This is the perfect book for anyone who loves a gothic, dark academia, but also coming of age type of story. I am not usually a huge horror fan, but this was the perfect amount and not hard to read at all.  It has bits of everything, horror and fantasy and mystery presented with beautiful, descriptive writing. It felt kind of like a fever dream, only waking during scenes with other students. I fell in love with the characters of Andrew and Thomas, so vivid but also mysterious.  This book expresses the beauty of art (both visual and written) and how much power it holds. The pain and confusion of not only trying to figure your own self out, but also trying to explain yourself to people who mean so much. To grapple with trying to save others, while forgetting to save yourself.

Also the twists OH MY GOD. Literally stopped me in my tracks. I am not okay. The ending was gorgeous and emotional and I had to sit in my car at the end to stop the sobbing (it's been a while since a book did that to me). I have not stopped thinking about it in the days since I finished and I will be tempted to re-read this book sometime.

Note: I listened to the audiobook and it's fabulous!

Thanks to the publisher for a free copy; my thoughts and review are my own.