I'll Give You the Sun

by Jandy Nelson

[Sam@WLABB]

First things first -- the description blurb for this book, does it no justice.

Noah and Jude had a connection...since conception. They are twins, who were so different, but understood each other, the spoken and the unspoken. A tragedy occurs which drives a wedge between them, or rather, intensifies the schism that had been developing. They each are keeping secrets and covering up with lies to protect each other, to protect themselves.

This is the story of NoahAndJude, and Noah and Jude. It is told from alternating perspectives, and more interestingly, different ages. Noah tells more of the "before" story. How their relationship was changing before their world was shredded. Jude tells the story from two years "after", where we find out about the fall-out and the resolution.

This book was a beautiful study of love -- love for your siblings, for a man, for a woman, for a grandmother, for a son, for a daughter, for a lover. There are so many different relationships explored, but interestingly enough, the are all interconnected. I loved reading a Noah chapter and then figuring out how it connected to the Jude chapter. It was a delight to put the pieces together. And I shed tears, I cannot lie, I shed tears. I felt sad, mad, happy, disappointed. I caught myself laughing out loud, sighing and even gasping. I found myself highlighting many passages just because the words were put together so beautifully.

I loved it!