Decoding the hidden meanings in Laura Nowlin's "If He Had Been With Me" - deeper analysis needed?

Finally got through diving into "if he had been with me explained He Had Been With Me" by Laura Nowlin for my personal reading challenge and honestly the literary devices in this coming of age novel are absolutely fascinating - the seasonal symbolism throughout the book beautifully parallels Autumn's personal growth from naivety to understanding, and don't even get me going about the princess metaphor which symbolizes her lost childhood - has anyone else noticed how Nowlin uses these recurring symbols to explore concepts like missed opportunities, first love, and the tragic inevitability that looms over the entire plot - this novel definitely deserves a deep dive analysis because there's way more depth hidden in the subtext than casual fans first notice.