Kate Harker is the daughter of the Ruthless Harker who controls half of the city with his monsters. Anyone not paying protection money is fair game to the Monsters that lurk in the dark, praying on fear and hunger. 
 August Flynn isn't like Harker's monsters, he's a rare monster, one that can steal your soul with a song. All August wants to be is normal, go outside, help with the efforts to pull the city back together like the rest of his family. 
 August finally gets his wish and is sent to school when they hear word Kate is going to be attending, he is to observe her in case the war efforts are pushed and his family needs leverage against Harker and his Monsters. 
 August enjoys school and even finds some solace in being able to play his music without hurting anyone. Kate knows something's off with August and aims to find out what exactly is going on with the strange boy, his direct views on the world and his smudgy pictures. 
 V.E Schwab is an amazing writer. This book started of slow for me but after 50 pages the world building was set, I could imagine the city, the monsters, the humans, the killings, everything was beautiful and haunted. The Characters are well-developed and the side characters all have in-depth back stories, There are no unnecessary 2D filler characters. 
 Looking back I can't remember any big events happening in the world, it was all betrayal and destruction related directly to the Main characters. I would have liked some more world-wide destruction and chaos (a few explosions and maybe a random killing spree is all I'm hoping for is that too much to ask?) 
 Hopefully the next books is jam-packed with plot to pick up the series and send the story into the direction I'm hoping for. 
 The characters are a high 4 for me and the plot was a low 3 so I've played middle ground and gone for a 4/5.