Review: All The Bright Places

“You are all the colors in one, at full brightness.”

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.

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I had to give myself a week before writing up a proper review for this book. I think sometimes in life we find something that makes an impact on our life, and one of those things for me was All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven. I felt very connected with the characters, and I read this in one sitting. Now, this isn’t to mean that it was just a quick read. It was an amazing read. Finch is a character that stays with you for the long haul, and Violet is just as remarkable (see what I did there?). The subject may be a heavy one, but Jennifer handles it beautifully. I would suggest this book to anyone, especially young adults.