What is Dark?

There are books that we call Dark.  There are ideas we call Dark.

What is Dark to readers?

Are we sitting in a room trying to read with no lights on.  No, although ereaders do help with this dark issue these days. ;P

What makes a read Dark to you?

I've used the term when writing a few reviews as well.  The author has gone deep into emotions -- emotions that are sparked from not so pleasant happenings.  Not always does there have to be death, but it's a very good indicator too.  The world of the story can have a dark feel.  Now, I almost wanted to put negative in the place of dark.  The world is usually not a happy place, bad things are at work and that adds to the dark feel for me.  The characters can be dark.  This might be where some of the death comes in.  And unpleasant things are done to other characters, or maybe already done to the ones you have.

I'm thinking you need some light in this to counter the dreariness created.  Some sort of hope to balance out the down of the dark.  Or even a small spark of hope that things can change.  Something needs a spark to shine through, show there could be something good that comes from all the dreariness that pulls down.

Or, is dark simply a scary feeling you get when reading?  I've heard that reference a few times.

Words...are there words associated with the dark feeling of a story you read?

Where have you found dark books at?  Fantasy, Urban Fantasy?  What about with Romance?  A blend of a dreary dark tale and a spark of a romance that could make it through the doomed world around them?



Just a thought to maybe spark some thoughts...