i gave it a 2.5 stars because i enjoyed some of the things that the author worded, otherwise it would have been a less. this was a genuinely disappointing read. it took so many weeks to pull myself through these pages, but i did due to my own stubborness and my unwillingness to dnf books. 

this is a book that relies far too much on telling the reader what is happening instead of showing. there's such an excessive amount of description that does not add anything to an already poor plot. the premise of the book itself had me excited to delve in and is why i picked it up in the first place, but actually experiencing the premise as i read was a whole other thing. 

the 'monster' not being something metaphorical but instead being an actual monster in a semi-historical setting actually threw me so out of the world of the book that i did not want to go back in. the ending was also an incredible let down, you'd think with so much build-up to the end and the reveal of who this monster is that the ending would be strong. but no. the epilogue cemented my complete unwillingness to continue the series and read 'our violent ends'. i am begging for authors to keep characters dead. 

also, the characters are flat with no development whatsoever. juliette is a highly annoying protagonist and is the worst for being a flat character. her entire characterisation is just being a badass, do-what-i-want heroine. in theory, it should have worked. however, juliette only came off as a brat and her actions gave me second-hand embarrassment. she just acted like a child 90% of the time.

i ended the book feeling nothing for any of the characters, and also with the beginning of a reading slump. just not a good story at all, really.