Reviews with content warning for Sexual content - All the Bright Places

Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

59 reviews

filippawe's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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justagirlwithbooks's review against another edition

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3.25

“We do not remember days, we remember moments."

I really do not know how to feel about this book. This book was heavy. Coming off of The Fault in Our Stars, I think this book is very similar, but there are a few differences that made me not enjoy this book as much as The Fault in Our Stars. I didn't like the writing style as much. Some lines felt very outdated. I didn't really like the characters as much, either. Their relationship felt a bit insta-lovey to me as well, like in The Fault in Our Stars. There were a few moments I liked, but there were also several that I disliked. The discussions around sensitive topics are ones that should be talked about, and destigmatized, yet, I feel as if there are better books out there for that.

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bertrandlm's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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tnemelce's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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theverycraftyvegan's review against another edition

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challenging emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Please check the content warnings.

This was not an easy book to read. I took a few breaks to feel my feelings before picking it back up. That being said, Jennifer Niven did an amazing job of showing Violet and Finch’s worlds colliding, melding, and ripping apart.

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kathrynstanley's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

This book is absolutely, heart-wrenchingly beautiful. One of those books that stay with you for a long time. I would highly recommend it, but please check the content warnings before reading (and be prepared to cry. like ugly cry.)

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krzem's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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purplee_rain89's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

It was so beautifully written and you could totally immense yourself in the story, almost feeling like you're the one living through it. The topics it talks about are difficult but important nonetheless and it's done in a way that portrays the seriousness of mental illness and suicide/suicidal ideation really well but even despite this, the end of the book leaves you with some sort of hope that healing is possible and you can in fact find your own way. It was heart wrenching and devastating but has its own beauty after all and I'll definitely read it again.

Sending lots of love to anyone struggling right now, you matter and you're so so strong. You will find your way through this eventually; I believe in you, truly <3

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reading_srsly's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

* Mental illness

* School Project

* Harsh Realities

* First Person Voice

Every school project is another chance to make a new connection, and the Bartlett High ‘Wander Indiana’ US Geography project is no different. For the school outcast and the popular girl still mourning the death of her sister, it’s the catalyst that keeps them together after a chance meeting on the ledge of the school bell tower. They begin to explore the beauty of the world around them - and finally face the traumatic challenges haunting them.

The author does a great job of developing empathetic characters and establishing their relationships with their peers and the world around them. It was easy to get drawn into their world and begin to root for them, which made the ending all the more impactful. The plot itself is messy and spontaneous, which I think is a reflection of the mindset of our characters - in that way I think it’s less of a love story, and more of a study of mental illness and how one person can change the life of another.

Finch’s particular struggle isn’t named at the start of the book, and the author’s choice to not explicitly label Finch’s problems or the medical justifications behind why he makes questionable choices I think makes the story feel more authentic - not everyone who is struggling wants to know what’s wrong, or is aware of what they’re struggling with, or honest that they’re struggling at all until it’s too late

That being said, I have mixed feelings about this book, and I wouldn’t recommend it to just anybody. As an isolated story, I think it was phenomenal. But for someone who’s really struggling with the darker concepts of this book, I’m not sure it’s the most encouraging portrayal out there (though I’m definitely not the one qualified to make the final determination).

I’m not sure how I feel about how neatly things were tied up, and how Finch’s entire existence seemed to be reduced to a plot device. It’s especially jarring because the way the book is written it feels like it should be Finch’s journey as he is the one with the most autonomy and determination to change, yet Violet is the one who benefits from his efforts - as though no matter how hard you work at improving you’re reliant on external forces for the change to actually be successful. This book makes it feel as though once someone’s crossed over into suicidal ideation it’s inevitable, and trying to get help for someone can be a dangerous catalyst for them to end it.

This book is a good conversation starter for mental health and the struggle to feel normal. If you’re not in the right headspace for a depressing read that'll make you ugly cry over the injustices and romanticized tragedies of the world, this might not be the book for you. But if you’re in the mood to see the world from a different perspective and reflect on how little you might know about the people around you and your effect on them, you’ll love All the Bright Places.

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the_true_monroe's review against another edition

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dark reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Starting off with what I disliked.

While I appreciate the author’s note and how personal this book is to the author, and how there was a lot of research into mental health and suicide, I could not see much past how badly certain topics were portrayed. Not in the way of “everyone grieves differently” or “this is real life” because all of that is true- this book did not need a happy ending and it was important to include a lot of the stuff we wish did not happen- but in how some things that were very inappropriate or not recommended were not even touched upon.

For example, when Violet tells her parents about her suicide attempt while also at the same time revealing she still was seeing Finch , all the parents mentioned aside from working to make sure Finch was okay is their disappointment. Yeah that probably was in relation to Violet’s disobedience but she literally mentioned she almost took her life and that is never addressed again by her parents.

One thing I wish there was more of in the book was that suicide support group. Although that was not really a realistic portrayal of a group (at least one that is run well) as they literally had everyone share their diagnoses and method of previous suicide attempt (which today goes against safe suicide messaging) introducing another part of who Amanda was was really nice even if she did horribly out Finch to Violet despite her knowing how much she would hate of anyone knew she herself was there.Although it was all nice when Ryan and Amanda joined Violet and Finch’s other friends for a tribute to Finch, we did not have enough character development of Amanda and especially Ryan to justify them being any different from the other mourners at the school who at best never paid any attention to Finch and at worst tormented him.

Also, Finch was pretty coercive and pushy towards Violet such as when he ripped up her note twice when she did not have a direct “yes” … like cool, you are looking for direct consent but you did not except anything but that.

And now, what I appreciated!

I did like Finch’s counselor - he was genuine and even though he started out kind of “eh” for me, he was actually direct with Finch and tried so much to help him beyond actually making him get additional help, which he acknowledges he could have done more anyway. And also, people need to want to get help and Finch did, multiple times. But even the people who fight most against suicide- for themselves and others- end up dying by suicide. And even though people say this book romanticized suicide (which I can see, especially with Violet going on the journey to visit the remaining wandering spots), I think having seen Finch in so many different states of mind- the backs and forths of what his illness does to him, and how he KNEW he wanted to live at so many points, and appreciated life and being awake- he still ended up taking his life. And that happens… a lot. Some of the best advocates for suicide prevention die by suicide even with years of saying “there is always help” and “I am here for you”. I am a suicide prevention advocate myself but also know that a lot of messaging around suicide prevention can make it seem like loved ones did something wrong or did not try hard enough. This books gets that right- how that is in no way true and suicide prevention is not about you as one person preventing a suicide but it is a collective effort across the lifespan for people to recognize the signs, and have the resources to help both themselves and others.

Closing thoughts:
While I clearly disliked this book overall, I am so glad I read it. As a suicide prevention advocate it is interesting to me to read and watch different portrayals of mental health and suicide over time. Even since this was written in 2015, so much has changed to where I know the movie addressed some things that this book did not (although I need to watch it still). I feel like if I read it around when it came out, I would have loved this as I did Thirteen Reasons Why.

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