GIVE ME ALL THE QUEER HORROR!!!
All I knew going into this book was that is it was a queer Bluebird retelling. And admittedly, my memory of Bluebird isn't the greatest, so this book was TRULY a surprise for me.
Poppy is a young artist who, after 6 months, marries an elusive art dealer, Celia. The book opens with Poppy's first day in her new home - a gothic mansion that she cannot fathom ever filling. Despite the apprehension from her best friend/practically sister, Celia is determined to make this home and her marriage work. Except, weird things start happening. The home creaks, which Celia insists is settling, her reflection is not following her movements, and she's starting. to hear someone whisper her name. And when she brings this up to Celia? Well, her reactions are less than ideal.
One of my favorite parts of this book was just how much the home was a character itself. The atmosphere is truly unsettling and makes you listen for your own home's creaks. Despite how sprawling the home is told to be, this book feels incredibly claustrophobic. Poppy's character feels manic in the way you're questioning what's going on in the home, and Celia is no better in being secretive and gaslighting.
The eeriness comes to a head in the STATUES that keep popping up. If you've ever watched Dr. Who and know of the Weeping Angels, that's all I could imagine every time these statues were mentioned.
I loved everything about this book, from the pacing, the setting, the characters. I need to read more from this author.
Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an eARC. All thoughts are honest and my own.