This is a fantastic YA novel about overcoming trauma and finding love in spite of your circumstances. There's found family, enemies to lovers, queer representation, a scathing critique of how we deal with "troubled teens"...what more could you ask for?

One of my favorite parts about this book is the characters. Each one is distinct without becoming a trope or a caricature, and as you're flipping back and forth between Ollie and Devin's perspectives it's always very clear whose head you're in based on their thoughts alone. I think the character development throughout the story is also exceptionally done; the author is able to take characters you really didn't like at the beginning and give you a reason to root for them in the end, without having to do a complete and unnatural 180 on who they are.

My other favorite part is just how well the horror aspect of the novel mirrors the larger theme of trauma and the non-linearity of healing from it. This happens in quite a literal sense, of course—iykyk—but also in many different smaller ways. You have the more direct metaphor of their non-linear trek through the woods, but also these more background ideas of feeling trapped, being unable to predict what will happen next, or even just the nagging sense of wrongness even when everything seems fine—I found it all quite potent. It's the sort of thing I'd love to dissect further if I had the energy.

There are certain elements I wish had been expanded upon more just from a worldbuilding/lore perspective, and the pacing could be a bit strange at times. Overall, though, I thought the major themes and story were incredibly done, and I would absolutely recommend it!