In his novel, Dark Star, Alan Furst creates an atmosphere that supports the depressed and dejected environment that surrounded Europe before the start of World War II. It manages to capture our attention, immediately creating anxiety in the depressed and devastated country of Belgium. Furst manages to drag us into the mind of Andre Szara as he enters Ostend, Belgium, describing the atmosphere as unpleasant and full of anxiety. It presents this atmosphere through the old and rusty merchant ship Nicaea, the setting of Ostend, and the tasks that Szara must complete during her stay in Ostend. The thirty-year-old tug Nicea represents an unexpected path and ultimately poses uncertainty in the eyes of André Szara. At the beginning, the atmosphere is immediately set with a dark and frightening perspective due to the depiction of the "cargo ship" (Furst 3) moving through the water with a characteristic engine roar, overstating the sound of the rolling waves they break. The story of Nicaea identifies the elements Furst used to represent the atmosphere. Its profound description indicates that over the years it has spent “scorching summers and drizzly winters” (3) only to be ruined by salt and rust. Old age causes the ship to “[creak] and [groan] sadly” (4). The unhealthy environment creates an undesirable atmosphere that exploits uncertainty about the ship's ability to continue.Salame 2Weather plays an important role in shaping the atmosphere in Ostend. Time can be used effectively when a certain atmosphere arises because it can dictate the mood. During the journey in the North Sea, Szara and Khelidze were accompanied by “rain” (3) and “darkness” (3), unaware of what awaits them. With darkness comes the idea of ​​fear because it leads to the unexpected. The Nicaea has also been at sea for nineteen days through “an eternity of freezing sea showers” ​​(5). The weather foreshadows a dark future and maintains uncertainty about what lies ahead. Equally important, Andre Szara is given an assignment but doesn't know why, further increasing the suspense and unawareness of any consequences. Szara's task is to find out where her travel companion on the tugboat, Grigory Khelidze, is staying in Ostend. Szara has no idea why she needs to find out where this man is, thus creating a sense of loss. It's as if Szara has been set on a twisting, unforgiving path that leaves no clues or signs as to where it will take him..