I think this book can be read without the knowledge of Wuthering Heights, but I'd probably appreciate this story more if I had read it recently. (Although I'm more of a Charlotte Bronte fan, not so much Emily, so it may not change my feelings much if I had done a reread).

Catherine and Heathcliff are two recklessly, co-dependent teens haunted by their past and the lack of knowledge of their past. They stumble upon things that begin to help them understand themselves. The author does well letting Catherine have a voice of her own in the remix, where as Catherine's story in Wuthering Heights was told from the lens of other characters. Heathcliff struggles being a "nobody" in the original and does so in the remix, but it also focuses on the fact that Heathcliff was of a different origin than everybody else. I love the historical setting, I rarely get to read books set during the British colonial era of India. You have the gothic setting, very doomy and gloomy, with harsh subjects and immense emotion between characters. I did enjoy the way the chapters seemed as if Catherine and Heathcliff were almost speaking to each other despite not being near each other.

I think this is a really well done book and if you're looking for a gothic remix of a classic that's a bit more hopeful than the original, this is a great one to read! I think people who enjoy old, gothic romances will enjoy this one.

CW: physical abuse, alcoholism, racism, slavery, etc.

Disclaimer: I received What Souls Are Made of as an ARC and I'm voluntarily leaving this review.