Fiction

We Do What We Do in the Dark

We Do What We Do in the Dark

  • Downloads：2354
  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2022-07-26 06:52:42
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Michelle Hart
  • ISBN：0593329678
  • Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
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Summary

A novel about a young woman's life-altering affair with a much older， married woman。


Mallory is a freshman in college， reeling from her mother's recent death， when she encounters the woman。 She sees her for the first time at the university's gym， immediately entranced。 Soon， they meet， drawn by an electric tension and shared past wounds; before long， they begin sleeping together in secret。 Self-possessed， successful， brilliant， and aloof--the woman is everything Mallory wants。。。and wants to be。 Desiring not only the woman but also the idea of who she is when they're together， Mallory retreats from the rest of the world， solidifying a sense of aloneness that has both haunted and soothed her since childhood and will continue to do so for years even after the affair ends。 As an adult， Mallory must decide whether to stay safely in isolation or step fully into the world， to confront what the woman meant to her and how their relationship shaped her， for better or worse。

Mallory's life is transformed by loss and by love and by discovering who she is while enduring both。 In this enthralling debut novel， the complexities of influence， obsession， and admiration reveal how desire and its consequences can alter the trajectory of someone's life。

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Reviews

Victoria Martinez ，

Quick read about a queer affair with a captivating beginning， but it loses itself along the middle/end。 The author has a lovely way with words/prose that kept me sustained throughout in spite of its meandering nature。

s ⚢ ，

this book felt lonely in a distinctly recognizable （read: lesbian） way。 it's a beautiful thing to be so far removed from men， but it's a uniquely isolating experience。 i found so many of my past disoriented feelings reflected in mallory's attempt to navigate a deeply heteronormative world which she ultimately could never really find a link to。 i felt her desperation as she endlessly sought to escape from that world and its structures， and it was equally beautiful and jarring。 this book felt lonely in a distinctly recognizable （read: lesbian） way。 it's a beautiful thing to be so far removed from men， but it's a uniquely isolating experience。 i found so many of my past disoriented feelings reflected in mallory's attempt to navigate a deeply heteronormative world which she ultimately could never really find a link to。 i felt her desperation as she endlessly sought to escape from that world and its structures， and it was equally beautiful and jarring。 。。。more

Risma ，

Mallory lets herself be so deeply defined in the eyes of “the woman”。 Throughout the entire book we never learn her name， but I guess we never need to。 The book is an exploration in loneliness and self-worth， lust and companionship。 What a great read。

Cali ，

if you like sally rooney novels you’ll like this book。 this storyline felt like conversations with friends but a sapphic affair instead of a straight one （don’t get me started on frances and billy okay）the poetic writing of this was just so pleasant。 my highlighter was on deck the whole time i read this book。i really loved the arc that was being told through our narrator here。 her solitude resonated with me。 gay girls love to pine it’s true

Christa Van ，

Very interesting take on a student/teacher relationship。

Anna ，

I’m giving this three stars because I read it in one sitting but I was pretty disappointed by it。 In my opinion， this was nothing more than an extremely surface level long essay。

Z ，

Tragic but all so beautiful。 Mallory as a character is just my favourite 😍

meg ！！ ，

finally finished！ didn’t feel fully connected to the characters bc of how short it is but the writing & story about a queer affair was wow

Schlimme Helena ，

Ein großartiges Debüt。 Will mehr von der Autorin lesen。

Gillian 🌈 ，

Firstly， I am incredibly excited to be reading a sapphic book of this nature。 Not one where the central plot line is about how hard it is being gay or how we’ve failed our family’s expectations for this， but one about the gay experience in general。 For that， I applaud the author。 However， for me， the applause stops there。 The deep disconnect I felt with the main character despite having a lot in common with her left me with mixed feelings about this book。 Mallory’s naivety and immaturity shone t Firstly， I am incredibly excited to be reading a sapphic book of this nature。 Not one where the central plot line is about how hard it is being gay or how we’ve failed our family’s expectations for this， but one about the gay experience in general。 For that， I applaud the author。 However， for me， the applause stops there。 The deep disconnect I felt with the main character despite having a lot in common with her left me with mixed feelings about this book。 Mallory’s naivety and immaturity shone through and I had a very hard time connecting with any sort of authenticity that she had。 I felt very removed from her， as if watching a robot move through a complicated maze， leaving me frustrated when it reaches a dead end and hopeless that it will ever reach the finish line。 I didn’t get to walk alongside Mallory in this journey， and I wished there was more showing of the story unfolding rather than simply a report of who felt what when。 I have been in a similar situation to Mallory with regards to an older figure with more power who takes advantage emotionally and mentally， so I anticipated really feeling seen and connected to this book， but I did not for the reasons stated above。 I had difficulty also understanding if the romanticism of the situation was purposeful from Mallory’s point of view or if the author truly intended for us to feel romanticized by this situation， which led to some mixed reactions from me as well。 Again， I truly appreciate the energy that goes into creating sapphic books like this， as it is incredibly needed amongst the sea of gay side characters。 But the topic and the connections I had with the characters missed the mark for me here。 。。。more

