So close to four stars. Amazing portrayals of queer teens struggling to find themselves in a place where being anything even slightly different than what others expect you to be is dangerous. That feeling of impending violence and threat of death hangs over them and their families as they all struggle with the death of someone they realize they never fully knew. The only reason I'm rating it three stars is that, despite a few flourishes of language and symbolic meaning, I don't see myself wanting to read this again. I am glad I've read it though. Ch 16 alone almost added a star to the rating.