Friday, February 27, 2015

All The Bright Places- Jennifer Niven- Intense, Intriguing and utterly Incredible

I'll be honest with you guys, the first time I came across this novel and read its blurb, I was convinced that it was nothing more than a sad and depressing love story, in which the two protagonists will most probably end up surviving through high school because of their love for each other. The book seemed nothing more than the average YA novel. Yet when I returned to the bookstore a few weeks later, I came across it again and after discovering that it was rated a 4.2 by Goodreads, I decided to give it a try. Now, after finishing it in 3 days, I can't believe I left the bookstore without the novel in my shopping bag the first time round! This book, with its deep and powerful characters and brilliant, yet realistic plot, was a wonderful portayal of a complicated and heart-wrenching relationship between two teenagers.

'You are all the colours at once, at full brightness'


They meet on the ledge of the school's bell tower. Both want to die, but both still grasp onto life. It isn’t Finch’s first time on the ledge, but no one has noticed and even if they have, no one would care enough to stop him from going up there. He is lonely. 

'We are all alone, trapped in bodies and our own minds'

Violet has never been up there before, yet after her sister’s death she has become a completely different person. She has cut her hair and dyed it black, she counts down the days to graduation and has isolated herself from things and those she loves the most. She is devastated. 
None of them can take it any longer. Yet when Finch finds Violet up there one afternoon, he saves her life and an incredible adventure of love, happiness and life begins. 

'I
am
in
pieces.' 

Violet and Finch have completely different social statuses. Violet is popular and admired and is an obedient and sensible student, whereas Finch is the opposite. He is known as the ‘Freak’ of the school, is mocked by Violet’s friends and is a rebellious and ignorant student whose sarcasm and wit is nothing but trouble. Finch is immediately drawn to Violet, her smile captures his heart. After Finch announces that Violet will be his partner for their U.S Geography project, their intense and heart-warming journeys together commence. As they travel around Indianapolis, visiting some of the unknown but unique wonders of their town, Violet manages to come to terms with her sister's death, yet Finch's world continues to shrink. Soon they fall in love. Their adventures become excuses to spend time together. 

'You make me lovely, and it's so lovely to be lovely to the one I love...'

One day Finch disappears. Violet's devastation and depression return again. No one knows where he is and so no one can save him. All Violet receives in order to know that he is still alive are cryptic texts, which seem to have no meaning. But eventually, they stop coming. Where is Finch and how could he leave Violet in such a dark place, all alone again?

Just writing this review makes my heart drop. The perfection of this novel is surreal. It's everything I want and love in a book. I've kept the review quite short as all I can really express is that you're missing out on so much if you don't read this book. It's absolutely amazing and the fact that the narration flicks back and forth between Violet and Finch just adds to the intensity and brilliance of it.

xo,
Kiki


2 comments:

  1. I couldn't stop reading the book review, I wonder what the book will be like! x

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    1. Glad you liked it! Read the book, it's even better haha x

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