All the Bright Places

by Jennifer Niven

Now a major Netflix film starring Elle Fanning and Justice Smith.

A compelling and beautiful story about a girl who learns to live from a boy who's drawn to death.

Theodore Finch tries to look for good things in the world, even if sometimes he doesn't always find them.

Violet Markey exists for the future, counting the days until she can escape her Indiana town and its painful memories of her sister.

When they meet on the ledge of a tower, what might have been their end turns into their beginning.

It's only with Violet that Finch can truly be himself - a funny guy who actually wants to experience the joy in life.

And when Violet's with Finch, she forgets to wish away the days and starts to live them.

But as Violet's world grows, Finch's begins to shrink. He's trying to cling on to his bright places, but will it be enough this time?

'If you're looking for the next The Fault in Our Stars, this is it' Guardian

'This book is amazing - I couldn't put it down' Zoe Sugg aka Zoella

'A searingly honest and heartbreakingly poignant tale about the power and beauty of love' Heat

'Sparkling' Entertainment Weekly

• ISBN10: 0141357037
• ISBN13: 9780141357034
• Publish Date: 8 January 2015 (first published 1 January 2015)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Penguin Books Ltd
• Format: Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
• Pages: 432
• Language: English

Reviews

[meowstina]

I received an advanced reader’s copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

Okay guys, listen up. We’re barely into 2015 and I have to tell you, it’s going to be hard to beat this book for favourite of the year. Heck, I read this in 2014 and I already knew it was one of my favourites not only for the year, but just in general. This is a doozy of a book, so take a deep breathe and delve in. I definitely don’t want to overhype it because that never turns out well, so go in with little expectation (but seriously though, this book. This. Book.). 

My friend read this book and has amazing things to say about it, so I was scared the book wouldn’t live up to the rave review. From the first few pages though, I was in. The writing is great. The character’s voices and personalities and developments are fantastic. These are the things that make me love a book, and they are all so strong in this novel. I was so charmed by and fell in love with Finch. He’s so clever and amusing…but it’s also apparent that he is deeply troubled. While he waxes poetic about living life fully to Violet, he also thinks about suicide a lot. I think this book addresses mental illness and suicide pretty well, especially the fact that there’s such a stigma surrounding them. I didn’t click with Violet quite as much, though. It’s like there’s some invisible force in the way, because she’s an okay character and has her own inner demons and hopes, but I just felt a little distanced most of the time. 

While there are some (semi-spoilery) aspects of the plot I’m not in love with, I still come away really liking the book. The characters and voice make this a very compelling novel for me. They make the story interesting to read, even if the events in the story aren’t always amazing.

This book will simultaneously punch you in the heart and make you smile. It is great, and I hope you like it just as much as I do.

[moraa]

March 2017: 4.5 stars
Heartfelt and touching.
Very real.
A must-read for everyone struggling with/trying to understand mental illnesses.

Novemebr 2019: 5 stars
I pushed myself to reread this book because I knew I loved it but it had been a while since I'd read it. And I'm glad I did. I've never read a book that speaks more to who I am and the struggles I have undergone. I have never read a book that is so universally applicable before.
Suicide does not discriminate based on age, gender, orientation, class, religion, political beliefs etc.
Mental illnesses can affect ANYONE. No one is above it. I love this book, and I suspect a part of me always will.

CONTENT WARNINGS: suicide, suicidal tendencies, suicidal ideation.

[readingwithwrin]

That was heartbreaking.

[Laurie]

4.5 stars in fact. But it’s closer to 5. It’s just not really the 5. And it has everything to do with the start of the book. I found it hard to follow Finch and understand him, while violet on the other hand, was clear to follow. However, when I got to the middle of the book, everything clicked and it was very hard to put it down. Trust me, it’s getting intense and if you cry whilst reading, I recommend you to have loads of tissues ready.

[lauriesbookshelf]

4.5 stars in fact. But it’s closer to 5. It’s just not really the 5. And it has everything to do with the start of the book. I found it hard to follow Finch and understand him, while violet on the other hand, was clear to follow. However, when I got to the middle of the book, everything clicked and it was very hard to put it down. Trust me, it’s getting intense and if you cry whilst reading, I recommend you to have loads of tissues ready.

[liz089]

Damn.. I cried so hard at the ending :( such a beautiful story

[Sam@WLABB]

Wow! This was tough, but beautiful.

"I was alive. I burned brightly."

