In the time since I read this book, I've thought about the preface all the time. The stories are original and fascinating and the writing is beautiful. Years later, this is still one of my favorite reading experiences.
I found this a really sweet exploration of love, loss, and acceptance. I thought the vignettes were compelling and it was a super atmospheric read all around. After finding out that this was originally a play, a lot of the stylistic and structural choices made sense to me and I do think it would be great for the stage.
Before I read it, I had heard that this book was mostly vibes and that almost nothing happens — which is both not quite true and also pretty accurate.
I loved it. The moody, immersive atmosphere and slow burn was perfect for me and I was invested in the mystery of the game. I think with a little bit of critical thinking it was obvious what was happening after a while, but it was still opaque enough to keep things fun.
I went into this book without knowing basically anything about it (including the back cover) and I think that really enhanced the experience and atmosphere. I don't know if it should have been marketed as a romance, but that's not really the book's fault. I do think that if I had been expecting a romantasy, I would have been disappointed — but I wasn't, so I was dazzled.
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