I feel like I can not give this book any other rating but a five. I just went on a roller coaster ride. This is why I enjoy reading books and not reading the description of the book prior. Freshwater.... you did it. This book follows the character Aba and the god-like spirits that live within her. However, these god spirits are mischievous and do not care about human flesh. THEY TAKE THEIR COMMITMENTS SERIOUSLY! They enjoy torturing the humans they inhabit, with the end goal being to get the human to end their life.

I found myself mostly upset with Asughara (god-like spirit) the most. I felt this spirit inside Aba was a vindictive, toxic, and highly narcissistic character. I also thought, to the western world, specifically psychology, Aba would present as having psycho-affective or schizophrenia disorder. As I went further into this story, I paid closely attention to Asughara. Often times, when a person experiences trauma, their memories are pushed further into the psyche... which leads to protective, and survival skills manifesting at the forefront of their minds. The entire time, I kept thinking to myself "Asughara kept saying that she will never leave and that she will always protect them (Aba and the other spirits)." Only for me find out that Asughara was protecting her from traumatic memories but in the most toxic way as possible.

The metaphors of the snake, shedding, other snake-like things creeped me out but I was here for it. I loved how Aba and her god-like spirits viewed gender fluidity. I didn't like how her god-like spirits just took over her body and forced her out of her of having autonomy of herself. Which is why I was rooting for Aba hard at the end of the book. This book is heavy on mental health, depression, suicidal ideation, attempts, and other triggers. But this book's take on spirits from a non-western point of view was GOLD. I am impressed that no one committed Aba to an institution while she was in America. I don't agree with what the god-like spirits did to Aba in the name of "protecting her." I often felt like they were hurting Aba more often than not, due to their lack of empathy towards humans. Although, they thought they were benevolent gods (eye-roll). This book was beautifully written and challenges westernized identity & psychology in ways that should be questioned.