Title: All the Bright Places
Author: Jennifer Niven
Series: None
Publisher: Knopf
Publication Date: January 6, 2015
Genre: Realistic Fiction; Contemporary; Romance; Fiction; Young Adult
Pages: 388
The Fault in Our Stars meets Eleanor and Park in this
exhilarating and heart-wrenching love story about a girl who learns to live
from a boy who intends to die.
Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.
Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.
When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.
This is an intense, gripping novel perfect for fans of Jay Asher, Rainbow Rowell, John Green, Gayle Forman, and Jenny Downham from a talented new voice in YA, Jennifer Niven.
Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.
Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.
When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.
This is an intense, gripping novel perfect for fans of Jay Asher, Rainbow Rowell, John Green, Gayle Forman, and Jenny Downham from a talented new voice in YA, Jennifer Niven.
This book was like a vanilla ice cream cone on a hot summer day, soft and melting on the edges, sticky as it runs down your hand and in between your fingers. It was sweet, soft, blissful, and mesmerizing, and I am so glad I indulged.
Written based on Niven’s own memories and experiences, this book tells the tragic and beautiful love story of Theodore Finch and Violet Markey. Finch is savoring the days he stays awake and not in the Sleep, and Violet is counting down the days until graduation, aka freedom. After her sister’s death, Violet is the walking definition of “extenuating circumstances.” Nine months after Eleanor’s death, Violet still can’t write, can’t think, can’t allow herself to be happy. It’s only the day she finds herself on the bell tower, precariously balancing between death and life, that she meets Theodore Finch. Charming, hilarious, weird Finch who just happened to be on the bell tower that same day. With Finch’s help, Violet may be able to move past her beloved sister’s death and allow herself to love again, but it doesn’t take long to discover Finch has his own struggles. Can Violet save Finch the way he saved her?
I wish that publishers would stop equating books with other books. When I see a book that depends on the amazing work of other books to help sell copies, I translate that to the book being too weak to stand on its own, or the publisher/author not being confident enough the book’s value. I cannot tell you how many times I have read a promised Fault in Our Stars and Eleanor and Park (both of which I adore) mutant hybrid and been severely disappointed with the end result. In this case, I was not at all disappointed with Niven’s work, but the publisher just doesn’t seem to get that this book is strong enough to be advertised by itself, no help from past masterpieces needed.
I’m not going to lie; this book destroyed my emotions and left me feeling empty and useless for several days. I was deeply attached to this book (for good reasons), and I never wanted it to end (mostly because I could kind of guess how it was going to end and I really did not want to be subject to that kind of emotional turmoil). I thought it was incredibly brave of Niven to share such a personal story with the YA world, and I am so glad she did. Through her experiences, I have learned so much about loving and surviving. Her words and characters were pure gold, and consequently, her book is a priceless treasure. Everyone should read All the Bright Places, not because it had amazing characters, or an awesome plot line, or a stunning story (even though all of the above it true) but because this book has something really important to say that people should hear.
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