Everything casts a shadow. Even the world we live in. And as with every shadow, there is a place where it must touch. A seam, where the shadow meets its source.

Olivia Prior has grown up in Merilance School for girls, and all she has of her past is her mother’s journal—which seems to unravel into madness. Then, a letter invites Olivia to come home—to Gallant. Yet when Olivia arrives, no one is expecting her. But Olivia is not about to leave the first place that feels like home; it doesn’t matter if her cousin Matthew is hostile or if she sees half-formed ghouls haunting the hallways.

Olivia knows that Gallant is hiding secrets, and she is determined to uncover them. When she crosses a ruined wall at just the right moment, Olivia finds herself in a place that is Gallant—but not. The manor is crumbling, the ghouls are solid, and a mysterious figure rules over all. Now Olivia sees what has unraveled generations of her family, and where her father may have come from.

Olivia has always wanted to belong somewhere, but will she take her place as a Prior, protecting our world against the Master of the House? Or will she take her place beside him?

3.5 stars

This is a darkly haunting, spooky, and eerie story. It’s kinda creepy but not scary and extremely atmospheric. It would be perfect for Halloween or Spooky Season because it’s bleak, gloomy, and gray – very much autumn vibes.

It was a slow burn, but it kept me interested because I had to know what would happen next, so it was a page-turner in that sense. Also, the writing is beautiful. It’s immersive, descriptive, and lyrical, which really drew me into the story, along with the beautiful illustrations.

However, this book really perplexed me. I had high hopes going into it because 1) it’s by a beloved author in the book community, and I was eager to read one of her books for the first time, and 2) it’s a super popular book and even won a GoodReads award last year for Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction. I’d seen many, many readers talk about this book, so I really thought I was going to love it. Plus, the plot sounded very intriguing and right up my alley because I love anything spooky, creepy, gothic, and supernatural.

Many people were saying it was a mix between The Secret Garden and Stranger Things, which I completely agree with, and I would also add The Haunting of Hill House with all the ghosts and ghouls lurking everywhere. The author herself even said it’s a mix of The Secret Garden and Crimson Peak, which I could see as well.

However, this story wasn’t what I thought it would be. The biggest letdown was the lack of creativity and imagination. I appreciated the concept and idea behind the story, but unfortunately, it really fell short for me. There was SO much more that could’ve been done with this story, but ultimately, nothing really happened.

I really wish the concept was thought out more because it was pretty slow and boring in places. I wanted more action or just more plot to shine through because there was so much potential left on the drawing board. For me, the execution was pretty lackluster.

I was hoping for much more than what I got from this story. I know it’s a standalone book, but I almost wish there was a sequel coming so we could explore the other world more and watch a quicker-paced story unfold. But I’ll just have to be content with how this story ended, which was bittersweet and sad yet satisfying.

I really struggled between giving this book three and four stars because it is a beautifully written story that’s extremely atmospheric and creepy, but in the end, I gave it three because I didn’t get overly excited about it and wanted so much more out of it. Maybe I’d say it’s halfway at 3.5 stars. I would recommend this book for the vibe it gives, but I would also advise anyone to keep their expectations low.

This was my first V.E. Schwab book, but this didn’t turn me off to the author. I’ve heard her adult books are much better than her YA, so I will be checking out some more of her titles in the future.