Review: All the Bright Places

 All the Bright Places
 Jennifer Niven


This is the story of a boy named Theodore Finch
and
Violet Markey

These two meet in a unique way, on the bell tower of their school.

Neither knew the other would be up there... but this moment changed both of them forever.

Throughout this story we go between both Finch and Violet's perspective as one counts how many days he has been Awake, and the other is counting down until graduation day.

As the story progresses, so does their relationship.  We learn about their families, we learn about their pasts, we learn about their dreams for the future.

Together they grow. They support each other. They listen to each other.
and yes, they fall in love.

and then* ...

*those have to be two of the worst words when put together. 

and then, one of them decides to Wander.


This story broke my heart into a million pieces.
and then kept stepping on the pieces.

(^in case you didn't catch that, that is my warning to all of you. READERS BEWARE! All the feels. ALL.OF.THEM!) 

 Finch and Violet's story is one of courage, of love, of friendship, of being true to yourself - all the selves - and it calls awareness to important issues that are running rampant through the humans of the earth these days.

Not that they are new issues, but again, awareness.

This is my second read of Niven (Holding up the Universe being the first - if you click on her name tag, you'll find the review) and I loved it. Her writing has a way of being so real that it feels as if she isn't writing for the masses, but for the individuals she is writing about.

and we are the lucky llamas that get to read about these beautiful people and their Wanderings.

You are pulled into the story from the opening of the cover, and you never want to leave.

Even though you could build a raft and sail out of her book in the river of tears.

Honestly, I'm tearing up writing this.

All the Bright Places will give you a sense of adventure.

It will inspire you.

It will give you the courage to find someone to talk to, if that is what you need.

It is a beautiful thing and I am so grateful I was apart of it's life.