I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

I'll Give You the Sun

by Jandy Nelson

From the critically acclaimed author of The Sky Is Every­where, a radiant novel that will leave you laughing and crying – all at once. For fans of John Green, Gayle Forman and Lauren Oliver.

From the author of The Sky Is Every­where, a radiant novel that will leave you laughing and crying – all at once. For fans of John Green, Gayle Forman and Lauren Oliver. Jude and her twin Noah were incredibly close – until a tragedy drove them apart, and now they are barely speaking. Then Jude meets a cocky, broken, beautiful boy as well as a captivating new mentor, both of whom may just need her as much as she needs them. What the twins don't realize is that each of them has only half the story and if they can just find their way back to one another, they have a chance to remake their world.

Reviewed by Terri M. LeBlanc on

4 of 5 stars

Share
I’m pretty sure my heart’s still breaking months after finishing I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson. I’ll admit I was skeptical about this book. In general, I’m not a fan of young adult contemporary fiction. I’m many moons removed from being considered young adult so I often struggle to identify with the characters of this particular genre. However, I’ll Give You the Sun strikes an excellent balance between the modern day struggles of teens, their parents and a genuine romance I’m sure just about anyone can identify with.

The way the story was told—the past from Noah’s point of view and the present from Jude’s—gave the story depth and offered different ways of viewing the same story. As a reader, I was able to walk a mile in each twin’s shoes and feel their experiences. My heart ached for Jude and Noah as they dealt with a family tragedy and the evolution of their personal relationships. Since I, too, have experienced the same tragedy, I know how the family dynamic changes after such an event. Nelson accurately depicted that change in the pages of this novel.

Each love story in I’ll Give You the Sun felt real. The love of art. Sibling love. Newly found love. Old love. Forbidden love, I’m not sure how Nelson did it and even though I knew that not everyone could end up together in the end, I was hopeful that everyone would live happily ever after.

I’ll Give You the Sun provides a real contemporary look at love and relationships. It examines how individuals see the world and if we could stop for a moment to see and share the story together we might have a greater understanding of how we fit together and can make the world a better place.


This review was originally posted on Second Run Reviews

Last modified on

Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 22 September, 2016: Finished reading
  • 22 September, 2016: Reviewed