My Darling Dreadful Thing surprised me in the best way. Admittedly, I went into it with no expectations. All I knew was that the cover intrigued me (yes we judge books by their covers!). I appreciated the back and forth between the actual story and the interview between Roos and the doctor. Van Veen's use of an unreliable narrator in Roos worked extremely well—yet another exactly of a book that utilised the, "Is she crazy or are there actually ghosts?" to great effect.

That's not what I really liked about the book, though. Instead, what lingered was the relationship between Roos and Agnes, and the strange, somewhat toxic love they grew to have. It made me think of how trauma sometimes destroys relationships, especially if one person pursues growth while the other remains stuck. I'm not sure if that was the message the author hoped to convey, but it's what I was left with in the end.

The atmospheric descriptions made for a delightfully creepy read, perfect for autumn nights when you're not quite sure if the house is creaking or if there are old spirits wandering in the dark.