All the Bright Places

by Jennifer Niven

[Nicole Lynn]

That moment a book changes you. This is that moment. This is one of those books.
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*UPDATED: Finally posting the review from my blog :)*

This review was previously posted on my blog, PopCrunchBoom Books


My Review:


All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven is the first book that I’ve read this year. I had a slower start to reading it and not because of the content, but just because of timing. I stayed up past 1 AM on Friday morning to finish it, because I was riveted to Violet and Finch’s story. From page one these characters crawled under my skin and found their resting place within my soul. They are now a part of me.

Upon completion, emotions were everywhere, but a single thought ran across my mind: I’ve been changed. This book changed me and where it might not change everyone, it will make you feel. I laughed with Violet and Finch, fell in love, experienced heartbreak, cried and found hope and healing. That is the power of Niven and her story. If you read only one book this year, make it this one. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this book as an ebook from NetGalley (thanks by the way!!) in exchange for an honest review. Before the novel began, there was a note from the publisher stating “You will not want to leave the extraordinary Violet and Finch behind, and you will certainly never forget them. Not possible you say? We defy you to try” (Wortche). That quote rings true for me, for I will not forget these characters, their story and my experience with All the Bright Places.

I’m grateful to Niven for writing this; sharing a part of herself and her personal experiences. It is scary branching out into a new genre, as All the Bright Places was Niven’s first YA novel. It takes even more courage to take on a novel a somewhat controversial topic, like depression. Niven does a wonderful job of doing both in her debut novel. She brings insight into living with depression, but even more she shows us the beauty of life and emotions, survival and strength and most of all hope and healing.

I was on a roller coaster of emotions in this novel. But while there were sad times, I was mostly smiling and laughing and wanting to do some wanderings of my own. I actually really wanted to visit Indiana by the end (especially when I found out some of those places were real!). It goes without saying that Niven created strong characters, but her plot wasn’t lacking either. Told through alternating first person point of views, All the Bright Places never once made me feel disconnected from the story or bored. Not every scene was action-packed or filled with heavy emotion, but I was riveted all the same. Niven’s writing was poetic, but also real. Through this novel she seemed a true master of her craft.

I encourage you to read this novel if you have time. I cannot assume that everyone will love it the way I did and I know that not everyone will be as impacted as I was by Violet and Finch and their story. However I do hope that everyone who reads it takes away something from it. All the Bright Places is worth the read. It was a hell of a novel to start 2015 off with and it will take a lot for a book to surpass it as my favorite of this year. I hope you get a chance to pick it up and read it soon!