There were two main factors that made this book so easily lovable to me: a) The story itself is so unique and morally controversial, which I just adored. No one was the good or the bad guy. The characters weren't 100% innocent or guilty and you couldn't blame them even though what they did was obviously the 'not-so-right' thing to do. You empathize for all of the characters and you can't decide which party is the unfair one and which one deserves their kind of justice. It feels like it should be clear but the author does a great job of pulling you into the story and making you feel what the characters do so you can understand and justify whether you like them or not. You don't only feel pity for the 'pitiful' characters but also, and perhaps even more strongly, for the characters that brought those 'pitiful' characters into their horrible position. It gives you the alternative view of the story and makes you realize that an objectively bad action isn't actually that wrong, since it's all about the perspective and whose shoes you're in. b) The immesnsely sensitive and emotional writing in this just absolutely broke me. So so beautiful. The author managed to convey the feelings of incomparable love and affection a great parent has for their child in even the most crazy details. I don't know what it's like reading this book if you're a parent but as a 17 year-old with no maternal instincts whatsoever ringing me a bell and without even the slightest of longing for having a kid in the near of further future I'm telling you that this book crashed me and touched my heart in a way literally descriptions haven't before (I've probably said this for other books before but this time I mean really different, not harder, but hella different). So yeah, just imagine, what a great writing it takes to be able to transfer such strong emotions to the reader! That plus the gorgeous quotes reflecting on life, death and time and Tom's memories and thoughts of the war just made this such a crying-my-eyes-out, beautifully heartbreaking, soul crashing reading experience of tears and pain and admiration.