I actually thought this was gonna be a quick and fun read but I loved it so much. As a Malaysian, I can't tell you how glad I am to be reading something that I actually understand the references made in the book. The vibe was all very home-y and nostalgic. And I didn't expect to fall in love with the characters—they're so wonderfully developed I think and they're all awesome. The plot was amazing and I didn't expect such a twist from a children's book. Then again, it wasn't that shocking but at the time I was like no way what?? Malaysian ghost stories always seem to scare me more than foreign ones, like just hearing about it gives me the creeps, but I love how Hanna Alkaf sort of gave these "monsters" a heart and make them seem less threatening. That's what I feel is the essence of this book—like a combination of all the ghost stories I grew up with, and add to that more heart and love and like human-ness. Loved it!