Catherine House is intriguing at first, putting us in a slightly odd school and offering a sense of mystery. And the author does a wonderful job of putting not so much in the mind of the "pretty bored girl" protagonist as in her body, voluptuously describing how everything looks and sounds and smells.

I was completely drawn in at first, but it felt like the book just sort of stalled out in the middle. And when it finally reengaged towards the end it was just weird and unsatisfying.

It's hard to say what this book is. There are hints of gothic mystery, bits of cult behavior, elements of thriller and sci-fi, and tons of college kids leading the wild life, but none of it really fits together or builds to anything. And even though the story is first person, the protagonist remains inscrutable. Her final decisions are all over the map and I neither understand why she made the decisions she made nor why the decisions were even difficult.

As for the other characters, they are bland and interchangeable, with superficial personality features but no seeming life beyond knowing the protagonist.

Even though I legitimately enjoyed this at first, I ultimately regretted reading it at all. This author writes very well but plots and develops character very poorly.