Simple and Direct
If you're thirteen-years-old and someone you know has just died, you don't need poetry; you need a book that speaks your language. Geithner's a therapist, and she knows how kids really talk. If Only isn't the next Great American Novel—it's a Great American Guidebook. The subject matter is difficult, but the writing isn't.
Let's Do Lunch
Here's an example of Geithner's style:
"Hey, Corinna," Joci says cheerfully. "How ya doin'?"
"Hi, Joss. Hi guys."
"Hey, Corinna," Eliana chimes in. "So...what'd you bring for lunch?" Eliana asks with a big smile. (3.40-42)
The conversation isn't complicated, and it isn't poetic. That's okay—Geithner's going for conversational and relatable, rather than beautiful and profound. Not every story has to sound like Shakespeare in order to pull readers into the experiences it expresses.