this is one of the best books i’ve ever read, and it’s gonna haunt me for years to come, both in good and bad ways. i loved that it isn’t predictable at all, and i found myself wondering what other crazy event was to come, yet they were even crazier than what my mind could imagine. maybe it has to do with the fact that richard is a very unreliable narrator. that combined with the characters’ complexity made the plot extraordinary. this book takes so many turns, not only in plot but also in dynamics, relationships and character. we got to see all the good and bad parts of the characters, how they act when happy, how they manage under stress, how they go through grief and betrayal, how they act when faced with moral problems. they are far from perfect, which is why they are perfect characters. i felt completely immersed in this story, i swear i could describe hampden college as if i had been a student there. donna writes with so much depth, descriptions and prose that it is nearly impossible to not feel touched by it. the final part of the book was a true rollercoaster and a progression of disturbing moments, i think those are the ones that will haunt me forever. the rawness of humanity and how incomprehensible it is, the doubts and the suspicions which will never be answered.