Elke ，

Price of Salt/Carol for a more YA audience。

Paige ，

We follow Mallory。 She is a college student who has somehow become obsessed with an older women she started noticing at the gym。 As time progresses， so does their relationship。 It made me angry that we never knew the woman's name just that she was a professor and an author who was also married to a man who also taught at the same school。 As the relationship grew， it seemed that Mallory was using the woman and fill all the wounds she has received， but the woman seemed to be doing the same。 It was We follow Mallory。 She is a college student who has somehow become obsessed with an older women she started noticing at the gym。 As time progresses， so does their relationship。 It made me angry that we never knew the woman's name just that she was a professor and an author who was also married to a man who also taught at the same school。 As the relationship grew， it seemed that Mallory was using the woman and fill all the wounds she has received， but the woman seemed to be doing the same。 It was an uncomfortable relationship that felt like it grew into an obsession and that was annoying。 Like， just move on。 It happened and then it was done。 Years go by， they meet back up， and now we got closure。 It was bland。 It read like it really happened the and author had experience behind this work of fiction and that is why it was so matter-of-fact and no imagination。Would I recommend？ Nah。 Probably not。 It was not an awful read， though。 Mallory was a bit dramatic and annoying， but so was the woman。 All this could have been avoided it Mallory would've just went on with her life。 What was she really expecting？ 。。。more

Marie Sheets ，

a beautiful glimpse of love， obsession， and how isolation can blur the line between them。 very intimately written， felt as though Mallory’s thoughts of the woman were brooding over my own。 would recommend

Karen Foster ，

I found the simple， spare writing of this story quite hypnotic。 Told entirely from Mallory’s POV， a teenage affair with a charismatic unnamed woman， influences her life and choices so entirely， as she embraces her sexuality and finds her path， after the death of her mother。 The loneliness of both characters was palpable， and I found Mallory’s naivity and intensity relatable in a nostalgic way。 Lovely writing。

Sarah Reiff ，

Kind of flat？ at times… but still very up my alley so enjoyable

lyz ，

unbearably boring

maria jose casazza ，

idk dude

Monique Pearson ，

This book was slow and kind of lackluster in some aspects， but it also reminded me so much of someone I know。 Mallory wears her melancholy like a badge， she's bored with nearly everyone but doesn't like herself that much either。 The most important quote I found in the book was "I'm afraid of being alone and afraid that is the only way I know how to be。" Well put。 This book was slow and kind of lackluster in some aspects， but it also reminded me so much of someone I know。 Mallory wears her melancholy like a badge， she's bored with nearly everyone but doesn't like herself that much either。 The most important quote I found in the book was "I'm afraid of being alone and afraid that is the only way I know how to be。" Well put。 。。。more

Misha ，

This was… interesting。 I did prefer the first half， but I think it’s a good way to show how a toxic relationship can have lasting effects on a person。 The writing style may not be for everyone but I liked how simplistic it is。 I’d say it’s a solid quick read， that tries its best to show the complexities of being a lesbian in a relationship

berfin ，

she really is just like me

Nora ，

（4。5） I really enjoyed this short-ish book！ The conclusion was fulfilling to me， this tends to be unusual。

Rachael Oglesby ，

I keep thinking of a way to describe the writing in this book， and the word I return to again and again is delicious。 It's delicious in the way a garden pasta of noodles and roasted homegrown tomatoes is delicious， or a fresh baked loaf of bread with a smear of butter。 It's simple， but satisfying and warm， filling， easy。Loneliness。 Death。 Grief。 Love。 Sex。 That moment of youth where you largely define yourself by your relationships and interests。 Where you romanticize people and moments till the I keep thinking of a way to describe the writing in this book， and the word I return to again and again is delicious。 It's delicious in the way a garden pasta of noodles and roasted homegrown tomatoes is delicious， or a fresh baked loaf of bread with a smear of butter。 It's simple， but satisfying and warm， filling， easy。Loneliness。 Death。 Grief。 Love。 Sex。 That moment of youth where you largely define yourself by your relationships and interests。 Where you romanticize people and moments till they grow bigger than they are。 Till they become something other than they are。 Discovering yourself through the lens of others until， finally， you are able to adjust your focus and take your own journey inward to see the truth of things。The final scene before the epilogue was a perfect moment of beauty and awakening。 Loved this one。 。。。more

