By Jennifer Niven
I just want to begin by saying I'm almost scared to write this review as I feel whatever I say won't do the book justice or won't perfectly encompass the essence of this book. It was just that phenomenal. ‘All the Bright Places’ is the type of book that sticks with you well after you've finished reading it and changes your outlook on life as a whole. I have been told by multiple people that I don't have tear ducts but this book wholeheartedly disproved that theory.
The story follows the teens Violet and Finch, and the narrative switches among them. The book opens as they meet on the edge of their school bell tower, contemplating suicide. Both have suffered tremendously and are dealing with much more than they let on. The two eventually become partners on a Geography project in which they investigate the marvels of Indiana (their hometown) together. They gradually form a unique friendship and grow and learn from each other. “You have been in every way all that anyone could be.… If anybody could have saved me it would have been you.”
Admittedly, this surface-level summary may not sound the most exciting but the rawness and honesty of this story stem from its characters. Both the protagonists are so complex and well developed that learning about them is a journey unto itself. Violet seems like this happy go lucky well-liked girl but her internal struggle is seen by no one besides Finch. Finch almost embodies the ‘content to be himself weirdo’ stereotype but in truth, he feels everything so deeply and hides his pain from the rest of the world. “It's my experience that people are a lot more sympathetic if they can see you hurting, and for the millionth time in my life I wish for measles or smallpox or some other easily understood disease just to make it easier on me and also on them.” Together, the way they slowly confide in each other and form a relationship is a slow but breathtaking progression. They learn so much from each other and we learn so much from watching them. “We do not remember days, we remember moments”
There are certainly a plethora of moments in the book I know I will never forget.
The book deals with mental health and self-harm in a very real and stigma-free way, it teaches us that mental disorders aren't a far-away abstract issue that people talk about but something ingrained into every facet of life that may exist around us without us realizing it. “We are all alone, trapped in these bodies and our own minds, and whatever company we have in this life is only fleeting and superficial.” Watching Violet and Finch find joy from the simplest things and simply revelling in each other's presence is heartbreakingly beautiful. The end of the book made me feel such a torrent of emotions that I walked around shocked for days after. It was so powerful and gut-wrenching but absolutely necessary for us to acknowledge.
I sincerely hope this will convince you to read the book because it has lessons that are beneficial to everyone and are completely eye-opening. It teaches us the importance of kindness and how much power our words and actions have. I hope this can serve as a reminder to everyone reading no matter what you are going through right now “you are all the colors in one at full brightness.”
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