Book Review: All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Book Review:  All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

The librarian at my school received this ARC and loved it so she passed it on to our English department to read.  I immediately grabbed it from her and began reading.

Summary from Goodreads:

Goodreads.com

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.

My Thoughts:

When a book starts out with the line, "Is today a good day to die?", I want to know what is going to happen. I will be honest.  This isn't a happy book.  The theme of suicide runs deeply through this story and the characters definitely are dealing with some difficult issues.  When I was first introduced to Violet, I understood her struggles.  I felt for her. How does anyone move forward after watching a sibling die in a car crash? I have dealt with the death of two close friends from car accidents and always asked "Why?"  The guilt Violet feels for asking her sister to drive her home from a party never goes away.  

Then there is Finch.  Finch intrigued me because I never felt like I had a handle on exactly why he was so depressed and wanted to kill himself.  When he fell in love with Violet, I felt hope that he would be okay and get better. He pushes Violet to see the positive in the world around her and helps her begin to feel better about her life. Then BAMMMMM... life changed!

I fell in love with Violet and Finch right from the beginning of the book and I cried for both of them in the end.  This is one of those books that students will gravitate to, fall in love with, and want to talk about it with someone when they are done.  Definitely worth reading.