Caitlyn Lapp ，

very well written but I did not like the relationship between the professor & the student。 It felt like the professor was using her for attention & constantly acting better than her。 Not a fan of the dynamic。

grace ，

👍👍

Hallie Elizabeth ，

ooh i love reading something and deeply relating to the main character and then feeling like a bad person because of that small detail that i relate to！ this one is definitely for the sad lit fic lesbians。 this was very melancholic and deeply felt while also being removed from emotion in its tone。 there are multiple quotes about wallowing in misery， and how we do that to extend the misery， and that is exactly how this book felt。 some of my favorite quotes: “That was Mallory’s whole life—a privat ooh i love reading something and deeply relating to the main character and then feeling like a bad person because of that small detail that i relate to！ this one is definitely for the sad lit fic lesbians。 this was very melancholic and deeply felt while also being removed from emotion in its tone。 there are multiple quotes about wallowing in misery， and how we do that to extend the misery， and that is exactly how this book felt。 some of my favorite quotes: “That was Mallory’s whole life—a private viewing of the world， like visiting a museum after hours—and what the woman had given her， both this weekend and when they had conducted their affair more than five years earlier， was an exhilarating sense of exemption。”“With the woman， she still had the sense of safely contracting。 Her thoughts and desires dwindled to a more manageable size。”“It was dizzying， Mallory felt， that performing an act of adulthood could still make her appear as a child in the woman’s eyes。”“You say these things about your life， and it’s like you’re talking about me。 It’s like you’re reaching inside me and plucking out a thought or a feeling I didn’t even know I had。 I know that probably sounds weird， but that’s why I used to write down everything you said。 You made my life make sense。”“I’m afraid of being alone and afraid that is the only way I know how to be。” （fuck！） “She’s felt there was nothing between her and the overwhelming brightness of the world。”this was great and depressing and i never want to read another thing like it。 。。。more

Erica Hauswald ，

4。5。 Moving and profound and sad。 Definitely felt resonant for me。 So much here about being alone - the pain and the pleasure of it。 I’m glad this book was written。 I look forward to reading more from her in the future！

Miles Madonna ，

this is everything i wanted carol to be lol。 sexy and relatable

k8 ，

I was disappointed to find this book， a short novel about a young student and the female professor she begins an affair with， to be quite dull and unemotive。 Though I did really enjoy some of the thoughts and feelings expressed， ultimately the writing and the characters just weren't captivating， and I came away unmoved。 I was disappointed to find this book， a short novel about a young student and the female professor she begins an affair with， to be quite dull and unemotive。 Though I did really enjoy some of the thoughts and feelings expressed， ultimately the writing and the characters just weren't captivating， and I came away unmoved。 。。。more

Becca ，

Mallory is lonely， confused， and gay。 Sounds familiar。 What We Do in The Dark by Michelle Hart explores the affair between Mallory and her professor， an older woman she admires professionally and sexually。 Following her through her youth and college years， the novel takes the reader on a difficult journey through grief， self-discovery， and coming of age when you haven't figured out your identity yet。As much as this book is about an affair， it is also about the weight of grief and how it burrows Mallory is lonely， confused， and gay。 Sounds familiar。 What We Do in The Dark by Michelle Hart explores the affair between Mallory and her professor， an older woman she admires professionally and sexually。 Following her through her youth and college years， the novel takes the reader on a difficult journey through grief， self-discovery， and coming of age when you haven't figured out your identity yet。As much as this book is about an affair， it is also about the weight of grief and how it burrows under the skin。 Mallory's relationship with her mother underscores her actions， both in college and high school。 It simmers under the promise， woven into the protagonist's thoughts and actions as she navigates coming of age。 "Everywhere she looked， even if she closed her eyes， there it was。 she felt there was nothing between her and the overwhelming brightness of the world。"I recommend this book to young lesbians， anyone dealing with the death of their parents， and someone who's felt more comfortable with books than with people their age。 。。。more

Maddy ，

4。5

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=We Do What We Do in the Dark

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=We Do What We Do in the Dark&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,We Do What We Do in the Dark&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0