This story deserves every accolade it received last year, and I can't believe I waited this long to try to solve the mystery of what happened at Camp Emerson and the Van Laar Preserve.

What seems like a straightforward mystery unfolds to become so much more. The story of two children, both missing, years apart, and both from the same family, is masterfully told from a variety of perspectives. Each chapter marks a specific moment in time for that specific person, and they get to weave the strands of their experience with all of the ones that follow.

The movement between the past and present is done so well. It's never confusing, and what can first appear to be a foray into one moment always returns dividends in later parts of the story. No detail is wasted, and everyone's perspective matters.

As the story unfurls, it becomes clear that this is more than a simple whodunit or family curse; this is a meticulous examination of privilege, class, gender, and expectation, as experienced by the characters who may not always realize which part they're playing.

Beyond all of that, this is beautiful language, a stunningly crafted world, and a story that I would recommend again and again.