reimagining of the Orpheus myth tells the story of Aida and Ehsan – she is a successful and beloved musician, he is a poet working in publishing. They met before her success and had an intense love affair; now they meet again, years later, and fall in love once more, navigating the challenge of her fame and Ehsan's distance. The novel is interrupted by interludes written from the perspective of Aida's devoted fans, which provide an interesting alternative viewpoint. It's intoxicatingly written and draws you in persuasively, although I have to admit I wasn't always sure what Aida saw in Ehsan – as a character, she spoke to me much more strongly.

A very beautiful book.

Thank you to the publisher for my eARC copy of this book. Unfortunately I didn’t love this book and therefore didn’t finish, I just didn’t connect with this one. Not for me, sorry.

Swoon-worthy in it’s romance, utterly heartbreaking, deliciously tragic. I won’t get over this in a while!!

The Giant Dark isn't a book I would ordinarilly pick up - but being a Orpheus and Eurydice retelling (or at least loosely based on) piqued my interest initially.

It is hard to say much about it without giving up a spoiler or two (which I try and never do) but the basic premise is that Aida (immensly popular but private pop star) and Ehsan (her muse and great - past - love) meet again a decade later and fall back into their intense love affair. Given that its based on a Greek myth, the happy ending is unlikely, so I hope you don't really want that in your reading!

The writing is lyrical, switching between the past, present and future, and I especially liked the views of Aida's fans and the obsessing over those seemingly above us mere mortals, however I found it hard to really like either of the main characters, and struggled to really see how theirs was such a great love.
I have to say that I think the thing that really saved the book for me was that it's really not hugely long, so finishing it was easy enough - however, it isn;t one I would be likely to read again, and while I am sure it will hold a special place in some readers lives, for me it is a lesson in not reading everything that has a hint of Greek retelling about it :)

Well written with an intriguing premise - the orpheus myth is a favourite - but I found that the Greek Chorus elements, and ultimately the book as a whole, didn't hook me.

A lucious re-telling of Orpheus and Euridyice, with rockstars disappearing from their adoring fans, old loves reconnecting, and a passionate destructive love at its centre. This was an absorbing beautiful book with passion and fire running throughout

The Giant Dark was a fantastic read. Switching POVs throughout, The POV of fans was a particularly nice twist on this type of story as it made it more real and captured the sometimes obsessive nature of fandoms perfectly. It's a hypnotic read that leaves you breathless with intensity and depiction of the complex romantic relationship between the two protagonists and the fans trying to discover what's happened to their much-loved rockstar idol.

I've written and written so many drafts of this review but all I can think to write is that I loved everything about it. It captured me from the first page with it's honest and raw storytelling. The prose was so lyrical that even the saddest moments in the novel felt beautiful.

It's definitely one of my top 5 reads of 2021.

I finished this just before the Christmas break, over a series over commutes to and from work. It was a fantastically immersive week, that also worked great for a commute as each chapter is told from a different perspective (Ehsan, Aida and fans/‘Greek Chorus’.

Although perhaps a little anticlimactic towards the end, possibly due to my over-attachment to Greek mythology (I expected something slightly more dramatic and faithful), but enjoyable nonetheless. Had I not been a Greek Myth nerd, I’m sure I’d have been hard pressed to find fault.

(I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley)

I’m mixed on this one, not quite sure how I feel. This book is meant to be loosely based on the Orpheus and Eurydice myth, but the links to me are tenuous and maybe that’s why I’m not as drawn as I thought I would be. I did love the dual perspectives of Aida and Ehsan and the way the story switched between past and present. Overall it is quite well done, I think this will be enjoyed more by people who love celebrities, contemporary romance, sports stars, rock stars etc and maybe that’s not really for me and why I’m confused. If you love these things o think you’ll love this, if you’re looking for a retelling, like me you might be a bit lost.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

I think this was too clever for me, and I lost a lot of my time reading by constantly questioning what was going on. The prose are beautiful and slow moving, gently unraveling this story of love and music, inspiration and creativity between two people. It's a very loose retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice, however if you didn't know this going into the story I don't think you'd immediately notice, taking more inspiration from the myth rather than directly retelling it. I can't deny that it is wonderfully written and incredibly creative and we'll through out. I just couldn't engage with it in the way I think the author wanted for the reader. Music in stories is not normally something I enjoy, so that's my fault alone, but at times I also found myself lost and confused by the writing.

I wanted to love this, but sadly I think this is definitely just a case of its me not you.

I absolutely love retellings. "The Giant Dark" is so cleverly told, I love how Hasin brought this old tale into the present and made it relevant again. Thank you so much for this ARC!

