"It is remarkable how much courage it takes to kiss someone, even when you are almost certain that person would very much like to be kissed by you. Doubt will knock you from the sky every time." 
 I can finally see those so wanted 5 stars under the title of a book I've read. After half a year of "what's this thing?!", "not bad, but could have been better" and "good, but something is lacking", I found perfection. 
 Why can I say that with such decision? 
 1. It's a wonderful LGBT novel. 
 And I mean it. I read loads of LGBT novels, but most of them are rushed, unreal and pretty silly. While in this case the relatioship developed slowly and with its highs and lows exactly as all relationships do. Moreover, aren't they just adorable? And two idiots, since they don't even understand what they feel for each other. But this is another reason why the story is so enjoyable, isn't it? 
 "We're not courting trouble," I say. "Flirting with it, at most." 
 2. Irony, take me with thee. 
 Irony lovers, here's our paradise. Because yes, the writing style can be pretty descriptive (but for once in a while it's more a quality than a fault), but let's not forget that Monty is the narrator. And well... Monty = irony = troubles = fun for the reader. If I just could have kissed him for his brilliance (or stupidity, depends on the point of view!) I would have done it! 
 I could even have read the whole novel in just one sitting, being it so fluent and captivating, but I wanted to fully appreciate it so I took my time. 
 3. Grand tour? ...grand disaster! 
 At first I was sure that the story would have simply been about the relationship between two guys and probably the problems they would have found when dealing with society. Gosh, I was so wrong! Lee managed to transform a classic cultural trip such as the grand tour in a real, amazing adventure full of near-deaths, new encounters and dark secrets now discovered. 
 This is due to the fact that all characters are much more complicated than what they seem and hiding painful truths which will be revealed with inevitable consequences. 
 "We are not broken things, neither of us. We are cracked pottery mended with laquer and flakes of gold, whole as we are, complete unto each other. Complete and worthy and so very loved." 
 4. To read it or not to read it? There's no question! 
 To sum up, there's so much more than just love in this book. It's a mirror of the culture of the XVIII century and of the inner self of a group of teens, each of them struggling against the society to define their own identity. It's a tale of love, family, contraints, reality and magic, a novel of dreams, fears and hope. 
 A book that, in my opinion, is really worth reading.