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19becky97's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
kitty_may12's review against another edition
this book is just so sad, it honestly took my breath away at times
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Grief, Child death, Bullying, Mental illness, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Racism, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Abandonment and Classism
girlglitch's review against another edition
5.0
Oh wow, what a beautiful book.
Burn Bright is one of those rare books that is profound and accessible in equal measures. Jawando addresses some important and hard-hitting issues with heartbreaking honesty - you can practically feel the emotion bleeding off the pages. There is no romanticising or overly poetic prose here - you can tell that Jawando is writing straight from the heart.
Nate and Megan are very different protagonists, but they are both likeable in their own way. Jawando has a real knack for authentic dialogue, and her use of dual narratives really brings the storytelling to life. Al's words, interwoven throughout, act as a poignant hinge for each new chapter.
Devastating and brilliant, Burn Bright is a must-read UKYA for 2020.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*
Burn Bright is one of those rare books that is profound and accessible in equal measures. Jawando addresses some important and hard-hitting issues with heartbreaking honesty - you can practically feel the emotion bleeding off the pages. There is no romanticising or overly poetic prose here - you can tell that Jawando is writing straight from the heart.
Nate and Megan are very different protagonists, but they are both likeable in their own way. Jawando has a real knack for authentic dialogue, and her use of dual narratives really brings the storytelling to life. Al's words, interwoven throughout, act as a poignant hinge for each new chapter.
Devastating and brilliant, Burn Bright is a must-read UKYA for 2020.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*
joe_thomas25's review against another edition
4.0
Based on how many books I read a year, I’d say I’ve probably read more than 1000 books in my lifetime. A lot of books, right?
Less than 10 of those books have made me cry and it’s been a while since my last bookish weep. That was, until I read And The Stars Were Burning Brightly, a beautifully moving exploration of grief from debut YA author Danielle Jawando.
I was lucky enough to hear Danielle talk about the book at Simon & Schuster’s #BigBookBrunch in December, and between the power of her writing and the heart-wrenching personal story behind the book, I immediately knew it was something I needed to read.
As mentioned in the author’s note, the book is inspired by events in Danielle’s own life, where she was bullied relentless throughout high school, culminating in a website being created and shared around her school year that was specifically designed to target her. This led to Danielle attempting suicide. Thankfully, she survived, and has channelled her own experiences into the book in the hopes that it might help someone else in a similar situation.
The book follows Nathan, a 15-year-old boy in Wythenshawe near Manchester, one of Europe’s largest council estates, as he recovers from his older brother, Al, committing suicide. Nathan was the one to find his brother, alongside a drawing of Al surrounded by faceless figures adorned only with the words ‘help me.’ Determined to find out what happened to his brother at all costs, Nathan retraces Al’s last steps and connects with Megan, Al’s closest friend, to try and get to the bottom of it.
Megan, however, is still struggling with the grief of losing her Father in a freak car accident, and losing Al brings her worst difficulties back to life. She’s also facing crisis point with her best friend, Tara, who she has known her whole life but who is starting to become a more manipulative and cruel influence on her life. Megan’s deepest source of shame comes from her relationship with Al – she felt like the time she spent with him was her only safe space, but she refused to acknowledge their friendship outside of their art classroom, even stepping aside as her friends bullied Al on several occasions.
Both characters are incredibly likeable, despite their flaws, and watching their individually journeys and the development of their relationships, is a joy, if painful at times. I found myself rooting for them the entire way through, even when I disagreed with their actions, and it’s a cathartic experience to watch them grow through the novel.
Each chapter opens with a short paragraph from Al, addressed at either Nathan or Megan, and this serves to really bring his character to life. Though he’s passed away before the book even begins, he feels like a fully fledged character and this only amplifies the sadness I felt at his loss.
The plot is well paced, nicely scattering character development and plot revelations to keep it moving along without ever feeling rushed or slow. It’s unflinching but searing in it’s portrayal of bullying, and to a large extent feels like it could be non-fiction, which is horrifying but also a rallying call to arms for all readers. I think it’s the kind of book that could really help some readers who might be struggling with similar situations of their own.
Overall, this is a fantastic addition to contemporary British YA from a very promising voice in the genre. It combines an honest look at bullying with a working class setting that just isn’t portrayed in fiction that often, and tugs at the heartstrings in its sheer sincerity and heart. I would definitely advise caution for some readers as it tackles heavily themes of bullying and suicide, but I would wholeheartedly recommend!
