Frankly incredibly dull, which works out for this book thematically but simply isn’t interesting to read. The whole time I felt like I was looking at the ghost of a good story botched, though it’s unclear if that’s through actual plot or a disagreeable writing style. I understood the horror and thought the atmosphere was well-crafted; this book, in reflection of Herman’s total, spiraling loss of agency, feels like choking down a spoonful of antidepressants and feeling the numbness spread to your every corner. Perhaps it was an issue of translation, or perhaps this book was simply not suited to my tastes; regardless, I did not enjoy it.