This one is a slow burn to start. A little world building and a lot of character coloring in the first hundred pages or so. The barriers between the common folk and Families is drawn out along the backdrop of the First World War. It can feel heavy but it is necessary for the rest of the story. We’ve spent most of this time keeping a side eye on Alden, so when the secret comes out as to why he’s pushing to break the faerie door mystery, it doesn’t come across quite as pressing as Clover and her brother’s need, even though it is undoubtedly the worse of the two. You can feel the inevitable car crash that’s headed toward everyone the closer they get to their discovery. And oh, the betrayal. H.G Parry tells you all along it’s coming, but when it happens it’s the depth of it that takes your breath away. The second half of the book takes off and keeps a breakneck pace right up to the epilogue. I left the faerie world wanting to strike my own bargain just to stay a little bit longer!