Character (2/5)
Plot & Pacing (1/5)
Setting & Surroundings (3/5)
Dialogue & Diction (2/5)
Craft & Voice (1/5)
Reading Experience (2/5)

Final Rating:
1.8/5

Comments:
This book really missed the mark for me. In its defense, I didn’t actively seek it out. This was a cold find on Libby. Almost from the beginning, I could tell the plot was going to meander. It was just a bit all over the place, and it was hard to really understand what was going on and why characters were doing the things they were. Motivations were not well-explained, and scenes were presented out of order, but in a messy way that didn’t feel organic. The “turn the cards” part of the craft of writing mystery was just not on point here. Also, almost every single character was more interesting than the protagonist. Especially Rook. I wanted more scenes with him, wanted to know more about his life, his powers, his goals, etc. I also have a radar for books set in Appalachia that other are trying too hard to pull off the culture, or are purposely dumbing it down for a wider audience. Either way, it was a turnoff. There are lots of people who may enjoy this, but this might have been the messiest thing craft-wise I’ve read so far this year.