It is easy to see how this book vaulted to the top of the young adult New York Times Bestseller list. Dark, brooding, and gothic, it is a blend of mystery, fantasy, and romance. The protagonist, Effy, is perpetually in a fog which keeps the reader off-balance, too. The author uses Effy’s medication and mental state to cast doubt on the reliability of the narrator and to obscure what is reality. Set in a fictional world that feels a little bit like the 1940s or 1950s based on the technology (phones, cars, etc.) and clothing, and where magic is a thing of fairy tales, the author isn’t required to worry about historical accuracies and is free to develop the storyline unhindered. Mystery and gothic romance have the strongest presence in the novel with the fantasy element keeping the landscape always tilting. The atmosphere puts one in mind of Wuthering Heights or Rebecca. Themes are around trust, discrimination against women, and even an echo of the “Me, too” movement. Each chapter begins with excerpts from writings, in particular the book that is part of the central mystery, and Ava Reid’s lyrical prose especially shines in those sections.

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language: 10 mild obscenities; 1 religious profanity; 2 derogatory names.

Violence/Gore: References to war; references to drownings; report of execution and torture by drowning; character feels threatened and throws self from moving car, resulting in injuries with mention of blood; verbal threats; threats at gunpoint; reference to how a character lost their ring finger; references to past experience of unwanted sexual advances and actions; character grabs another characters face roughly, scratching it and leaving blood; character chains up another and puts them in a position where they will die; character is thrown against a wall and cracks head, which begins to bled; character is roughly dragged; man forces a female to kiss him, biting her lips, and there is a struggle; destruction of property; character is killed and disintegrates.

Sex/Nudity: Girl has a crookedly buttoned blouse and it is observed she has been with her boyfriend; several references to a fairytale that has accounts/excerpts from book about a mythical figure forcefully bedding a human wife; many instances of innuendo; there is an instance alluded to throughout the book with more details each time that involved a man in a power of position taking sexual advantage of a young female student from kissing, groping, unwanted touching, etc.; a series of photos is discovered with a young woman (implied older teenager) in progressing states of undress until nudity; man tells a female character she needs a man; sexual tension; flirting; innuendo about one night stands; male and female are attracted to each other and female often takes notice of the male’s looks; letter is found implicating a romantic relationship; male and female sleep in a bed together, but it is platonic with male on top of the covers; female sits on a male’s lap and pushes him down with desire to be intimate, he declines, but she feels his body responding to her; characters kiss and embrace; 2-3 page descriptive sex scene and some details.

Mature Subject Matter:

Parental abandonment, death of a family member, mental illness/madness, discrimination against women, sexual harassment/assault.

Drug/Alcohol Use:

Reference to smoking cigarettes; characters smoke cigarettes; university party where there is liquor; man is drunk at a party; parent is always drinking gin; characters go to a pub and drink there; character takes prescribed sleeping pills; character takes prescribed pills to help with hallucinations.