Wow. This was STUNNING. It was so much more than I expected this to be. When my friend suggested this as our next buddy read, I was honestly pretty apprehensive-- it's very different from my usual medium-length fantasy/contemporary/romance picks. But Kristin Hannah's writing drew me in in a way few other writers have. And even though this was very dark at times (around 75% there were several moments when I had to close the book because I was SO frustrated and sad about what was happening), it really does show off the range of love, cruelty, and resilience that people are capable of. My heart swelled and broke for Leni more times than I could count, and the few scattered portions that were from others' perspectives only added to that. It was the perfect balance of keeping Leni the main character while also showing others' experiences when it was most essential. This book may need to be added to my favorites list just because it really is such a masterpiece.