This was so lovely, I wish I had read this in my teenage years as it is so highly applicable to my own formative experiences growing up. The format of an interjecting ethical and philosophical reflection continuing adjacent to the main plot is one I haven’t read before but really enjoyed! A few tears were shed, such a a sweet classic.

"I'm afraid there's nothing quite so painful as thinking, What have I done?"

"We have the power to decide on our own who we will be. 
Therefore, we will make mistakes. 
However - 
We have the power to decide on our own who we will be.
Therefore, we can also recover from mistakes"

I could quote this entire book..