My knowledge of Greek mythology is pretty limited and I know very little of the story of Orpheus and Eurydice on which this novel is based but, that really didn't matter.
It's a beautiful novel. A love story, a break-up story, a story about fame and depression and grief.
It is a retelling that is so completely retold that knowledge of the source material isn't required, yet, you get the impression of a timeless story, whilst enjoying the details that make the characters and the situations feel so very contemporary.
The prose is beautiful and the use of voice and tense is very clever, particularly in the way the chorus is introduced.
I shall be buying as gifts for friends as well as the hardback copy I have already purchased for the BEAUTIFUL cover.
Thank you to Dialogue books and the author for the opportunity to read this book.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. The writing was stunning and in some spots felt almost dream like. I enjoyed the plot, and both the characters we followed. The relationship between them was complex but it felt authentic.

This is definitely a very moving novel, and keeps you on your toes. I loved the little sections from the cultish fan base. However, as far as Greek retellings go, this didn't hit the mark for me. I often forgot this was based on Orpheus and Eurydice because I was lost in the day to day of Aida and Ehsan's relationship.

If you're a fan of Sally Rooney's writing, I feel like you might enjoy this one.

Thanks to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group for providing me with a copy to review.

Brilliant retelling of a Greek myth.

This isn’t my usual type of book but it stood out to me because of the feeling of it being essentially two books in one.

It’s epic and beautiful, well worth a read.

Aida - World-famous pop star, adored by millions. Ehsan - a publisher living in London who has just quit his job. The pair rekindle a romance which they had given up on a decade before, Aida had returned to her home in the US, Ehsan staying in London. A dinner party thrown by mutual friends brings them back together, and they stay together, with Ehsan accompanying Aida on tour.

That doesn't sound very exciting buuuut I don't think there's much more that I can say without giving the plot away entirely. What I will say though, and what I didn't realise until I read up about the book afterwards, is that it's loosely based on the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, in a modern setting. The story is told from Aida's and Ehsan's perspectives, as well as through the voice of The Fan(s), taking the part of the Greek chorus. The Fan(s), called the Starlets, love Aida. They're obsessed by her. They think they should know everything about her and where she is all the time. Then they hate her. I really liked the use of their voice as a way for me to gain further insights into Aida. I'd give this a solid 4/5. I'd really like to read more by her.

Having just read some incredible retellings of Greek myths (namely, Madeline Miller and Pat Barker), I had high expectations for this title which is described as a retelling of the story of Orpheus and Eurydice. I already knew that it would be a looser interpretation, since it is set in the modern day, but other than the chapters from the POV of the protagonist Aida’s fans set as though from the Chorus (which was admittedly very clever), I saw little of the source material in this one.

We meet Aida and Ehsan as they reunite ten years after their initial break-up. Ehsan’s life has remained pretty stagnant but Aida has risen to international stardom as a musician. The book explores their relationship as their love is rekindled, and Ehsan joins Aida on her World Tour. The chapters skip between past and present time to give a glimpse of their lives when they were originally together and delve into how that impacted their relationship the second time around.

While I can see that there are certainly people who will love this book, and while some of the prose was indeed very beautiful, this really wasn’t one for me. I found the pacing to be very slow, and I just couldn’t understand the characters’ POV, which seemed to jump about at random and therefore not allow me to get to know them as individuals. The second half of the book was pretty confusing and, frankly, dragged, right up until the end which then seemed rather rushed in comparison. The author is clearly very skilled, but this wasn’t my cup of tea.

My thanks to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for the arc to review.

The Giant Dark begins with the particular obsession of devoted music fans. We all know the type. They’re the people who form #freebritney, who feel a personal connection to a world-wide name, who truly are die-hard fans.
The theme of obsession runs deeper of course. Aida, the famous singer and musician, is also obsessed; obsessed with an ex-boyfriend, Ehsan, who provides all the inspiration for her music. And Ehsan too, it seems, is obsessed, but we’re never quite sure what with.
Years after breaking up, these two are brought together at a mutual friend’s dinner party and something new begins.
Just when you think you are getting a handle on this book, it twists into new territory. Neither Aida nor Ehsan feel that they fit in. Ehsan is Pakistani living in London and pursuing poetry and publishing against his father’s wishes. Aida is American, though of North Indian heritage, pushed by her mother into singing lessons and hard-work when her friends are out socialising and dating. Neither seems to feel comfortable in their lives. Both have formidable talent. Aida blooms into a rock star. Ehsan becomes an award winning poet.
You should hear the echoes with Eurydice and Orpheus here - the music fans playing the role of the Green chorus. But what is the giant dark that draws Eurydice in? Is it melancholia, madness, death? Can Orpheus/Aida pull Eurydice/Ehsan out? As a constant replaying of the past toys with their connection in the present we begin to wonder if they really can make a fresh start. Is the role of muse an easy one to take on? How does fame alter a person? And then, suddenly, a vampire appears, albeit possibly only as a mental projection. That obsession theme once again rears its head, muddling desire, mental illness and death into a gothic mix that makes both of these characters struggle with anything most people consider normal.
It would be great for fans of Sally Rooney’s Normal Life with a little something different and unexpected. Through playful structure and precise character expression, nothing is given away too easily by Sarvat Hasin (there are lots of things I haven’t mentioned to avoid spoilers), making the reader work a little, compelling them to read on. It’s an impressive debut.