Less than 10 of those books have made me cry and it’s been a while since my last bookish weep. That was, until I read And The Stars Were Burning Brightly, a beautifully moving exploration of grief from debut YA author Danielle Jawando.
I was lucky enough to hear Danielle talk about the book at Simon & Schuster’s #BigBookBrunch in December, and between the power of her writing and the heart-wrenching personal story behind the book, I immediately knew it was something I needed to read.
As mentioned in the author’s note, the book is inspired by events in Danielle’s own life, where she was bullied relentless throughout high school, culminating in a website being created and shared around her school year that was specifically designed to target her. This led to Danielle attempting suicide. Thankfully, she survived, and has channelled her own experiences into the book in the hopes that it might help someone else in a similar situation.
The book follows Nathan, a 15-year-old boy in Wythenshawe near Manchester, one of Europe’s largest council estates, as he recovers from his older brother, Al, committing suicide. Nathan was the one to find his brother, alongside a drawing of Al surrounded by faceless figures adorned only with the words ‘help me.’ Determined to find out what happened to his brother at all costs, Nathan retraces Al’s last steps and connects with Megan, Al’s closest friend, to try and get to the bottom of it.
Megan, however, is still struggling with the grief of losing her Father in a freak car accident, and losing Al brings her worst difficulties back to life. She’s also facing crisis point with her best friend, Tara, who she has known her whole life but who is starting to become a more manipulative and cruel influence on her life. Megan’s deepest source of shame comes from her relationship with Al – she felt like the time she spent with him was her only safe space, but she refused to acknowledge their friendship outside of their art classroom, even stepping aside as her friends bullied Al on several occasions.
Both characters are incredibly likeable, despite their flaws, and watching their individually journeys and the development of their relationships, is a joy, if painful at times. I found myself rooting for them the entire way through, even when I disagreed with their actions, and it’s a cathartic experience to watch them grow through the novel.
Each chapter opens with a short paragraph from Al, addressed at either Nathan or Megan, and this serves to really bring his character to life. Though he’s passed away before the book even begins, he feels like a fully fledged character and this only amplifies the sadness I felt at his loss.
The plot is well paced, nicely scattering character development and plot revelations to keep it moving along without ever feeling rushed or slow. It’s unflinching but searing in it’s portrayal of bullying, and to a large extent feels like it could be non-fiction, which is horrifying but also a rallying call to arms for all readers. I think it’s the kind of book that could really help some readers who might be struggling with similar situations of their own.
Overall, this is a fantastic addition to contemporary British YA from a very promising voice in the genre. It combines an honest look at bullying with a working class setting that just isn’t portrayed in fiction that often, and tugs at the heartstrings in its sheer sincerity and heart. I would definitely advise caution for some readers as it tackles heavily themes of bullying and suicide, but I would wholeheartedly recommend!
steel_city_peach's review
emotional
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
4.0
Heartbreaking
This was a very emotional read. It really touched a nerve for me because it hit so close to home. I lost my brother in the same manner and method. Witnessing Nate process his emotions cut so deep. It was realistic, but so painful. The journey to find out what pushed Al to the edge revealed such a sweet, lovable boy. I wished someone could’ve saved him. The kids that taunted him were so cruel. When their actions were fully revealed, it turned my stomach. I felt such intense anger towards them. There was no way to have a happy ending with a story like this. It left me feeling gutted through the very end.
nickymaund's review against another edition
5.0
Audiobook reread (2022) -
The impact of this one doesn’t lessen on a reread - and the audiobook version adds to the impact as you listen to the voices of Nate, struggling to understand why his beloved older brother took his life, and Megan as she struggles to come to terms with the loss of her one true friend , which she chose to keep secret, and of course little snippets from Al himself. Given the subject matter, this one is packed full of difficult themes - so vulnerable readers beware.
Boy this one had me crying again. Jawando is great at giving the main characters in her story, who are young teens, such unique perspectives, and they’re all so real. Their stories are just heartbreaking - she really sheds a light on what life is like as a teen, school, peer pressure, social media, pressure they put on themselves…..the list goes on.
Our two narrators bring such innocence and vulnerability to their characters, but the very brief snippets you’re shown of Al are utterly heartbreaking. He’s such a beautiful soul.
