I think this is a beautiful, simple book. It's as sparse and striking as its setting, and it deals with the themes of love and loss in a way that's accessible to young readers.

Because I am a geek, I sometimes respond to books in very visceral ways, and my feelings stick with me long after I've finished reading. When this, I sort of feel a sense of longing, a pang of sadness, that life doesn't always turn out how you thought it'd be. But this also comes with a quiet hope, that a tiny beauty can be constructed by good people with pure hearts. I know it sounds corny, but that's how this book makes me feel.