Woodson is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. She writes such fantastically heart-wrenching stories that make you hurt in the heart places. Basically, she's amazing! I love her stories and the fact that she knows how to write in such a way that gets you hooked from the beginning. This story is beautifully told with a smooth writing style and I just loved it! It's a very sad tale but one that I think you will all enjoy. It gives you such hope despite being really depressing at times. The characters are all complex. I really enjoyed reading this book and if you ever wanted to give Woodson's work a try, then I highly recommend this one!