James Baldwin's tragic love story from the perspective of a closeted gay (or, arguably, bisexual) man makes for a very interesting and introspective reflection on the nature of identity politics and masculinity in the 1950s. The prose was beautifully written with very detailed emphasis on the characters' emotions and struggle. The characters were all very complex and three-dimensional with a lot of nuance. The story was told with an interesting back-and-forth between the past and the present that always felt appropriate. All of this combined with the major themes of the novel makes for a deep and complex reading experience despite its short length.