There are not enough words for this book. I initially picked up this book based upon it appearing on a few "best of" lists. The plot also drew me in, so when I started reading, I expected a story about a girl who drowned and the mystery to discover what really happened to her. What I got what so much more. 
 Lyrical and beautiful, this book addresses so many things-- secrets, relationships, the pressures we put on ourselves and on each other, race and connectedness... I literally could go on. Many times through out the book, I found myself gasping and wondering how the author knew these things, which I, myself, have felt so keenly. My heart ached and my stomach churned, and in the last two chapters, something that hasn't happened in a long time occurred. I cried and cried. 
 I will carry this novel and its characters with me for a long time, and for me, that's the mark of an excellent book.