When I read the blurb, I was really excited to read this book. The premise was promising, but but but, there were some parts that I felt it was problematic.

Let me start by saying what I liked in this book. If you have watched Locke and Key series on Netflix, this is somewhat similar, just that instead of keys, it’s books. The pacing was okay with short chapters. It is divided into seven parts, which sorts of gives us an idea what is going to happen. 

There are some plot twists sprinkled over; some which caught me by surprise. Enjoyed reading those parts. I absolutely love the cover too, it’s stunning. 😍 

Now, coming to the parts that I didn’t really enjoy reading. The author’s portrayal of female characters who are concerned about their body and shame associated with it; is something that didn’t sit well with me. Additionally the excessive description of food felt unnecessary.

Apart from that, the villain's dialogue, laden with misogyny, was particularly jarring. This line: ‘Some fucking ape slapped me like I was his wife.’! I lost it after reading this. And this: ‘You know, one of the worst things that ever happened was when all you women started thinking you were equal to us men.’ Dudeeee 🤯

Moreover, the introduction of POC characters through derogatory remarks seemed indefensible, bordering on racism. Like why would you do that. Example: ‘pointing to a large Black man who had just stepped through the door. Very dangerous.’ 

This book really had lots of potential. Unfortunately, that wasn’t used well. I’m aware that many loved this book, I wanted to as well. However, those problematic aspects detracted significantly from the overall experience.

In general, I would advise approaching this book with caution. While it offers intriguing themes like magical books and time travel, its flaws may impact your enjoyment. And I can’t wait to hear your thoughts if you do pick it up. 🙂

Some of my favourite lines:

💫 ‘.. I find comfort in rereading favourites. It's like spending time with old friends.'

💫 ‘The best place to enjoy a stormy night is in a warm room with a book in your lap.'

💫 ‘My three favourite things in the world:
Whisky, cakes and pastries, and books.'

💫 ‘…what do book people do? We go to every bookstore, we peruse every village fair. We are always looking for books.'

Thank you to Miss Putri Fariza and Times Reads for sending me a review copy.