Inkslinger
You had me at velvet-clad vampire.
I loved Padraic, both the name and the aesthetic of him as a character. He's easily my favorite part of the story and whenever he enters a scene it's automatically more interesting. In part due to my own romanticization of this style of vampire, but also because there's a visible shift whenever he graces the page. He's charismatic and intriguing from moment he utters his first words, if somewhat disturbing at times.
He's not the only protagonist here to play of course and that keeps things interesting.
Aja was just okay for me. She's another 'my perfect sister/I'm the outcast' character, which personally I find is far too prevalent in these types of tales. I do realize though, this is sometimes the personal experience of the writer and perhaps instead.. it's far too common a feeling within families, which is sad.
Thematically, I enjoyed the gothic horror elements Yu employed. The red rain and the creepy insects were a great addition to setting the feel of the story. I may never get out of my mind's eye the images of the butterflies.. so it's visually impactful in a long-lasting way.
Though the story is Young Adult Horror, at times it feels younger. Yu has a ton of creative potential and I'd like to see her develop characters a bit more and flex her use of language in future works.
If you're looking for a quick read with some unnerving horror elements, give this one a try.
(I received this title as an ARC. All opinions are mine and freely given.)