All The Bright Places Book Review

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 was a book I never expected to love, with characters I thought I would soon forget. Yet, it has clung to my heartstrings in a way that I know it will be one of my favorites for a very long time. Jennifer Niven has written such an eye-opening story through Theodore Finch and Violet "Remarkeyable" Markey that actually left me speechless after finishing this novel. It was not at all what I expected. All The Bright Places is the type of book that changes you and your outlook on life. 

It is important to remember that this book is about mental illnesses and these illnesses are a big part of the plot and who these characters are. In my opinion, it talks about heavy topics in a light and serious way, until it becomes heavy entirely towards the end. Lately, I am really into books that talk about all of these taboo topics in a very open way. Especially in a way that the message can reach the younger generations in a way they can understand. 

The writing in the book is amazing. I think Jennifer Niven did an amazing job in creating this story. The character's voices are so raw and their thoughts are so full of emotion every step of the way. The characters (Finch and Violet) are so different and their individual voices can not be any more different. This is a great thing since narration takes turns between the two of them. 

I think my favorite part about this book is that you loose track of time while reading. Before I knew it, I had gone through half the book in less than a day. I finished the entire thing in like two days. 

I highly recommend this book, and I could spend hours talking about it and my favorite scenes but I would have to give away any spoilers. I truly loved this books, but you must remember that it is a heavy one emotionally and it could trigger those who suffer from a mental illness. It really centers around the topic of suicide, depression, and death. The book is a real tear-jerker. I cried so much that my heart still feels heavy and it has been a few weeks since I read this book. 

Have you read All The Bright Places? I would love to learn what everyone thought about it in the comments. In the meantime, I will write to you all soon. 

Love, Nashi