Intense and atmospheric, this novel expertly weaves secret religious sects, underground government agencies, and black magic into a tale that will have you believing the events could have really happened up until the last page. This novel would fit right in with those famous novels of the classics in gothic horror, like Dracula and Frankenstein. With a story that slowly creeps up on you as we explore the lives and experiences of the characters within, this book isn’t one to skip. 

I would almost recommend this more to those who like historical fiction and don’t mind when horror elements are added, as opposed to someone expecting to dive into this story and expecting immediately for the horror aspects to kick off. This book is extremely well-researched, and (while I myself have no knowledge of Buddhism or any of the topics discussed in this novel) it felt like it was teaching me along the way, so that when later these things were referenced we (the reader) could still accurately predict the events of the novel without any issues understanding the historical context. However, at no point did I feel like I was simply being “info-dumped” onto, and my attention never wavered even during these sections when nothing was “really” going on at that moment. 

Mostly told through letters, confessional, and journal entries, if you were looking for a quick-paced and action packed novel I would suggest looking elsewhere. This book is very slow and does a great deal of meandering throughout - but at no point was I bored. I personally loved the writing format, as well as the in-depth education of the historical worldbuilding, so even during events when nothing explicitly “scary” was happening I was still glued to the page. 

I really thought the writing really sold me on the time period this novel takes place, as at no point did I feel like characters were “too modern” and took me out of the book. I feel like I write this too often, but for once I think the blurb is perfect for this book as it almost tells you nothing - which is how much information I think you should go into this story having. 

Even though this book dives into black magic and the supernatural, at no point did I feel like something that was happening was too outlandish to actually be occurring. Somehow despite the absolutely out-of-this-world events in this novel, everything still felt realistic and grounded in reality to the point that I was almost believing these things to have actually occurred. 

If you were looking for a queer gothic horror that absolutely transports you to the events of this story, and leaves you horrified by our characters’ experiences, I highly recommend this novel. 

Thank you to the author, Netgalley, and Redhook Books for a copy of this e-ARC.