WOW WOW WOW. I admit this was a cover buy but it didn’t disappoint. This novel is dark, beautiful, and horrifying. I was mesmerized.
EDIT:
I really apprWOW WOW WOW. I admit this was a cover buy but it didn’t disappoint. This novel is dark, beautiful, and horrifying. I was mesmerized.
EDIT:
I really appreciated this novel's approach to sexual harassment and womanhood. How Grey wields her beauty like power, and how Iris cowers and feels utterly powerless. But her refusal to be violent and sexualized doesn't mean she's weak or lesser; there is power too in her tenderness.
I also really appreciated how vivid, complex, and GORY this novel was. It doesn't talk down to its teen audience, though FYI if you hate body horror you may want to steer clear. Non-American authors are so refreshingly talented lmao.
Iris is a sweet bi MC, Vivi is a punk rock lesbian, and Grey's boyfriend Tyler was hilarious and gender non-conforming with his fashion style.
Also, if you want more historically-accurate British folklore, give this one a shot. The nosleep and meta Reddit threads were a pleasant surprise. I remember obsessing over the stairs in the woods stories on Reddit with my friend when we were teenagers. A tangent to this review but yeah. I loved it. I get it.
This would make an excellent TV show in my opinion! The writing is evocative but still snappy, and the audiobook was super engrossing.
My favorites werThis would make an excellent TV show in my opinion! The writing is evocative but still snappy, and the audiobook was super engrossing.
My favorites were definitely our two heroines, MC Logan (snarky lesbian) and her love interest Ashley (small town queen bee). I think their romance lacked build up because the POV was too distant, but I still really enjoyed their dynamic and found them interesting as characters. I liked how Ashley didn't realize she could be bi? A lesbian? Until she met other openly queer people.
Because yes, this is a mystery book about a town with dark secrets, and part of that is casual homophobia from the friends and neighbors you love and trust. The book never gets too dark about it, but I liked how honest it was — it felt relatable too.
Unlike other reviewers I think the mystery/paranormal aspect was less interesting. The killer honestly came out of nowhere and we spend most of the book investigating the two girls' parents past more than anything else. Riverdale (but better) meets Stephen King's IT is a good comparison. At some points it was going too slow for me... But thankfully it's only a fourth of IT's page count lmao
The romance doesn't overwhelm the story though, because the family relationships are at the heart of it all. The complicated love between father and daughter, the distance and miscommunication, the strain between them, despite the love... I liked reading it.
I would love to see what the author publishes next!...more
THIS BOOK IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD. Griffin's prose is as gracefully choreographed as a prima ballerina. The atmosphere is pure magic, and the worldbuilTHIS BOOK IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD. Griffin's prose is as gracefully choreographed as a prima ballerina. The atmosphere is pure magic, and the worldbuilding is mysterious and original--like something straight out of a Neil Gaimain novel. We have a coven of witches. A talking cat who transforms into a man. A girl lost in a mirror dimension. An owl-demon who feeds on bones and children. A house stove that keeps the evil out.
BUT I DNFed this at 50% so I can't give it a high rating in good conscience.
The first half tells backstory--the before. The sense of wonder and mystery and first love. And the second half shows the after--the consequences, the MCs growing older and jaded and heartbroken. I understand what Griffin was doing, and it was pretty creative and unexpected, but I quickly realized this was not a novel for me. I enjoyed the first half and lost interest in the second. Still, that first half was a lovely ride--incredibly unique. This one has more magical realism vibes than your category fantasy, so give it a shot if you like something more slow and literary....more
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