This might not be the most objective review of a book I've done so far..., as I appreciate Calahan very much as a person, actor and of course as a writer. But here we go... 😅 I know some of his poetry and know his style of writing, which I adore. So, I highly anticipated this book to see what he came up with. And I didn't get disappointed. (Which definitely was a fear of mine that I'd might not like it..) The style of writing is extraordinary, incredibly beautiful and deep on so many levels. The way he uses words and creates such vivid images is very special. It lets you easily dive right into the situation and scenery and you dive deep into the thoughts of the main character, Cash. That style is often very poetic, raw and beautiful. This might not be the style for everyone... but I was a sucker for it. I "binged" this book over one weekend, and I hardly could put I down. The story of Cash's life and the people of Johnston that come and go into his life is heartwarming but also heartbreaking. I'm not gonna lie when I say that this is after "A little Life" by Hanya Yanagihara, the second book where I cried the most while reading it. Often, because it was sad, but also because it was so beautiful. I also loved the stories of the side characters and their point of view about their small American hometown Johnston and why all these different characters stick to this place. I listened simultaneously to the Audibook (read by Calahan himself) while reading... and it made this way more emotional. There is so much in there.. so many beautiful sentences and thoughts... I'll definitely read this book again very soon just to let this all sink in and process it. This is by far my read of the year. And I'd give it probably 10 stars if I could. 🌹💙