All the Bright Placesby: Jennifer Niven
Publication Date: Jan. 6, 2015
Publisher: Knopf
Genre: Contemporary
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: Borrowed from Library
Page Count: 388 pages
Order Links: Amazon
| B&NMy Rating: 3 stars? I don't even freaking know.
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.
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.
"What if life could be this way? Only the happy parts, none of the terrible, not even the mildly unpleasant. What if we could just cut out the bad and keep the good? This is what I want to do with Violet- give her only the good, keep away the bad, so that good is all we ever have around us."
I honestly don't know where to begin this review and I was really hesitant to even write one. It is a beautifully written book and I really enjoyed it for the most part. I knew going in it would have sensitive subject matter and I even read the ending prior to starting. So, one would think I was prepared. Uh, NO. I was not prepared and now I am NOT okay either. Upon finishing this one, I felt so many emotions: heartbreak, grief, anger, and loss. So, so much loss. For Violet, for Finch, for their friends and families, and for myself.
Violet and Finch do not have the most conventional meeting. The novel opens with both of them atop the bell tower at school, contemplating putting an end to their lives. Fate brings them together and I could see the makings of a great love story coming out of this one. Finch is labeled as a freak, has very few friends, and has quite the existential outlook. Violet is the extreme opposite. However, Finch works his way into her life with his quirky humor and his unwillingness to let her go on as if the incident at the bell tower never happened. The two partner up on a geography project and I absolutely loved the idea of it. Discovering the natural wonders of the state, as well as a deeper meaning to life and existence all while spending time with someone you never thought you would. EPIC. Violet is a broken shell of a girl at the beginning of this book and we get to see her really come alive and it's pretty much due to Finch's influence.
I liked Finch a lot. He is funny and witty and I just adored his interactions with Violet. We are kept in the dark for most of the book as to what's going on with him and when it all comes to light, I wanted to throw things. But most of all, I wanted to throttle his parents for being the way they were.
Violet was a bit hard to like at first. She just didn't have a lot of depth and part of that is due to her grief. However, watching her open herself up to Finch and let herself start to feel again was what really made her character better for me. I ended up really loving her in the end.
Even with the way the two main characters meet, I didn't feel this oppressive, overwhelming feeling. For a good portion of the book, it was hopeful and optimistic and I loved watching Violet fall for Finch. The book grew darker and as I read, I got that suffocating feeling and I started reading with trepidation. I felt the book tried to end on a hopeful note, but I couldn't get past the darkness to bring myself to that point.
I can appreciate this book for the beauty that it offers and I understand the message the author was trying to convey to her readers. My heart just couldn't take it and I am incredibly saddened by that fact.
