This book is getting a lot of hype, and I was hesitant to read it. I thought it couldn't possibly be THIS GOOD. I kept hearing that Turtle was like the new Scout Finch, and I thought, yeah right. I wasn't interested in the idea that a girl meets a boy who helps her crawl out of a prickly situation. (That is what I had picked up from early reviews.) But that isn't what it's about. The boy is...he is there. Important, sure. But Turtle IS a great character and this is about HER. This book is disturbing and gruesome and raw and scary and BEAUTIFUL. The writing. Goddam. I read the end so quickly, because I was so excited to see what happened, that I had to read it all again because I wasn't reading carefully enough. What a dummy. I also never wanted it to end. Turtle is REAL, her story is insane, and everything is very complicated. This book is better than the hype. Whether you thought you wanted to read it or not, just do it. I promise you won't be disappointed. Not even after reading all the wonderful reviews.