The setting, the prose, they were all very enticing in the first half of the book. I read on hoping to be given more context, for things to be less vague but I ended the book with not much knowledge of the fantasy elements in this book. All that was clear was the need to give the thing in the water what it wants. It was intriguing, the bargain and seeing Maddalena slowly succumb to it, page by page. This was gradual, the relationships between characters on the other hand were not. There was not much interaction between them before they were just seemingly super close and intimate in the next. I didn’t care much for the relationships, though they did play a big part in the story, as well as a big part of my indifference.

I complain a lot but I didn’t think this was terrible. I actually liked the ending, no matter how vague. I interpret it in such a way that each girl got what they wanted, in whatever twisted manner. I just wished for more context or explanation.