This novel’s opening effectively draws the reader in to a dark, gothic fairy tale setting. With an evil stepmother, a “monster,” a sibling needing protection, and a village that looks skeptically at orphans, it reads like a solid entry into the dark fantasy adjacent genre. I wanted to like the main character more than I did as it felt like she had yet to figure out how to navigate her world. As a reader, I was new but I had thought she’d been there for a bit. An intriguing start to a story that’s sure to appeal to YA readers who enjoy the genre.