This book was completely enrapturing, and while I would probably rate it as 4.5 stars vs the full 5, I fully believe every fantasy and/or young adult reader should read this book. 

The Good:
 - The plot is new and intriguing (a mixture of dark lore and mystery).
 - Sentences are objectively beautiful, but so clearly written that it doesn't feel as if the author is showing off their skills.
 - The setting is vivid and real and creates an eerie seaside atmosphere
 - The twists and turns of the story are not unpredictable and not entirely obvious. I had a guess the whole story as to how things connected and was mostly right. But I had doubts the whole way through which is the makings of a good twist.

The Bad:
 - There are times that the book is rather heavy handed and on the nose about its messages or foreshadowing. 
 - Many of the characters are also rather flat/one dimensional.