I stop/started this book on Kindle for a while and for some reason just couldn't focus on it. I decided in the end to go with the Audiobook and I'm so glad I did. It is such a beautiful gothic tale. I absolutely loved the world building in this one, especially Starling House itself, for a dark imposing 'haunted' house, once inside it is actually very warm & inviting. I definitely felt that sense of coming 'home' when Opal started to settle into the house. I've seen it compared to a retelling of Beauty & The Beast, which I kind of get, but I felt links to Alice in Wonderland, Ninth House & The House of Wind from ACOSF more. I loved the sentience of Starling House and thought it was very well written, magic realism is always something I'm drawn to and Alix E Harrow does it very well. I really enjoyed the footnotes throughout the book, this for me added to the magical realism and made it feel more fact than fiction.

As far as characters go it's pretty simple, you've got the typical stubborn FMC Opal, and her vulnerable Brother Jasper who she would turn the whole world upside down if it meant he got a better life, Arthur, the typical gloomy, introverted stranger to lover, and of course our villian, Baine and the Gravely family.

As a main character I really like Opal, although as far as FMC go, she is very basic with her troubled childhood, sassy fiery attitude, and knack for getting in and out of trouble, surround by her found family.  Despite the basic FMC blueprint I thought she was very well rounded and I routed for her throughout, I felt her sadness and desperation and just wanted her to win. 
A gorgeous book and another firm favorite from Alix E Harrow for me.