It is always difficult to read stories, which are not all sunshine and roses. They are especially difficult to read, when they hit close to home. But, this book made me think, and think hard about the issues presented: absent parents, mental illness, suicide. It's a great work that provokes such emotions and feelings and creates a dialogue.

I commend Niven on her ability to convey Theo's mind. Even before the phrase was uttered, I knew he was bipolar. I could totally sense the mania in his chapters. She also created a beautiful soul. There was so much more to Theo then his illness, and Niven did a wonderful job of conveying that we are more than our illness. I think Theo would appreciate this.

"The thing I realize is that it's not what your take, it's what you leave."

To quote Violet and Theo, this book was painfully "lovely". In a deja vu moment, the first 70-ish% of this book was so enjoyable as we "wandered" with Theo and Violet (just like TiFOS was). The last 5% was very poignant, and I appreciate the effort Jennifer Niven made to leave us with that.

[reveriesociety_]

All the Bright Places was a unique story! From the beginning I was hooked because of the main characters. Both Theodore and Violet won my heart many times over. It was awesome seeing how their relationship developed and, even more how Theodore, who now I'll refer just as Finch, interacted with the rest of the world.

It's awesome because when I read the blurb and learned that this kicked off with two people wanted to die, I got this feeling that it'd be a very sad and depressing book, although with the expectation of it being beautiful nonetheless. And it was sad, but the characters were not that depressing at all! They were normal people who just... had a lot of issues and that I enjoyed being with.

Especially Finch, because he had just this very particular way about him that was very original.

"Man, why do you do that?"
"Because we all have to die someday. I just want to be prepared"

I like the way he seems to think I have many, many people depending on me, including not just one, but multiple girlfriends.

Even though I'm not much into eating, dinner is one of the most enjoyable parts of my day because I get to turn my brain off.

And, I would go on, and on with the quotes but these ones will do. I loved his character so much, and also hated it, but that's another matter entirely.

My favorite thing about this book was how everybody in it was portrayed as flawed. No one was perfect, even the ones who appeared to be so.

Definitely recommended for everyone. But just a heads-up: READ A SUPER HAPPY FLUFFY BOOK BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER THIS THING.

Just sayin'

[whisperingchapters]

I related so much to Finch... Review / Discussion to come.

[inlibrisveritas]

All the Bright Places is a book I was extremely excited for. It deals with a subject I live on a daily basis, depression. I bought this a week after it came out…and I just finished it almost at the end of April. Why did it take me so long? Fear. About half way through the book I started to realize that this was getting way too real and I had to keep stepping away from it every couple of chapters. But I am glad I finished it, I’m glad I bought it, and I’m glad all of those moments I had to take time to breathe deeply happened.

As I sit here trying to write this review I realize I have so much to say about this book…and yet I don’t have the words to express it properly. I don’t want to reveal too much of the plot and risk ruining it for you, and that limits me to what I can put. I will say this though, when it comes to depression this book gets it right. The feelings that Finch describes, the way he puts it into words…Mental illness is such a solitary thing. There are millions out that suffer that weight and yet you feel like the only one, so to have it right there in book form, written in a way you understand and isn’t some mock up stereotype, it’s both liberating and crushing all at the same time. I think that aspect of the story is incredibly well done and handled in a real and respectful way. In fact I feel that the entire book did a good job at being as rooted in reality as possible. We get to see the typical teen existence in high school with the cliques, bullying, ostracizing, and pressure. We even get a respectful inclusion of sex.

As sad as I’ve now made the book sound (sorry) it is actually an incredibly hopeful story, full of chapters that made me want to get out and wander. It inspires me to go see places that I’ve never heard of simply because I can. Violet starts the story in the same way Finch does, on a ledge of the bell tower, and their stories remain entangled with each other till the end. Violet is struggling to live under the weight of her sister’s death, and Finch becomes her bright spot and she becomes his. I loved the way Finch supports Violet and gets her to move forward, I love their moments together and how utterly optimistic they could be, those parts of the story made my heart sing.

I do realize that this review is probably one of the worst I’ve ever written. It’s scattered and forced, and could do with some focus…but honestly I just don’t know to put into words my love of All the Bright Places. The portrayals of depression and bipolar disorder are incredibly relatable, and written in a way that I think could very well impart some understanding and empathy to those without mental illness. As I said before this book deals with the stigmas that come with being ‘different’ and I think that YA books like this will be one of the tools to help break those stigmas a part.

I’m leaving this book with a full 5 stars for it’s beautiful story and for being a real conversation starter.