All the Bright Places

I loved the characters and charm of this novel. It had me from page one and it was nearly impossible to put down. I did not like the ending as much as I wanted too, though I honestly can't tell you exactly why. There was just something that did not have the same emotional strength as the rest of the story.
I loved the characterization, and the fun of traveling Indiana. Who knew this book would make me want to visit Indiana! I always enjoy books where the characters get to travel.
I also thought this was an excellent depiction of bipolar disorder and handled the topic of suicidal thoughts brilliantly.

My last book of 2015 and it was worth it. Poignant, intelligent, a real tearjerker. It reminded me of [b:The Fault in Our Stars 11870085 The Fault in Our Stars John Green https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1360206420s/11870085.jpg 16827462]. A touching novel about death, suicide but also love.

“It's my experience that people are a lot more sympathetic if they can see you hurting, and for the millionth time in my life I wish for measles or smallpox or some other easily understood disease just to make it easier on me and also on them.”

Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of their school's bell tower one fall afternoon, each wondering what it would be like to end it all, though stopping short of taking the leap after being surprised to find the other there. Finch, a self-proclaimed loner who is fascinated with death is surprised to find popular Violet in the same situation, though she won't admit to him her reasons for being on the ledge that day. While she resists his efforts to form a friendship, he arranges for them to be partners on a class project, determined to get to know her. During their year together, the two broken teens wander their state, finding beauty and happiness in odd places.

With this book, Jennifer Niven may have changed my mind about YA fiction. Usually I find that tales of heartbroken, “damaged” teens feel forced: rife with kids who can't send a text using full words then make melodramatic speeches (yeah, I'm looking at you, Fault in Our Stars) and parents who are a stereotype. All The Bright Places, however, manages to not only capture authentic teen voices, but also show their daily struggles (bullying, friendships, searching for identity, family dynamics, etc.) without being patronizing.

That's not to say there aren't problems with this novel. The school they attend seems woefully ill-equipped to deal with teenagers. A guidance counselor Finch sees regularly knows of his bell tower visit yet doesn't make any concerted effort to contact Finch's parents, voicemails home go unanswered for the entire year with no follow-up, Finch regularly misses weeks of school, yet there's also no fall-out. Also, the secondary characters are not well developed and sometimes fade into the background, with the possible exception of Finch's and Violet's parents, who demonstrate their dysfunction in opposing ways.

The remarkable thing about this novel, however, is how Niven realistically portrays depression and mental illness. Finch describes his dark times:

I get into these moods sometimes, and I can't shake them. Kind of
black sinking moods. I imagine it's like what being in the eye of a
tornado would be like, all calm and blinding at the same time. I hate
them.

Finch copes by hiding in his closet, making his world small and manageable, until he feels “awake” again and can emerge to face everything again. A school counselor suggests he may have bipolar and Finch fights this suggestion, afraid that he will become even more of a “freak.” Niven manages to capture Finch's desire for an understanding even as he resists the label of a diagnosis.

Strangely, even though others have said that they saw the ending coming, I was so swept up in the story and my concern for these two characters that I was as blindsided by the ending as the characters were - surprised even though, in retrospect, it was probably inevitable. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys John Greene and Rainbow Rowell...but also to those who don't. This book was pitch-perfect in a field of books that otherwise strain a bit too hard to hit the right note.

MY HEART HAS EXPLODED INTO A MILLION PIECES . IM TOTALLY HAPPY ! .
I COULDN'T HAVE WANTED A BOOK THAT WAS ANY DIFFRENT TO FILL MY RANDOM “ INSERT HEART HURTING CONTEMPORARY HERE “ HOLE IN MY HEART !!!!!
so . good !

characters !:
Theodore (Finch )- totally the cutest cinnamon roll on earth right now . minus(ing) what happened to hiM . he is so beautifully broken ? ( not a phrase but now is . ) and amazingly talented ( he sings !) and all sorts of cute too . and he has dark hair and drives and runs , as well . spirit animal alert ! .
Violet Markey (Ultraviolet )- she'S so sweet and kind and everything i could have wanted in a female protagonist in the book ? meeting a guy on a ledge ? and having the guts to step down and live life after the accident ? it takes someone to be able to do that ( given the horrid happenings) . I'm proud . and a little teared up too .

