All the Bright Places

Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: October 12, 2015

Review

Recommending for Cream of the Crop. Opening scene: ledge of the bell tower at high school. Two students are standing there ready to jump. One talks the other down. But who really saves who? Or did they save each other? Told in first person, alternating chapters from Violet & Finch's perspective. Theodore Finch, of Freak as he is called by many at school, is obsessed with death and ways to kill himself. He's even tried a few times with no success. He is also somewhat good looking, a good musician. But he is also weird, wild and spontaneous. He doesn't fit into the norms of high school popularity. Violet Markey, on the other hand, is beautiful and popular. She is also a brilliant writer. But she is dealing with a terrible family tragedy that she is unable to get past or forgive herself for. It is always at the forefront of her mind. She cannot put it behind her and get on with her life. That is we meet both Violet and Finch on the ledge. Fate intervenes and they both decide to give life another chance. Except that all of Violet's friends, and everyone in the school for that matter, think that Violet saved Finch because that is the kind of person she is. They are completely clueless as to the grief and struggles that Violet is going through. And that is the way she wants it. Finch volunteers himself and Violet to be partners on a school project where they have discover important things about their state. It can be anything they deem interesting and/or important. So in traveling around together and spending time together for the assignment a friendship blossoms and eventually a romance blooms. They can talk to each other the way they cannot talk to anyone else. This helps them both in their individual tragic situations. They discover how to let go of grief and move on in life. At least one of them does. The writing is witty, sad, inspiring, funny and thought-provoking. It flows naturally and unburdened even with the themes of despair, pain, grief, redemption and suicide. The characters are developed enough so that you can get into their heads and understand and feel their grief and pain. The secondary characters are not so well-developed. That is the only thing, if any, I can say negative about this book. And that is stretching it. You will not want to put this book down, through the friendship, budding romance, character realizations, tragedies, and growth. But life may just be too big for one of them. Thus the probability of a heartbreaking ending. For fans of John Green. No wait. For everyone. Echoing many other reviewers, this story is at once heartbreaking, tragic, sad, life affirming, joyous, and inspiring. Everyone please read this. Jennifer Niven is a stellar writer and story teller. A master of her craft. If this is not Cream of the Crop I don't know what is.

Overall Book Score: excellent