This is one of my dark horse reads this year. My expectations were low but I found this to be an enjoyable book and a good distillation of gothic fiction.

The plot is uncomplicated but moves quickly in a very visual way; I always found it easy to picture what was happening. The writing style is pleasant to read. Overall a very accessible entry point to gothic/macabre fiction for most age groups, covering familiar gothic themes of darkness, death, loneliness, grief, and sacrifice, mixed with the common YA themes of self-discovery and belonging.