Still marinating in my thoughts.

My favorite by Wendig by a mile and I enjoy his writing.

This is a clockwork sort of horror. Every scene, every thought, every repetitive noise all play their role.

This is a novella that could be staged as a play. Almost every scene is in a small room with 1-3 people. The larger world of both the haunting and the characters' criminal associates are told in exposition: small rays of information impotently attempting to dispel the claustrophobic shadows of the present.

Initially there's a hint of the supernatural in a creepy yet otherwise mundane setting. Every clue fills in a puzzle that contradicts reality. An off stage mob boss won't accept "ghost" for an answer. Along the way consent, enablement, fear and stubbornness are examined both sexually and supernaturally. The story crescendos to a satisfying magical confrontation.

A near perfect use of the novella length and a delightful overlap of crime, horror and literary character study.

The fragments are numbered differently than the page numbers.

The fairy tale epigraphs blend seamlessly into the chapters they head.

I'm reminded that inside each marginalized group is a marginalized group. The fractal nature of this requires a matching fractal Intersectionality.

I love how the poet uses the structure of poetry to tell a story in prose. Uses academic techniques to illuminate personal insights.

Beautiful and highly recommended.