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Caveat to my rating: Historical Fiction, even with supernatural elements, isn't my cup of tea.

I probably would have enjoyed this more had it been in a more fantastical setting. Instead, the more historical aspects made the read almost too depressing for me.

I think the book did what it was trying to well. If a murder mystery in 1893 Chicago as told by a poor teenage gay Jewish immigrant sounds good to you, I would recomend checking it out. The supernatural elements fit in well.

As with Bone Weaver, check the content warnings if you want any heads up.

I found this to be an easy read, but was glad it wasn't longer. But for a 2 hour read, I'm glad I picked it up.

It was not what I expected, and I have nitpicks with the ending. I also didn't like any of the characters, but I think that was intentional.

The key words in the book description are "toxic polycule". Everything else mentioned in the blurb on the back of the book is filtered through that lens.

The first page didn't immediately catch my attention, but by the end of the first chapter, I was invested in Toma's story. I'm not sure if I want the book to have a sequel or not. I'd like to see what happens next, but I think it ended at a good point.

The world-building and characters felt real to me. People weren't perfect. They made mistakes and were jerks sometimes, or just had to pick between multiple bad options.

There are various dark subjects alluded to or examined, and when the main character starts the book living with some undead "monsters", it's unsurprising that death is a recurring subject. Look up content warnings if you want, or at least don't pick up this as a lighthearted palate cleanser.

I can't say this was deep or particularly innovative, but I did love it.

The main characters were likable. The plot flowed well.

When I was reading, it was the perfect level of suspense. I never wanted to stop, but i also could put it down to work and sleep.