All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Author : Jennifer Niven

Title : All The Bright Places 

Published : 2015

Publisher : Penguin

Pages : 432

Genre : Young Adult Fiction

     On the surface, Violet Markey and Theodore Finch could not be more different; Finch is a melancholy and unusual figure, preoccupied with death. He fixates on the notion of taking his own life. However, each time he decides to kill himself, some small but wonderful thing stops him. Violet is a popular girl, usually surrounded by many friends, but she is having a hard time coming to terms with the death of her sister. When the two meet on a ledge, they manage to save each other and, understandably, find themselves drawn to one another. When the two embark on an adventure - a road-trip round Indiana to discover the ‘natural wonder’s of their home state -Violet gets to know the other, warmer, funnier side of Finch. Events do not conspire to help Finch’s state of mind, though, and Violet will have to decide how far she is willing to go for the boy she now realizes she loves.

     At the moment I seem to be reading a lot of books that bring on heavy emotions and can really take their toll on the reader. I think there is a lot to be said for books in this vein. The often deal with a subject we would rather not think about and up until recently, no one did. But I find they always give us a better understanding of such a topic. Within the pages of this book, the author takes on some difficult topics from school bullying to teen suicide. They are things we read about when peoples stories have reached a very dark conclusion. In real life, these are stories buried way into the news. I think in part because no one really wants to devote too much thought to them. It's always that was such a shame and then they move on.

     All the bright places give us similar themes within its two leads but they are coming from different ends of the spectrum. It goes to show that the reasons for someone to take there own life can be varied and many.  But I feel the underlying cause is the same, an overwhelming sense of depression. The thing about depression is it really doesn't care how much money you have or how popular you are. All it wants to do is tell you is that you are nothing and the world would be a better place if you weren't in it. But as those who have come to terms with it know, it lies to you at every turn. But when it has you all wrapped up in its icy tentacles it blinds you from the world and leaves you only with despair. It is this very essence the author has captured in her leads. It is one that she manages to get to come creeping of the page and into the reader's mind. You feel for them as you can see their downward spirals. You want to scream to them that there is light, there can be more. But this story is not entirely a tailspin on despair. Much like a vinyl record the are deep canyons but there are also peeks when things saw and feel your head with exhilaration and joy. 

     This book shows us that while life can be bad and can tear you up it can also bring you endless wounder. I am very aware that when dealing with such mental strains it can take everything you have to find them. I wonder if too often we are looking for those Everest moments, those endorphin fuelled surges we think should last forever. When in fact it is the smallest of things that give us a smile and can keep us going. She shows us all of these moments as we travel with these two, It can be a difficult place to find your self at times. There is a true purity in the way she crafted her story for me, by this I mean she allows these people to talk for themselves never putting shame or guilty on to them. These are people trying to do the best they can when there whole body's are on fire with the desire to make the pain stop, to simply not have to feel. I liked this idea of removing themselves from there situation to slip into another place and to see what comes of it. For me, this book gave me everything I was looking for. It's sad and it's sweet and gives us something quite complete. She never feels the need to sugar coat what they are experiencing but delivers a text that is very raw with every sense of emotion blubbering up to the surface for us to witness.

     As I said this book does not make for the easiest of reads, when dealing with these subject I think I would be more horrified if it was. She deals with the subject with a great deal of respect for those who have been there before our two leads. She also allows us a peek at just how wonderful this crazy, stupid world of ours can be.  We have to fight with all we have to work every day and take pleasure in the little things, A smile from a stranger, our favorite track on the radio, our pets wanting some attention or call from a friend out of nowhere. Reading this book is like walking a  tightrope there is always the worry that our heroes will look down at any moment ago tumbling down. I leave it up to you to see if they make it to the platform at the other end.