4.5/5
This is a debut? All I can say is, wow, Rose Szabo has some serious talent!
I have been anticipating this book for months- the cover was what initially drew me to it, but the book blurb solidified my interest in the story. This story centers around a teenager named Eleanor and the complicated relationships between herself and the members of her family of monsters (literal monsters!). In addition to being a story about relationships, it is a story of identity and understanding who you are and your place in the world. I think that in addition to being a fun read, the book had some really important themes that made the book one that I will remember for a long time.
To begin, I really enjoyed that this book it was very character focused. I was able to understand Eleanor's frustrations, her anxieties, her anger, her fear, her longing for acceptance. I was able to read through her actions and understand them, although I as a reader disagreed with a lot of the decisions that she made. I really liked the character of Arthur- he was absolutely my favorite character, he was complex and his role in the family was fascinating. One of my only complaints with the story is that I wish we had more time with some of the other family members, in particular Luma, Rhys and the Eleanor's mother. I think they all had such fabulous set ups and in the end I wanted to know a bit more about them all! The information we were given about the other family members was incredible, Miklos, Margaret, Granmere... wonderful characterization!
The plot was fast-paced, with a chilling atmosphere, haunting imagery, and the tension was spot on! It was the kind of book where I ended up sitting and reading for hours and not even realizing just how much time had passed. I became very absorbed in the story!
I really enjoyed reading this and am so happy this book lived up to my high expectations! I would absolutely recommend this book!
This is a debut? All I can say is, wow, Rose Szabo has some serious talent!
I have been anticipating this book for months- the cover was what initially drew me to it, but the book blurb solidified my interest in the story. This story centers around a teenager named Eleanor and the complicated relationships between herself and the members of her family of monsters (literal monsters!). In addition to being a story about relationships, it is a story of identity and understanding who you are and your place in the world. I think that in addition to being a fun read, the book had some really important themes that made the book one that I will remember for a long time.
To begin, I really enjoyed that this book it was very character focused. I was able to understand Eleanor's frustrations, her anxieties, her anger, her fear, her longing for acceptance. I was able to read through her actions and understand them, although I as a reader disagreed with a lot of the decisions that she made. I really liked the character of Arthur- he was absolutely my favorite character, he was complex and his role in the family was fascinating. One of my only complaints with the story is that I wish we had more time with some of the other family members, in particular Luma, Rhys and the Eleanor's mother. I think they all had such fabulous set ups and in the end I wanted to know a bit more about them all! The information we were given about the other family members was incredible, Miklos, Margaret, Granmere... wonderful characterization!
The plot was fast-paced, with a chilling atmosphere, haunting imagery, and the tension was spot on! It was the kind of book where I ended up sitting and reading for hours and not even realizing just how much time had passed. I became very absorbed in the story!
I really enjoyed reading this and am so happy this book lived up to my high expectations! I would absolutely recommend this book!