First thing you need to know is there's an emphasis on gothic. The first half of the novel reads like gothic greatest hits, and then it coalesces into something like Fall of the House of Usher by way of Jeff Vandermeer. It also explored the haunted house as a metaphor for generational evil and the difficulties of leaving an abusive family with the kind of metaphor and imagery over preaching attitude that I personally read horror to find. Also, it wound me up to finish this at night. It might not be keep the light on for you, but I don't plan on sleeping just yet.

Warnings for rape incest eugenics grossness and a bunch of other stuff.