Really enjoyed.

Some side-eye worthy consent issues, thus the 4 and not 5 stars. I’m chalking it up to how much older this book is, as I don’t remember the same issues being so blatant in the beka cooper trilogy or the protector of the small quartet.

Laughed out loud lots of times. Great read.

The writing was very pretty and atmospheric.

However...

I found the book as a whole to be really annoying: the embodiment of a whiny emo-goth teenager from the early 2000’s. Which was me, pretty much. It’s very possible I would have really loved Winterwood’s aesthetic when I was in high school. CRINGE.

Beyond the general annoyance, I took issue with some wording throughout the book. For instance, the MC calling the boy she find an “item” and a thing, and being really possessive and literally objectifying.

There was some victim shaming moments too.

I also couldn’t help but feel like this was a very white washed version of what could be a much more nuanced story. And this story was hurting for depth- the bottomless lake just didn’t cut it.

Overall it was very... surface level aesthetically pleasing. Going deeper? Doesn’t hold up IMO.