so ill start off with what i really did not like, which was the romance for the most part. it never seemed very believable to me and kind of insta-lovely. that being said i really dont like m/f romance in general so that might just be my bias. 

i really loved the eastern european backdrop and how rich and vivid the prose was. i also really enjoyed the cannibalism metaphors/actual things that happened too, i thought they had a very heavy emotional impact. and for the part of romacne that i did like, it was that

it was shown that their love did not instantly heal their trauma and sometimes made it worse which i liked the realistic depection of