rio is a genius and that’s not because i was so convinced by this novella. actually, i thought the novella was okay. a good piece of literature.

it was interesting to observe and follow these strange, quizzical and unpredictable characters through a spooky and hallucinogenic night. i liked the apocalyptic vibe, and the whole concept and revelation were chilling and took me by surprise no doubt.
this story definitely has the feeling of something groundbreaking and new; something you’d find in area 51 maybe. 
but it wasn’t quite for me. i’m not a huge fan of spooky things, nor am i incredibly keen on mysteries.

and still i think that rio is a genius. because reading that essay at the end of the book was like looking in a distorted mirror. i saw in it something of myself, though not quite. the fabric of my soul put into incredibly eloquent and thoughtful prose. sentences that were so beautiful, they made me smile.
it reminds me so distinctly of If We Were Villains and how much i loved it because it reminded me so passionately and violently of why i love words and language and literature and writing so much.

m. l. rio’s got a voice that appeals to me on such a profound level, because it captures the essence of my sense of self like no other author has done before. 
she captures in words what i failed to communicate all my life.