Even if you don’t like purple, flowery prose, you should still give this a try (after checking trigger warnings ofc). The purple prose really works for this historical, gothic atmosphere. This book is unapologetically intimate and, imo, makes it pretty obv that this is a depiction of a toxic relationship with some complexity between power dynamics in their relationship.

I also loved the detail of Constanta never writing his name—“You did not let me keep my name, so I will strip you of yours.”

my biggest gripe was that the climax was anticlimactic. i think i was expecting something more raw and emotional, but it kinda felt meh.