All the Bright Places: The intense, gripping YA romance from the bestselling author

Wow. Wow. WOW. I mean it. Wow. It's been a while since I read this. I fell behind on my reviews, and so even though I read this back in January, I'm only just getting around to writing the review. I'm glad that I had time to reflect on this book, though. Because sometimes my initial reactions to a book, don't hold up, and when I look back at a review, I think maybe I was a little too gushing over it, or a little too harsh. However, time has passed, and I've been thinking about what to say in this review and the word that pops into my head when I think of this book, is wow. Beautiful. Emotional. Engaging. Engrossing. Stunning. Breathtaking. All of those words are also ideal to describe this book. If you've read some of my reviews before, then you'll know that I tend to love books that have the ability to make me laugh and cry. I love the books that grab me and pull me in, and have a lot of emotions written into them. For a long time, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green has been my favorite book, and when I read Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson, I told my sister, as a way of describing what I thought of it, that it was on par with The Fault in Our Stars. When I finished this book and she asked me what I thought, I said, this book just beat The Fault in Our Stars. From start to finish this book was a page turner. It had me holding my breath, sitting on the edge of my seat. Crying until I had to stop reading because I couldn't see the page. It made me smile and laugh, and want more. It made me want to read it again the moment I put it down. The story is beautifully and emotionally written. The characters pull you into their world because they feel so real. The pacing was spot on. There wasn't one scene that I felt was slow, or uninteresting. Everything had its place and everything fit perfectly with everything else. If you haven't read this book yet, I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Jenifer Niven’s 'All the Bright Places' starts off with its two main characters meeting, by chance, at the top of the bell tower of their school, from which each was contemplating jumping. They don’t, and that’s the mainspring of the story. Niven tells it powerfully, through the voice of each of the two in turn, not always in strict alternation, but always one or the other taking the narrative on or commenting on the same events from another point of view. They frequently use the present tense, giving the events they describe a powerful immediacy. It’s a tribute to Niven’s skill that she was able to create two distinct and believable voices in this way, and let them interplay so effectively. The first voice we hear is that of Theodore Finch, known as Finch, but by the many who dislike him in his high school as Theodore the Freak. There is a hint of why he’s viewed as freaky when he tells us ‘I don’t remember climbing up here. In fact, I don’t remember much of anything before Sunday, at least not anything so far this winter. This happens every time – the blanking out, the waking up… I can’t tell you what was different this time around, only that when I woke up, I felt deader than usual. Awake, yeah, but completely empty, like someone had been feasting on my blood.” Finding out just what he means by being asleep or awake is the main discovery we make about Finch as we work our way through the book. Violet Markey, on the other hand, is popular with everyone. She had, indeed, been a cheerleader until her life was blighted by a single, stark, shocking event for which she blames herself and with which she can’t come to terms. It is her pain that drives her, too, up to the top of the bell tower where she will find Finch, starting the relationship in which they learn so much about and from each other. At first, I was concerned about what kind of book I was going to read, not least because it was recommended to me by my thirteen-year old granddaughter. I wasn’t sure we had the same taste. Was this merely another of those cookie-cutter high-school kid stories? Young people at the end of their school days coming to terms with the urges that overtake adolescents, with the responsibilities of entering the adult world, with the hopes and disappointments around them? Were we going to get lots about makeup and baseball and love and sex in long conversations in coffee shops? But 'All the Bright Places' only shares its background with those boilerplate tales. It is something far deeper and far more compelling: an account of two young people trying to deal, in completely different ways, with two different types of suffering; of their finding joy and hope and disappointment and despair; of handling them with humour and wit and insight. It’s an immensely funny, deeply poignant and strongly inspiring book which tells us a great deal about much we need to understand, while both entertaining and moving us as it does so. Above all, it’s well worth reading. My granddaughter was right.

