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A review by joe_thomas25
And The Stars Were Burning Brightly by Danielle Jawando
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!