Reviews tagging 'Grief'

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

200 reviews

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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harley_dean's review against another edition

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emotional sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I think this was my third re-read. I thought I remembered it too well to cry this time, but I still ended up bawling (which is a good thing).
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parasihir's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This book eats me up from the inside. Reading Theodore's point of view can kill me. Poor my baby blue. 
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sophienocturne's review against another edition

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dark reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

If you enjoyed 13 Reasons Why, The Fault In Our Stars and Paper Towns then you'll love this book. Unfortunately I did not, so to me it's just another YA book that romanticises suicide and has pretentious main characters that quote dead poets at each other. I found it very depressing and I'm not sure what the point of it all was.
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naoml's review against another edition

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challenging emotional 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

4.0

The writing in this book is abrasive, but that's what makes it so honest. It's not a perfect book but it's a poignant representation of mental illness and the different ways it manifests. This book doesn't bullshit you with romanticism or a perfect ending, it is very realistic about pain and closure. 
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wet_towlette's review against another edition

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

2.0

Here is a list of thoughts I had while reading this book, as it might be the only way to articulate the experience of reading this: 

The dad is a Canadian hockey player 😭😭

Bro you're quoting Virginia Wolf keep it in your pants 

I just know this author is one pretentious fucker 

he won’t play baseball because he doesn’t want to be a black stereotype are you serious right now who does this white ass author think she is 

“Did you hit that yet or what” 🧍‍♀️

Is he smoking in gym class 

Why didn’t they just get the other voice actor to do the dialogue for their character. Like why is this man pretending to be a teenage girl crying when you have a woman actress 

“She is different from all other girls” bro shut up 

“Vampire Diaries is life” this is so real and based 

“Clothes off, m*dget” 🧍‍♀️🧍‍♀️

Stop talking about space I'm scared 

Am I supposed to feel sad now 

This is a sad ass authors note I feel a little bit bad now but kinda not really 
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a_h0204's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-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

The only slower-paced book (that I've read) that did it in such a way that it genuinely added deeper meaning to the story. I don't believe I'll ever be able to put into words just how much this book means to me. 
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ikena's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny 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

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clarkf87's review

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dark emotional sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 4.75

“What a terrible feeling to love someone and not be able to help them.”

“It’s not what you take, it’s what you leave.”

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

***𝑻𝑹𝑰𝑮𝑮𝑬𝑹 𝑾𝑨𝑹𝑵𝑰𝑵𝑮: 𝑺𝒖𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒅𝒆, 𝒔𝒖𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝒔𝒖𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒃𝒚 𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏***

Violet Markey and Theodore Finch find themselves in the bell tower at school. Who stopped who from jumping? Regardless, they keep each others’ secret and form a trauma bond that turns into romance. But while Violet lives for the future, Finch lives moment by moment, and his time is almost up.

This heartbreaking, gut wrenching book was very well written but there were many moments I wanted to throw my phone and scream. Definitely ugly cried in the woods after I finished this one. Luckily the last hour of the book provides closure to bring you back to earth. 

The author’s note at the end reveals that she lost her boyfriend in high school to suicide as well as others in her life, making this story very special and therapeutic to her.
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readingsokrates's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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

3.5

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