Violet Markey contemplates throwing herself off the bell tower of her school. Theodore Finch, himself about to do the same, talks her down and they continue with their lives. This chance encounter develops into a dynamic friendship with Finch, based on his insistence that they work together on a school project to profile some of Indiana’s lesser-known sights. So far, so John Green. But the main hook of this story is the character of Finch. Through swapping narratives, Finch and Violet, we see that Finch is a troubled soul, and one that is always looking for more, for the next thrill, or a meaning to life. He is well-read and can seemingly change his personality or manner depending on the people or his mood. Mostly he just doesn’t care, playing up to the ‘freak’ tag at school, which seems to matter more to other people than Finch himself. Violet herself has become a little lost since the tragic death of a family member, and is on the countdown to leaving school and the state and going to college as far away as possible. Finch provides some inspiration and motivation to the girl that thought of throwing herself off the bell tower. For a book with this title, All the Bright Places is incredibly dark at times, Finch’s facts about suicide a constant feature of his narrative. The author’s main objective in writing this book, apart from writing a compelling story, was to talk about the stigma of suicide, which is close to her life, and how it affects not only the people who die or have suicidal thoughts, but also the families. Both Violet and Finch’s families are to the fore here, explaining a lot of their contrasting outlooks on life. All the Bright Places is a great read, and one that stays with you for a long time after.

Where, oh where, do I begin with this beautifully written, think-about-it-for-days novel? I won't cover the plot, nor will I go into much detail. It's not necessary. What I can tell you, as someone who sometimes enjoys a light YA read (at 29yrs old), has a long and continued history with mental health problems and who - much to my regret - rarely find books which pull me in and take me down with them, this one took me by surprise and ended up drawing me into a world which felt familiar and yet so wonderfully created to seem new. The novel covers mental health, that much is obvious, and the intricacies some sufferers find themselves tangled within; it offers to the reader two young people with very different lives who connect and create a deep (and beautifully cultured by Ms. Niven) bond through difficult and sometimes dark circumstances, likeable characters who I came to love deeply by the end (particularly Finch, whom I could identify with on almost every level); it also brings a sense of hope amidst all of the gritty, complicated corners, even when you don't expect it to. I was charmed, to the point where I bought it yesterday, finished it last night and am going to read it again after I finish this review. What can I say? Ms. Niven's easy, flowing prose and the exquisite twisting of this story have me sold entirely. Take a risk if you're looking for an easy read with a lot of bite. Go into it with no expectations, and come out of it wishing for so much more, in so many ways. A final word: take care reading if you've experienced bereavement of a close family member, mental health issues or suicide ideation. It can cut a little close to the bone at times, even for a YA novel.

I never ever ever usually review anything on here - i just make my purchases and never think twice. But honestly now i feel that this book has left me in such a speechless and awed state that i need to tell everyone to go buy it immediately. Firstly, i am crying right now. As in sobbing. As in a wet face from a mixture of tears and snot because of this book and i have been that way for a good 40 minutes. But thats okay because everyone needs to get a cry out every oncein a while and honestly im not sure whether they're happy or sad tears - happy for having gotten to know the characters or devastated at what happened to them? Yes this all seems very melodramatic but this is what this book has done to me and i beg you to let it do it to you too. I found myself rooting for Violet Markey and Theodore Finch from the get-go, mostly because of Niven's charming writing style that makes you fall in love with her characters. There were so many twists and turns and the parallels between the two teenagers lives is intriguing to read. This book has honestly changed my perception of the world and i think Finch's song for Ultraviolet is one of the most beautiful and devastating pieces of literature i've read. Its one of the best books i've read in a long time and i implore anyone whose into romantic YA novels to get on this one imediately.

This is one of those books that changed me. That made me feel a million things, and will stick with me for a long time. I recommend it to everyone. Every person I hear talking about book clubs (not joking, even strangers on the street) I say they should read this book. It is that good. It is that thought-provoking. I love that the novel shows both his and her point of views, allowing the reader to see each of their inner turmoils and really show the deep inner battles they struggle with at a much deeper level. Plus, Finch is hilarious and utterly lovable. I really appreciate how the author made a completely original novel that talks about tough subjects like bullying, mental illness and grieving, but was able to throw in plenty of hilarious moments so you aren't drowning in tears completely. I appreciate the author's message to truly LIVE, and to help others who might not be asking for it. This novel is brilliant. The writing style was genius. It was so funny while being so tragic. READ THIS BOOK.

