This is very much an awkward story, but the vibes are immaculate. The craftsmanship leaves something to be desired, but considering I read Starling's later, much better constructed work first, I may be judging it too harshly. There are a few too many eleventh hour revelations, and the ending feels vaguely pasted on, but I really respect the commitment to not giving characters an easy way out, or readers an overly detailed play-by-play. Ultimately, this story does all the good things I expect every Caitlin Starling story to do: make me scared, make me happy, not let characters off the hook, and make me briefly question the nature of existence.