Oh, god. Where do I even begin? Literary fiction is not a genre I typically lean towards. So often, many of these stories take themselves too seriously and give off an almost conceited air. Let me tell you, I did not get that here. The story is beautiful and tragic. It's real and heartbreaking. The writing is lyrical and poetic. It really drew me into the story. There is love in this story, but it is not a love story. It's a story about first loves and how those experiences shape us. We see Philippe grow, evolve, accept who he is, and live his life as his true self while remembering the intense and secretive months with his first love. Then we see Thomas, who continued to try to conform and be who he thought he was supposed to be, suppressing his true feelings and desires. We see the tragic toll that kind of life can take on a person. I was in tears by the end. I usually get annoyed by books that portray yet another tragic queer story, but I didn't feel that usual annoyance here. It felt too genuine, and despite the sad ending, there was an aura of hopefulness. A lesson learned, and appreciating the past and knowing when to move on. If you feel like you are ever mentally in a place to read this, I highly recommend that you do.