Much like Eleanor & Park, All The Bright Places is surrounded by a world of hype, people who read it, then re-read it religiously, people who think this is the best teen fiction book around. Theodore Finch constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him. That 'something good' is Violet Markey. Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, crossing off each day on her calendar. Graduation is the day when she can escape her numbing grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death. When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, their worlds collide. It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself, not the 'freak' that the rest of the school has labelled him. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can start to move past her sister's death and to start living the days that she so eagerly wanted to wish away. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink. For me, this book is over-rated but that doesn't mean that I hated it, I just don't understand the hype. Through the characters of Violet and Finch, debut author Jennifer Niven explores the world of mental-illness; in particular depression. It's hard for authors of the young adult genre to fully portray the world of mental illnesses; Holly Bourne did it perfectly in Am I Normal Yet? but Niven somehow gets it to begin with and then loses her grip halfway through. The description throughout the book of the characters however, is brilliant. Niven portrays Finch's mood swings and personality changes incredibly and conveys beautifully his love for Violet. Niven's portrayal of Violet is also magnificent but sometimes gets lost in the descriptions of Finch. There was so much more description of Finch's dark place than Violet's and I felt as if this was a shame because Violet's voice needed to be heard as much as Finch's. “I do my best thinking at night when everyone else is sleeping. No interruptions. No noise. I like the feeling of being awake when no one else is." - Jennifer Niven, All The Bright Places Secondary characters such as Amanda Monk, Finch's Dad and Violet's parents could have had the spotlight shined on them a bit more too. Amanda's character goes through a massive plot twist that I felt was completely overlooked bar a few sentences, Finch's Dad was one of the causes of Finch's depression and we only got a slither of a look as to why and Violet's parents just seemed two-dimensional. They had no idea what was going on throughout the entirety of the book. What I liked about the romance was that it wasn't sexual, it was very endearing and romantic. The sexual moments of the relationship were suggested but not described and this worked very well since the one of the focusses of the book was how two people suffering can come together and help each other out. People all over the internet are saying that if you love John Green, you will love this book. No. All The Bright Places is it's own book and where it shares similarities to The Fault in our Stars, it also differs in the sense that I didn't find it as captivating; The Fault in our Stars made me fall in love with the characters, All The Bright Places didn't. All The Bright Places was as stop-start read for me as I didn't find myself as invested in the characters as I would have liked to be. When major occurrences happened in this novel, I didn't find myself caring, I just turned the page like my life in that moment hadn't been changed (no guys, I am not cold-hearted; I have cried and laughed at many many books). I wanted to feel happy for the characters and at times, I wanted to cry for them but I just couldn't because I hadn't made that connection with them. This is an okay book but I felt like certain things got lost in the sea of the portrayal of mental illness. It's nice to see more and more authors try and write about depression, OCD, eating disorders etc., but there's a certain way to do it. I wasn't captivated and it seemed too similar to John Green's: The Fault in our Stars and Paper Towns and also Jay Asher's: Thirteen Reasons Why. I would recommend this book, purely because the 'wanderings' that Finch and Violet go on are fascinating and the romance between the two characters is magical, but I think it will be a long time before I read this book again. thebibliophilegirluk.blogspot.com

I've just finished this book, and right now, I can't think of words to say how much this book touched me personally, but I'll try. This book was powerful to me, and it hit me much like Me Before You did when I read it. It's different. It's not flowery. It hits you deep, deep in a place that you thought you'd never be able to feel before. Mental illness is not an easy subject to talk about. There is so much labelling and stigma towards mental health, and it's about time that changes. This book isn't an easy read, it gets more intense throughout, but it doesn't overshadow the message that it tries to send: You are not alone. Some people may find this book hard to read, but it's a book that I'll hold in my heart for a very long time. It has a powerful message that everybody should read, and I'm so glad I read this book, I don't know why it took me so long. If I could more than five stars, I simply would, without hesitation. This novel is powerful, bittersweet and heartbreakingly beautiful. It's a book not be underestimated.

