3.5/5

The book follows a split timeline between the present and the fiction novel written by Maggie’s father. The similarities between the stories are probably the most interesting bits and I was very interested in seeing how the events unfold despite being set apart by many years. However there was something about how the story was written that kept me from being fully immersed. It felt like instead of letting me make my own conclusions and judgments I kept being told hold to feel, which really took away from the experience.

There were some truly creepy parts that I thought were so well done, only to be followed by something that would feel unoriginal and almost cliche. I really wish it would have gone deeper into the unknown rather than rely on generic tropes.

I especially thought that having a real explanation of the events by the end ruined the real magic. However it was still a decent read overall especially when you want something more familiar.