This book was everything I hoped it would be, yet somehow less at the same time. I was drawn in by the living house on chicken legs representing a kind of living history. Pretty cool villain using peoples fears to control them. Wonderful use of history and the myth of the old country Baba Raga (easily the most compelling part of the book). The two main characters have fascinating characteristics (one is virtually a shape-shifter while the other has the power of life and death in her hands) but somehow fall short of being interesting characters. That which should read as compelling comes up hollow. The main characters come off as whiny teenagers—maybe the story would have been better served had they in fact been teenagers. (Is this a YA novel in disguise?) The abilities of the villain seemed to fluctuate as well—wonderfully threatening until he failed to be much of a threat for extended portions of the book. And the parents of the main characters—seemingly an important link in the family history are mostly just disinterested ciphers. Despite all that, enjoyed this most of the way thru before the downsides caused it to sort of dissolve in my hands. Mostly feels like potential squandered. You’ve let Baba Raga down.