the book as whole opened up my eyes to a world that isn't always what someone would love it to be and trying to change it can ultimately be hard . I flew threw this in a couple nights and can i say every second was worth it . the plot twists , as sad as they may sometimes be , the dialogue :
FINCH WAS PRETENDING TO BE BRITISH . I . LOVE . BRITISH FINCH . AND BAD ASS FINCH AND ALL AMERICAN FINCH . I LOVE ALL FINCH.
it has food +++ families too which is always a massive plus ;
ALWAYS IN MY HEART : ALL OF THE BRIGHT PLACES !

basically it , for now about this one * rambles on about it forever *. but beware:
this book shall compromise your emotional beings peoples . ye have been warned .

love ,
bookishwolf

az egycsillagos értékelésekből azt a konzekvenciát sikerült levonnom, hogy sokan nem képesek fölfogni, hogy bizony a mentális betegségek mellett rengetegen legyintve mennek el, még ha éppenséggel szülők, akkor is. és ez most gecire fölbosszantott.

finch rohadt jó karakter volt, remek bipoláris ábrázolással (és ugyanezek az egycsillagosok nem értik, hogy a mániákus időszakában miért nem a béka segge alatt van lelkileg. nem kifejezetten tudok mit mondani erre), de violet szemszögét kicsit fölöslegesnek éreztem, bár a végén nyilván szükség volt rá. szerintem elég lett volna csak ott előszedni, talán még ütősebb is lett volna.
jó volt, tetszett, csak a fellengzős-tudálékos virginia woolf idézgetést untam kicsit. (pedig ennyi idősen én is ilyen voltam, szóval nem lehetne egy rossz szavam se, ennek ellenére mégis zavart.)

Theodore Finch is obsessed with death. There are so many different ways a person can die, but which one will finally take him? He sees a school therapist, but it is easy to hide behind a fake smile and dark humor. He acts out in unexpected ways to keep people at arm's length and stays trapped in his mind for too many hours of the day. Until he crosses paths with Violet Markey on the ledge of the school tower. While he may have been considered jumping, he can’t stand to see her do the same.

Violet Markey is a survivor. But being a survivor is not something to celebrate when you blame yourself for your sister’s car driving off the road. Burdened with guilt, Violet is slowly withdrawing from the world. Backing away for her friends, family, and things that once brought her joy. She finds herself on top of the school tower, not fully committed to jumping but not entirely sure she wants to keep living. Until Finch talks her down from the ledge and opens the door to a new possibility.

All the Bright Places is a book that broke me. It took well over a week for me to begin writing this review, because of how emotionally connected I felt to the characters. Jennifer Niven has crafted a novel that is so beautiful and yet so tragic at the same time. The emotional weight tied to these characters and their story lingered long after I finished the book. Even creating the quote art for this novel almost brought me to tears.

Finch is the main target of the popular kids because he is different. He acts out, dresses differently, and doesn’t act like the other students. He has a rough home life and is suffering from mental illness. The stigma that comes from carrying an invisible illness is touched on with this narrative and it hits close to home. Readers will see how damaging it can be for peers to throw harsh words and bully Finch as he struggles against his own mind. There are moments where he is so strong, fighting against the encroaching darkness and dread that threatens to suffocate him, but without a strong support system, he falls over and over again. Until Violet enters his life. She is finally the one spark in his life that gives him hope.

Violet’s story, while tragic, also shows how different people can be treated based on their backgrounds. She’s a popular girl in school, has good grades, and has a loving family at home. Even her counselor talks to her differently than Finch’s. However, Violet suffers from survivor's guilt and is beginning to isolate herself. Her friends don’t recognize it for what it is, but Finch sees it. Having lived with his share of mental problems, he begins to integrate himself into Violet’s life. Once they become partners for a school project, Violet can’t help but socialize with him. And in the end, it changes both their lives.

As Finch and Violet begin their journey together, they slowly reveal to one another how broken they are. There is a mutual understanding that begins to take hold, and Violet begins to see why Finch has such a hard time dealing with his mental illness. The utter hope and need to do better Finch feels is heart wrenching as his destructive thoughts continue to pile into his head. I wanted to scream at his parents to open their eyes, to help their son. To stop being so caught up in their distant worlds and recognize how much he suffered. Violet saw it and did everything she could to help him. Through Finch, she learned how to fight for herself no matter how hard life became.

The relationship they fostered was messy and complex. It was slow to develop and realistic. While Violet would never have considered befriending Finch in the past, the way life through them together forced her to open her eyes at her own bias. And the always distant Finch fought to become a better person for Violet. This story is heart wrenching in its intricate and emotional writing style. Jennifer Niven has done such a brilliant portrayal of these characters and the separate battles they each fight. This book is one I think everyone should read.