sure kevin

i think it was well-written with a genuinely unsettling family dynamic, but because i predicted most of the major reveals so early, the suspense never had a chance to build. i appreciate it more as a story about a child living in an emotionally unsafe home than as a terrifying horror novel.

especially given if you strip away “other mommy” you’re left with:

- a little girl who has learned to constantly monitor the emotional state of the adults around her.

- a mother who is emotionally volatile and repeatedly puts her own needs ahead of her child.

- a father who loves bela but is so passive that he fails to protect her.

- a child who believes it’s her responsibility to keep everyone together.