Thank you so much; I think your review just made my week. :) And don't worry about sounding like a pretentious English teacher, I prefer that to comments that say nothing but "I liked it". Not to mention that my writing sounds like I'm a pretentious English student (which I am, damn it ;)).

I think "subtlety" is one of the greatest compliments anyone has ever paid me, and probably the result of years of working on my writing, which used to be like a sledgehammer a few years ago. ;) Glad you liked my Dieter; of all IB characters I think he's the one I write best (no, not only because he's my self-insert sometimes ;)). I'm also relieved to hear that the parallel worked out; when I first had the story idea I was afraid it would seem too forced and artificial.
Erm, yes, anyway. Thank you thank you thank you! :D