I actually finished it this morning! Overall I enjoyed it–but I don’t think it really stuck the landing. Too much was revealed via exposition dump in the third act. The first two acts did a good job of keeping up an eery and creepy atmosphere, which I don’t think held over to the finale. To keep up the gothic feel, I think a lot more of the backstory should have been left vague. The origin of the fungus, exactly how it worked, specifics about the rituals, etc. Those should’ve been left up to the imagination.

And I think the unmitigated happy ending was a miss. There should’ve been a lingering feeling of dread or melancholy. Maybe dwell on the fact that Francis was possibly still beholden to the gloom? Maybe Catalina still suffered from lingering hallucinations and madness? Maybe Noemi continued to dream of Ruth? I think the fairy tale ending was a little flat.

But i did enjoy it. Made me want to check out more of her work.