I read this book in about 2.5 hours, and I couldn’t get enough of it.
Alix E. Harrow has done it again. This story, much like The Ten Thousand Doors of January, hits on themes like belonging, loneliness, and the search for home.
As someone who’s lived on the outcasts and felt the sting of being alone, I connected deeply with characters like Opal and Arthur.
As the oldest daughter in an immigrant family, I felt Opal’s sense of responsibility keenly. I resonated deeply with Arthur’s sense of duty. Their sacrifices for their loved ones, their shame, and their dedication pulled me in from their very first scenes. Their stories tugged on parts of my heart I hadn’t expected to be affected in a story billed as a Gothic horror about a scary children’s book.
And in all fairness, this novel delivered the horror. I may be easily frightened, but I swear my palms were sweaty reading this book. I felt a strong sense of foreboding and this strange, fearful yearning every time I turned the page. I couldn’t get enough and was simultaneously too afraid to look at times. It’s rare for a story to be so captivating and alarming at once.
From eerie descriptions, wild twists, and solemn vows, this book has it all. You’ll come away with a deep appreciation for cleaning, petty theft, and even birds. Maybe.
If it wasn’t obvious enough, I loved this book entirely.
I look forward to whatever the author will write next.
Tiny Bubble Cakes Reads 