Spoiler alert: I am really getting tired of authors using mental illness as a trope, ESPECIALLY when the reason for the “madness” or "insanity" was because a creepy older man took advantage of a young kid. I am so sick of domestic thrillers where unimaginable stuff goes down. I am just so disappointed in this book and it's sleek-as-hell marketing. I was promised dark academia, and got nothing of the sort. Just boring, problematic, and not well done. Sure, the nod to The Silent Patient that was placed in there was a fun little Easter egg, but not much else made me enjoy the book. The ending was bad, the characters were flat, and I left this feeling confused and super disappointed. I feel like The Silent Patient blew me away a few years ago, but this was a disappointing sophomore novel. I am appreciative that Celadon sent me an ARC though, thanks Celadon!