I devoured this short novel. It veers into magical realism with shrinking people and leans into some Romanian traditions/folklore. This is one of those brutal pieces of speculative fiction where many things are left unexplained, the characters are a little unsavory, and you as the reader are just along for the weird but engaging ride. Van Llewyn's writing really packs a punch, harshly ripping open the unpleasant dynamics in a family, a marriage, and a community that rewards ratting out neighbors.

I'm looking forward to reading more from van Llewyn in the future.