Omslaget till boken kom trasigt, som om någon klippt i det högst upp

My book came damaged and had a big rip from The side

PLOT The plot was not the most unique plots that have ever amused the people on Earth but still it connected. It connected to the level I can’t possibly explain. I know it has something to do with my brain and the hormones it produced when I read this book but believe me they were good hormones. Two people accidently meet on the top of the Bell Tower, both trying to attempt suicide. Both of them don’t and then pair up for a school project which required the students to go to the major attractions of the town and note whatever they saw. The book survived only on this story and as I ‘m typing this I realize that this is the simplest plot I’ve heard of. Two people meet for a project and they fall in love. There was a single and tiny thing that I wanted to point out. ~THE TEXT IN RED IS A SPOILER TO THE BOOK ~ I didn’t like that in the end the author lets suicide win. It meant that anyone should end their life and just gain that peace that they’ve been searching for. It’s just a little thing that made me think about. ~ END OF SPOILERS ~ CHARACTERS Theodore Finch is one of the most complex characters in the fictional world. He does what he thinks is right and most of the time it isn’t close to right but his intentions are right, just the way he does what he does is a bit too loud, I guess. He is sure intelligent and knows what to do. (I’m talking about the book’s last part. The ones who have red this know what I mean!) Violet Markey is a girl who is still in the stage of grieving after 9 months of her sister’s death. She tries to commit suicide, unsure of really how to do it. She is talked through it by Finch and it saves her. She is a writer but she left writing anything after her sister’s death but after she meets Finch she starts writing again. I love the fact that they both complement each other and inspire each other to do something good. WRITING STYLE The writing style is so smooth that I never thought about it after the books starts; and it’s a good sign. A good writer’s story is the one you flow by reading and don’t really concentrate while reading. I read the book in almost 5-6 hours and that’s when I couldn’t stop myself. I wanted to know the end of the book and I wasn’t going to sleep and waste time so instead I stayed up late and read the whole book! And it was a blessing that all of the people in my house were sleeping and I was the one only awake because what came next couldn’t be seen by anyone. I ugly cried. Yes, I did. And you will too; unless you a) you have a heart of rock, or b) your tear glands don’t work. MY REVIEW This is one of the best books I’ve read in this year and I’m glad I picked though it being a contemporary novel (I don’t usually read those, but I’m GLAD I read this) YOU’LL LIKE IT IF:- You like contemporary reads. You like a short, sweet and romantic book You are okay of the fact that this book’s main plot contains suicide You are okay with the fact that you’d be ending your read with ugly crying You are okay with the fact that you probably have to read this book in some little corner of your room where nobody visits but you YOU’LL NOT LIKE IT IF:- You are not okay of the fact that this book’s main plot contains suicide You don’t like short and sweet books, you need something deep and thoughtful like a sci-fi read maybe. You are not okay with the fact that you’d be ending your read with ugly crying You are not okay knowing that you have to sit in privacy I give it 4.5/5 stars just because of that small problem.

It is very rare for a book to make me cry, but this one brought me to tears. It is a devastatingly beautiful story about two teenagers who suffer from depression who find each other and fall in love. As Violet and Finch fell in love with each other, I came to love the both of them, as I'm sure you will too. They are such real characters that you can't help but care about. They feel so real and alive on the page, and their story becomes your story as well. All The Bright Places is not a book to read if you want something happy. It is educational and hopeful and powerful, but it is also incredibly heart-breaking. Violet and Finch will stay with you long after you finish the book, and you will feel the loss. I am both grateful and regretful that I read this book. On one hand, it is an amazing story. On the other hand, I feel like I just lost a friend. Jennifer Niven is an incredibly talented author and I hope she pursues more YA books in the future. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning more on depression and mental disabilities, or anyone who is suicidal and/or has lost someone to suicide.

Não tenho o costume de ler YA, então não sabia muito o que esperar desse livro. Comprei porque li a sinopse e me interessei. Acabei me surpreendendo muito com a escrita e o rumo da história. Gostei tanto que comprei a versão em inglês também. Acho que tem alguns problemas com o desenvolvimento de alguns personagens, até mesmo da Violet, que só passei a gostar do meio pro fim da história. Mas no geral, me emocionei e me identifiquei com o livro. Acho que por ser baseado na vida da autora, ela conseguiu ser bem realista ao tratar dos temas abordados no livro. Trigger warning: se você for sensível às temáticas de morte e suicídio, não leia essa livro, pois fala-se disso o tempo todo. Ps.: não percam tempo assistindo ao filme, é muito inferior ao livro.