> being completely familiar with the tools used but completely unfamiliar with the codebase

here lies the problem.Someone familiar with a specific pattern may find it more elegant that someone who is not familiar with the said pattern/paradigm/framework. I'm found of OOP, show me a codebase with mountains of FP everywhere and I might not find it elegant. Elegance here is really in the eye of the beholder.

I do not find Flux elegant at all, personally.