3.5 stars - a mysterious author, a fairy lord stalking through the night, and a crumbling mansion by the desolate sea. Reluctant architecture student Effy is initially excited to tackle the restoration of her favorite writer's estate, yet the appearance of her handsome academic rival who is determined to expose Myraddin as a fraud and the dark environment cause her anxiety to spiral. Effy is a determined heroine despite her trauma and neglect, clinging to hope and an almost religious fervor over Myraddin's texts. However, while I sympathized with her, it could be challenging to like her when she displays such pettiness and prejudice towards Preston because of his country of origin, and then immediately falls in love because he treats her like a normal person. Reid's world-building and writing can be gorgeous (though uneven), reminiscent of Patricia McKillip's 'The Bards of Bone Plain' or an Arthurian legend, and that was the parts I wanted more of rather than weak character relationships, even if I did like a number of choices Reid made with the ending. Overall a unique Gothic romantasy that examines contemporary issues like misogyny, mental health, and belief.