Well that was creepy. Creepy AF. Creepy and horrifying. And OMG the ending. After everything, that Clarice ended up with Teo, that she didn't even know why that would be horrifying...I just can't even. This is not my normal type of book, and though I am glad I read it because it was overall well crafted and presented, I also wanted it to end really badly so I could put the story behind me. I feel like this is a book of a woman's worst nightmare - and if that was the goal, it was terrifyingly well done. I'm really having a hard time saying anything else about this book. I don't know how to critique a story like this, because mostly I don't want to think any more about what was going on in Teo's head, how he justified his actions (and what more and more excessive things he was able to justify over time), and dwelling on what happened to Clarice and the psychological (as well as physical trauma) that she went through is just more than I can handle. So my 3 stars is because this book just scared the crap out of me and I just don't want to think about it more, but a recognition of what the author did and my appreciation of his exploration of the human mind.

Update: For all that I said I wanted to stop thinking about this story, it's sticking with me. And I'm starting to wonder if it might be more of a social commentary... The author is from Brazil, a country pretty well known for it's male chauvinism/unhealthy definitions of "manliness" and mistreatment of women on many levels. And I wonder if this novel, the ending in particular, is a poignant message about the state of things (both in Brazil and worldwide) for women. Being held "hostage" by men who see it as a favor, or "for our own good," and being forced to stay in bad situations where the only options are ending one's life or [purposeful] amnesia. It makes the entire story even more terrifying, if that was the goal, since as I think about it, it makes more and more sense.