I'm pretty impressed with this novel. The characters were fascinating, and while I've never really known anyone like any of these people (except maybe Michael), they felt real anyway. The story was told with a wonderful delicacy, and the alternate viewpoints were an excellent choice, as they allowed the reader to see the layers and details of the story that we would have missed if only one viewpoint were shared. The end was bittersweet, which is probably for the best in a story like this (but still, probably more sweet than bitter). Do yourself a favor and read this book.