This book was beautiful and just so, so deeply wrenching. It took me way longer to finish than I thought because it was really emotionally draining. Makkai manages to balance these really beautiful and artistic moments with the more mundane and also the dramas of relating to and being in relation with one another.

I don't know, I'm having such a hard time articulating it; it was so difficult for me to read, and yes ultimately worth it. The story flowed really well and the jumping between time periods wasn't confusing at all. It just was a hard read.