4.5 I really enjoyed the multilayers of this story. The characters are battling grim circumstances, their own inner struggles, and the elements. Plus, I LOVED the court transcripts and news articles sprinkled throughout the story that foreshadow what's coming or explain why something is happening.

There was never a dull part in this story because all of the character development was necessary to understand their individual evolutions. And it helped to communicate the conflicting and evolving nature of teenage boys.

The body horror was manageable for me and made sense for what they were battling against.

This is my second book by Nick Cutter and he is about to land in my top 5 authors really quickly!

Btw, I started this in paperback and switched to the audiobook so I could finish faster. The narrator in the audiobook does a great job, so if you're into audio, check it out.