I want to start this review by echoing what the readers who recommended this to me said: do not read the synopsis before you read this! While it doesn’t entirely give everything away, this novella is one that benefits from just going in and experiencing it all as it comes, without being biased to look at things differently because of the synopsis.

Because of this, my review is also fairly brief, though it is also glowing! I absolutely loved this novella. It included so many of my favorite things, from flawed, layered characters just trying their best in a cruel world (and sometimes messing up anyway) to heavy folkloric inspiration. I’m also continuously blown away by Roth’s novellas and how they manage to contain so much (in terms of world-building, character development and growth, to plot), without ever making me feel like the book suffered from its short length. Did I wish this book was longer? Yes, but only because I found the world and its characters so compelling that I wished I could sink into it for longer than just a few hours. However, Roth picked the perfect length for the story she wanted to write, and that’s not something I often say about novellas!

Overall, I adored this story and I cannot wait to read more in this world (and I am so glad Roth decided to write more!)