I have to say I found the emotional crux of the plot--oh no she might be away for seven years in Fairyland--completely incapable of sustaining the weight of the whole story. I'm not saying a seven year separation from one's sibling would be easy but it's literally not the end of the world. Particularly since they already had a separation that length!

In general it was painfully clear that the author had no idea whatsoever of what humanities grad school is actually like. I moved her to my Do Not Read list.