This story immediately drops you into conflict and gives you a protagonist you can really empathize with. I truly feel the guilt and sorrow Natalie carries after her brother's accident, as well as the emotional weight that increasingly burdens her as the story progresses. She faces a lot of tragedy and death throughout, including an unbelievably difficult decision in the later half, and I was rooting for her the entire time!

Baba Yaga has always been a fascinating character to me, and I like the twist this story takes on her mythology. There are also a lot of horrifying scenes where nature is reclaiming the town and its people, often in gruesome and disgusting ways. Those were a lot of fun, and they added narrative punches that kept the story clipping along at a good pace.

I'm a big fan of creepy folktales, curses, and eco-horror so this story really found its mark with me! Other things I found fascinating include: the time period and setting, the lore for the backstory, and the dramatic tension between Christianity and paganism. My only complaint is that I feel like the story ends in a very abrupt manner, but otherwise it's great and I can't wait to read more from the author!