Step into a haunting 1900s New York where hunger and secrets twist love into something unsettling.

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My Review

🕯️ The Vibe: Lush, Dark & Addictive

This book is gorgeous. Like… hauntingly, poetically, dripping in atmosphere gorgeous.

From the very first pages, I was pulled into this gritty, gothic world set in early 1900s New York—full of shadows, secrets, and that constant sense that something is off. The writing is lyrical, almost hypnotic at times, and the imagery? Obsessed.

“I like fruit. The flesh is satisfying to bite through.”

There’s this strong theme of hunger, desire, and wanting that runs through the entire story, and it gives everything this dark, seductive edge. Reading it felt like piecing together a puzzle—little breadcrumbs of information leading you toward something bigger.

And trust me… that “something bigger”?
Yeah. We’ll get there 👀

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🔥 The Romance: Twisted, Tense… but Complicated

Petronille and Arkady are… a lot.

Individually, they’re complex, messy, and full of secrets. A traumatized ballerina from a wealthy (and disturbing) family. A struggling sculptor with his own darkness lurking beneath the surface. Their marriage starts as convenience—but quickly becomes something much more unsettling.

“I wish I could capture the color of your cheeks when they’re flustered, it would make a perfect glaze.”

There is tension. There is obsession.
And when the spice hits? It’s unhinged in the best way 😮‍💨🔥

BUT…

I didn’t fully feel their chemistry the way I wanted to. At times, their relationship felt more like an idea than something fully developed. I kept waiting for that deep emotional connection to hit—and it just never fully landed for me.

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😵‍💫 The Struggles

Okay, let’s talk honesty—because you know I keep it real 💋

This is one of those books where it’s very much style over substance.

The writing? Stunning.
The ideas? Incredible.
The execution? A little… all over the place.

The story felt disjointed, like a series of moments instead of a fully grounded narrative. We’re dropped straight in, given glimpses of scenes, flashes of darkness—but not always enough depth to feel fully immersed.

• The pacing was inconsistent
• Some plot points didn’t fully connect
• The world-building felt a little thin
• And I found myself feeling… detached

I was intrigued, yes—but not completely invested.

Petronille, especially, was a tough character for me. I understand her trauma shaped her, but her constant back-and-forth energy gave me a little whiplash. And Arkady? He started strong for me… and then kind of faded into the background.

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🩸 The Twist & That Ending

UM???

The ending was insane. Shocking. Disturbing.
Like… sit there and process what you just read kind of ending.

Did it make sense when you look back? Yes.
Did it still feel like it came out of nowhere? ALSO YES.

I was equal parts impressed and slightly horrified—and honestly questioning my life choices for a second there 😅

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🎭 Overall Experience

This book had moments where I was completely locked in—especially around the 20% mark. I was curious, intrigued, trying to piece everything together.

Then around the middle… I started to lose steam.

And by the end, I was pushing through more out of curiosity than emotional investment.

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💭 Final Thoughts

This is one of those reads that I wanted to love more than I actually did.

It has:

• Beautiful, atmospheric writing
• Unique gothic horror romance vibes
• Dark, intriguing themes
• A truly shocking ending

But it lacked the depth, cohesion, and character connection I needed to fully fall into it.

Final verdict:
A stunning, moody, gothic read with incredible ideas and unforgettable imagery—but for me, it leaned more on aesthetic than emotional impact.

Will everyone feel this way? Absolutely not.
The readers who get this book? They’re going to be obsessed.

Me? I’m sitting at a solid 3 stars—intrigued, impressed… but not fully consumed.

🌟🌟🌟 3/5 Stars from this “Good Girl”

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