The hearse with the weird odor slowed to a stop before the entrance. The sound of pebbles could be heard bouncing on the ceiling. There were footsteps coming from the corridor, and there seemed to be someone sawing next door. The door knob to the room rattled slightly, and the faucet in the bathroom kept dripping even though it had been screwed shut. There was a rubber ball that rolled on its own underneath the bed. Wet footsteps started to surface one after another on the floor. At 3 am, Chen Ge held a cleaver in his hand as he hid beside the room heater. The call he was trying to make was finally answered. "Landlord, is this what you meant by 'the house can be a little crowded at night'‽"
This is very much a coming of age story. Fantastical elements take a backseat to the story of Trent, a freshman in highschool at 15, who is desperate to learn more about the father who died before he was born and learn his place in this world. Scifi elements do exist and occur, but they're often cutaway events that quickly return to the school life drama unfolding among Trent and his friends. As the story continues, those fantastical elements do slowly encroach more and more onto Trent's life, but the operative word here is 'slowly'. By chapter 20 there may be a significant shift away from this, but the first dozen chapters are densely packed with Trent's life both at school and at home. Characterization comes first here, and before any of the action, the author makes sure you'll care about the characters involved in that action. If you're looking for an urban fantasy/scifi with a deliberate pace and a focus on characterization first, it's worth keeping an eye on this story and seeing if you find yourself drawn into Trent's story.