Item: All the Bright Places
Rating: 5.00
Author: kozbisa

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

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.

All the Bright Places

by Jennifer Niven

Reviewed by Sam@WLABB on Mar 27, 2016

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