Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things

The contrast between the innocence of children and the dark magic they stumble into is so striking. I'm curious about what sparked this idea and how it shaped the story.

The story moves fast into the mysterious and dangerous aspects of magic, which made me wonder if that was intentional to reflect youthful recklessness or naivety.

The magic feels both intuitive and dangerous, but I wonder what inspired the specific limitations and powers—were they mapped out in detail from the start?