The prose is beautiful but not overdone. The author has a pleasantly simple and straightforward yet elegant way of writing. I truly enjoyed my time with this story.  It is rich and melancholic. I listened to it on audio and the narrators did a wonderful job. I don’t prefer to read on audio because I miss a lot but this one was still impressive enough that I gave it 4.5 stars. I definitely recommend this for folks looking for a coming of age story with lgbtqia rep that’s not gratuitously spicy.