Started on October 21st (when Stephen King recommended it)
Finished November 13th
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Gothic Horror + Nordic Noir with a 'new governess/nanny' trope
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-I enjoyed the Gothic vibes paired with the suspense and backdrop of a trad Nordic Noir thriller. The combination worked for me.
-There is an element of eco-horror + paranormal horror + creepy kids + Nordic folklore and I wish the author would have just picked one path of horror. The eco-horror was my least favorite element of the story because I feel it wasn't resolved satisfactorily. I get frustrated with lingering injustice
-Lexi, the MC is pretty unlikable and not in a *good for her* way. She also has a mental illness that seems pretty prominent at the beginning of the book but disappears once the nanny storyline develops and I thought that was odd
-Content Warning: Domestic violence, suicide, post-partum depression, animal cruelty, child abuse, infidelity
-I did like the dual narratives of Lexi and the flashbacks to Aurelia as she navigates her marriage situation and the realization that they are unwelcome on this land they are building their dream home on
-There was some head-hopping in the narrative/pov that confused me. It's an omniscient pov where the narrator accesses every character's thoughts and feelings during dialogue and I didn't like the way the author used the technique. Seeing a scene through one character's POV is better; a personal preference
This was a mid gothic horror Scandi-thriller for me. I loved the concept, and certain elements of the story but I think it was a little muddy, a bit too long, and hard to suspend disbelief