Beautifully depicted YA gothic that weaves in a spooky ambiance, a unique unorthodox protagonist, and layered dark world-building.

In the book, we follow the journey of Olivia Prior, who has spent most of her life in an orphanage where every future prospect is bleak. All she retains of her family is a mysterious journal from her mother that she guards zealously. She doesn’t know what happened to her parents, but the journal seems to be filled with the ramblings of a delirious woman with deteriorating mental health. But as the story progresses, we discover more and more hidden facets buried in its pages.

she runs her fingers over the graphite and thinks of dreams. The kind that reach through the folds of sleep and into your bed. The kind that can caress your cheek or drag you down into the dark.

Olivia has always been incapable of uttering any kind of sound, and that, combined with her defiant nature, makes it harder for her to fit into any group of children. Oh, in addition, she can see ghouls, though that part she mostly keeps to herself. Specters of the deceased drift about her everyday life, all harmless, until the day they are not.

An incantation, a spell to banish pain by denying its existence. No one ever said them to Olivia—no one ever needed to—but she’s lost count of the times she said them to herself.

While most of the other characters are relatively one-dimensional, I loved how beautifully Olivia’s perspective was presented. This is the kind of book where you effectively live the life of a protagonist, and though much of it is bleak, the almost lyrical style of presentation somehow makes it incredibly interesting.

Olivia’s life pivots when she receives a strange letter—an invitation to her ancestral family home. Apparently, she still has living relatives who have been trying to contact her for years and are eager to welcome her. Except when she reaches the estate—Gallant—almost everything about it is strange and mysterious.

I loved the way the Gallant’s dark ambiance was depicted, and how its many mysteries unfolded bit by bit. Despite the dark-ish aesthetics, there is absolutely no gore, and I’d consider it a safe choice even for folks who don’t enjoy horror.

That word again—safe. But what is safe? Tombs are safe. Merilance was safe. Safe does not mean happy, does not mean well, does not mean kind.

Overall, it was an easy read. While not fast-paced, the style of presentation was quite delightful. Every page brought with it a new layer of intrigue, and I wish I could continue to live Olivia’s life.

You are atonement for your father’s defiance and your mother’s theft. You are a tithe, a gift, and you belong to me.”