I loved this book, but it took a lot out of me. It is probably one of the only books I've read that has ever made me cry. I became extremely attached to the characters, and I didn't expect that the events in the story would be so sad. The sadness, in fact, threw me off; back when I read this, I was unaware that a kid's book could be so very dark. Still, I greatly enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to others, with the sole reservation that many people may become depressed by the end of it.