Atria / Emily Bestler / 12:01
Published April 21, 2026
Reviewed by Sharon Mensing
Wow, what did I just read? Either it’s a supernatural horror story, or it’s an exploration of grief and mental illness…or both? Seen as a former, I’d give it a rating of 3 stars because Macy, the main character, was so annoying in her “I can’t do anything right” attitude. If it’s the latter, I’d give it 4 stars because the illness would provide a framework for that attitude. One thing I will say about this is that it is compelling in its confusion.
Most of the time the pace of the plot is blistering and the story line disturbing. Macy is an out-of-work 20-something with no money or prospects, a younger kleptomaniac sister to take care of, and still in the grips of the grief for her father who died 3 years ago. She finds an ad for a job as a short-term caretaker that pays an exorbitant amount of money, but which comes with some very strange requirements. Not feeling that she can pass up the money, she signs on. From that point on, reality begins to warp and the narrative becomes untrustworthy. Throughout, I wondered how Kliewer was going to bring the book to a conclusion, and how he did so was perfect. There’s no tying it up in a bow, however, so if you like everything explained in the end, this is not the book for you.
The descriptive writing was beautiful, transporting the reader to the dark, soggy Pacific Northwest woods. I appreciated that while the author was equally adept at the frightening, sometimes gory, descriptions, they were not dwelt upon and passed by quickly. There was really only one developed character in the book (Macy), but she was well developed and consistent. Being inside her head was mostly an unpleasant experience as Kliewer made me feel her psychological pain, confusion, and motivations. For me, she was very unlikable but also compelling. Macy, and the book in general, was hard to look away from even as the overall sense of disorienting disintegration was uncomfortable.
There is an initial prologue that argues for a strictly horror-based perspective, but I prefer the mental illness perspective. For me, the prologue actually detracts from the power of the book and skews my rating lower. However, for others, that prologue might be seen as a strength.