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again - recommended reading for any teen.
Ebook first read (2020) -
First off: reader caution. This book deals heavily with suicide (both the moments after and the effect on those bereaved by suicide), bullying, the effects of social media, body image and mental health.
This is a beautiful and heartbreaking read as Nathan is struggling to make sense as to why his apparently perfect big brother took his own life - in effect he needs someone to blame. He’s left with the unique type of grief that only those who are bereaved by suicide will experience - the anger, the guilt, the questions, the pain and the anguish. Each chapter, which alternates between Nathan and Megan’s viewpoint starts off with Al’s story and he truly is a beautiful person and the bullying that’s he’s subjected to is heartbreaking.
This is an emotionally hard read, but covers the pain some go through when trying desperately to be honest and true to yourself, but the ‘joys’ of peer pressure and fear prevent us from being our true selves, and also prevent us from seeking help. These are important messages - we shouldn’t feel afraid to seek out help when we need it and we shouldn’t feel ashamed to show our true selves. This is hard enough for an adult, damn near impossible for a teen.
Finally a powerful message from Danielle Jawando; “Please remember to always be kind, but, most importantly, know that you deserve to be here. It will get better, and it is never your fault, no matter how different you are. So speak up and seek help – there is no shame in admitting that you’re hurting. Like Al, you were born to live. You were born to shine. But, most of all, you were born to burn bright.”
The impact of this one doesn’t lessen on a reread - and the audiobook version adds to the impact as you listen to the voices of Nate, struggling to understand why his beloved older brother took his life, and Megan as she struggles to come to terms with the loss of her one true friend , which she chose to keep secret, and of course little snippets from Al himself. Given the subject matter, this one is packed full of difficult themes - so vulnerable readers beware.
Boy this one had me crying again. Jawando is great at giving the main characters in her story, who are young teens, such unique perspectives, and they’re all so real. Their stories are just heartbreaking - she really sheds a light on what life is like as a teen, school, peer pressure, social media, pressure they put on themselves…..the list goes on.
Our two narrators bring such innocence and vulnerability to their characters, but the very brief snippets you’re shown of Al are utterly heartbreaking. He’s such a beautiful soul.
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again - recommended reading for any teen.
Ebook first read (2020) -
First off: reader caution. This book deals heavily with suicide (both the moments after and the effect on those bereaved by suicide), bullying, the effects of social media, body image and mental health.
This is a beautiful and heartbreaking read as Nathan is struggling to make sense as to why his apparently perfect big brother took his own life - in effect he needs someone to blame. He’s left with the unique type of grief that only those who are bereaved by suicide will experience - the anger, the guilt, the questions, the pain and the anguish. Each chapter, which alternates between Nathan and Megan’s viewpoint starts off with Al’s story and he truly is a beautiful person and the bullying that’s he’s subjected to is heartbreaking.
This is an emotionally hard read, but covers the pain some go through when trying desperately to be honest and true to yourself, but the ‘joys’ of peer pressure and fear prevent us from being our true selves, and also prevent us from seeking help. These are important messages - we shouldn’t feel afraid to seek out help when we need it and we shouldn’t feel ashamed to show our true selves. This is hard enough for an adult, damn near impossible for a teen.
Finally a powerful message from Danielle Jawando; “Please remember to always be kind, but, most importantly, know that you deserve to be here. It will get better, and it is never your fault, no matter how different you are. So speak up and seek help – there is no shame in admitting that you’re hurting. Like Al, you were born to live. You were born to shine. But, most of all, you were born to burn bright.”
carolineroche's review against another edition
5.0
An outstanding book dealing with the themes of suicide, grief and social media. The themes make it suitable for your older readers, with a trigger warning. From the moment Nathan finds his brother hanging in his bedroom, he is on a quest to uncover why he did this terrible thing. What he uncovers is a dark world of social media which lead to his brother’s final,desperate act. A book which will stay with you for a long while.
h0llyjvne's review
4.0
i have a problem with reading books about grief and then getting emotional attached because it matches my own experience lol. it was a good read! i probably would've enjoyed this a lot more if i was younger but i can't fault it. it was a quick and nice read and i enjoyed the fact the characters felt like teenagers.
fellowsjm's review against another edition
4.0
I pretty much inhaled this book. It took me a little push to get into it but the raw emotion and realness of it really captured me