Descriptive Use Of Setting In Blake Crouch's Recursion

In his science fiction thriller Recursion, Blake Crouch uses descriptive details of the setting in order to convey a foreboding and ominous tone. As Barry, one of the main characters, enters the Poe building, Crouch explains how he is struck by the sterile nature of it: In the dim light, the details are all in shades of gray. A sprawling mahogany desk buried under files and paperwork. A circular table covered in notepads and mugs of cold, bitter-smelling coffee. A wet bar stocked with expensive-looking bottles of scotch. A glowing aquarium that hums on the far side of the room and contains a small shark and several tropical fish. (6) Here, the setting Barry enters is depicted as including “shades of gray,” indicating a sterile and emotionless

Using words such as “buried” and “covered” to describe this office suggests chaos and neglect, which creates a sense of something being hidden, overwhelmed, and almost suffocated by secrets (6). The bar includes “expensive-looking bottles of scotch,” and the “glowing aquarium” is filled with “a small shark and several tropical fish” (6). The reference to "expensive-looking" bottles adds a layer of opulence that contrasts with the otherwise gloomy setting. This juxtaposition suggests that there is something disconcerting behind the facade of wealth. Crouch describes the aquarium as “glowing,” which provides a contrast between the peaceful appearance of the aquarium and the predatory nature of the shark that inhibits this container. This detail introduces an element of eerie tranquility and a subtle hint of danger and menace. Together, these elements build a setting that feels unsettling and filled with hidden threats. Crouch extends the illustration of this specific tone in a later scene. When Helena is first taken there, “it is not a good day at sea” because “the clouds are draped low and the farther away from land [the helicopter] goes, the darker the world becomes”