I excitedly picked up a copy of this book because I was excited to dive into a truly spooky read. I had heard a lot of hype about the book and wanted to experience it for myself. I frankly could not have expected the story Catriona Ward weaved for us readers.

To say this is a horror book would be an understatement. Though it has the horror tropes we've come to know and love - a mysterious boarded-up house at the end of the street, a missing child, a search for answers, and even, a talking cat - nothing in this book is that two-dimensional. An exploration of childhood trauma, abuse, mental health, and survival is just the beginning of this complex and haunting story. The more you read it, the more everything starts to make sense (though you really have to hold out for the last quarter of the book, as I certainly couldn't have guessed how it was going to end until then). I would certainly recommend the book to anyone who can stomach some truly harrowing themes, enjoys quirky characters (looking at you Olivia) and multiple POVs, and believes that humans can be the true monsters in a horror story.