A story of death, grief, and love. 

TJ Klune has a very stylistic way of writing, specifically when it comes to characters. His minor characters tend to be caricatures, exaggerated in both physical descriptions as well as their actions. However, his major characters provide a very human depth, specifically as he centers flawed main characters who change over the course of the story. 

This story in particular seemed to be more of a character study than The House in the Cerulean Sea. The plot took a backseat as the characters drove the story. With such a minimal plot, the book did feel a little too long. However, the focus on character development did lend to the books themes on death, grief, and loved ones. The second act had my heart aching, with the love and sadness I felt for these characters. Klune really allowed the audience to feel with them, which I think is practically necessary for this kind of book.

I was impressed with how this book managed the very fragile topics of death and grief. While still existing in a world with magic and elements of spectral fantasy, it continues to have moments grounded in the reality of death and grief. While I haven’t read many fictional books reflection on death, this book has practically everything that The Midnight Library did not. It was delicate, tender, and empathetic.