This... is probably one of my new favorite books. 
 It's not a typical book. This isn't a story driven by messy conflicts (Yes, conflicts exist, but they're far more low-key). Yes, it's technically sci-fi, but not in the way I've grown used to. I wouldn't call it a romance, but it is a love story. And that's rare enough that part of me likes it on principle alone. 
 I heard it described somewhere as a "road trip novel." That sounds about right. Reading this book is like drifting down a river with a good friend. Along the way, you see a lot of things, meet a lot of people, but ultimately you learn the most about the person with whom you're traveling, and about yourself. 
 The prose is gorgeous; the story soaks into your bones. This is one of those books where I find it hard to pin down exactly why I love it so much... it simply is.