While the plot is fairly straightforward, this was a very complex and moving book. I guessed the monster's identity early on, but that didn't impede my enjoyment. I really enjoy Emezi's writing style, and it was nice to have the beautiful prose I was introduced to in Freshwater captured for a younger audience. There's a lot of discussion of feelings and processing complex emotions. This book holds comforting visions for the future, questions about justice, and strong supernatural elements. I loved it, and this was one of my favorite reads of 2019.