The first some fraction of this book was pretty much perfect, and I was immediately impressed with Slaughter's spot on commentary on what it's like to be a woman in this world. This book made me lose sleep, get into work late, and pick it up to read a page every moment I got. But. I don't know, it was *so intense.* Just like a lot of graphic sexual violence and torture and it was just so heavy by the end of it all. Some plot details felt a little scattered, but overall I think it came together. Maybe it was a little too long? It almost felt like two stories by the time I finished it. Loved the protagonists though and so much about their devastated family. Maybe don't read this though if a lot of violence against women upsets you... Think I need to process this with someone who's read it though if you want to. Some parts of this story/the characters definitely just don't make sense. Maybe that's just as well that I can't process all the evil stuff.