I have to admit, I'm not familiar with Lovecraftian horror, but if its anything like this, then I have no interest. At best, this is a weak knockoff of cosmic horror. At worst (and if glowing reviews are to be believed), it's a defining work of the genre. Regardless, it wasn't great.

Firstly, I can certainly understand why the structure of the story might be praised. It was a unique decision, but it was not one that I enjoyed. Bookending the "real" story with the one of Abe and Dan kept me from investing interest in any of the characters, and I found the third act to be rushed and sloppy.

While the writing was fine, the characters were forgettable and seemed to function solely as plot devices rather than developed individuals with complex motivations. This made the shifting perspective in the second act more frustrating and confusing.

And goodness gracious, the descriptions. So much of this book was devoted to descriptions of scenery or landscape that had no bearing on the story at all. I am not opposed to descriptive heavy text, but only when it contributes to the plot, the world building, or the tone of the story. The descriptive text in this book focused on minute details of scenery which did not contribute to a feeling of horror, dread or unease.

Which brings me to where I think this book failed the most. It was not scary. It did not convey horror. Being Lovecraftian, I expected the story to at least make me feel dread, or even revulsion that you might feel from the brief moments of body horror. But throughout, I couldn't help but feel that it was a sad story that turned into a strange story. This felt so.... entry level.

I suppose I can understand why this book might be enjoyed by hardcore Lovecraft fans, but you'd have to forgive a lot of flaws in my opinion.