Title: All the Bright Places

Author: Jennifer Niven

Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult

Publisher: Knopf

Format: Paperback

Pages: 378

*Warning: book discusses suicide. *

Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis:

The Fault in Our Stars meets Eleanor and Park in this exhilarating and heart-wrenching love story about a girl who learns to live from a boy who intends to die.

Soon to be a major motion picture starring Elle Fanning!
 
Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.

Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.

When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.

This is an intense, gripping novel perfect for fans of Jay Asher, Rainbow Rowell, John Green, Gayle Forman, and Jenny Downham from a talented new voice in YA, Jennifer Niven.

Review:

This is such an important book to read. It is written beautifully, and I felt such a great connection to the characters. It’s going to be hard to review this book without spoiling it, but I will do my best.
The book follows two main characters, Theodore Finch and Violet Markey. Finch is obsessed with death. He thinks of different ways he could die, and he is fascinated by ways famous people died. Finch is one of those characters you can’t help but feel compassion for. He’s such an awkward kid, but try’s his best to not let what others say affect him.
Violet is recovering from her sisters death in a car accident. She doesn’t know how to keep living her familiar life, so she just stops. She quits cheerleading and she starts getting passes on assignments due to “extenuating circumstances”. But then Finch saves her. He teaches her how to live life to the fullest, and Violet is there for Finch in a way no one else is.
While this is a romance novel, it’s not a lovey dovey one. They become what the other person needs at that time in their lives. The book also deals with serious issues surrounding mental illness and suicide, and I think it is an important book to read. It definitely opened my eyes about people’s different experiences, and I would highly recommend this book!

Happy Reading!