All the Bright Places (Paperback)
Staff Reviews
Jennifer Niven has written arguably one of the most realistic and voice driven novels (in young adult or otherwise) that I have read in a long time. All the Bright Places alternates between two narrators: Violet Markey, a girl coping with the untimely loss of her sister, and Theodore Finch, a boy fascinated with death and dying. They begin an unconventional relationship that is sure to tug less than gently at your heartstrings and will have you riding that proverbial emotional roller coaster all the way until the end. Shelve the comparisons to books like The Fault in Our Stars or Eleanor and Park that you may hear; All The Bright Places stands tall on its own.
— Heather H.
I don't want to give too much away, but here goes. If you pick up this novel by Jennifer Niven, you will be beginning a journey where you won't regret a single step (or page as it may be). Violet is the "extenuating circumstances" girl who is stumbling through surviving a tragic loss. Theodore Finch is the captivatingly clever, whimsical, and lost boy who is helping Violet find her feet. Their story, told from both perspectives, is filled with all the thoughts we have held through our lives about doubt, loss, labels, bullying, love, and All the Bright Placesin between. V+F will definitely stay with me. Hopefully, they will with you as well.
— MeghanDescription
NOW A NETFLIX FILM, STARRING ELLE FANNING AND JUSTICE SMITH!
The New York Times bestselling love story about two teens who find each other while standing on the edge. And don’t miss Take Me with You When You Go, Jennifer Niven’s highly anticipated new book with bestselling author David Levithan!
Theodore Finch is fascinated by death. Every day he thinks of ways he might kill himself, but every day he also searches for—and manages to find—something to keep him here, and alive, and awake.
Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her small Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.
When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school—six stories above the ground— it’s unclear who saves whom. Soon it’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink. . . .
“A do-not-miss for fans of Eleanor & Park and The Fault in Our Stars, and basically anyone who can breathe.” —Justine Magazine
“At the heart—a big one—of All the Bright Places lies a charming love story about this unlikely and endearing pair of broken teenagers.” —The New York Times Book Review
“A heart-rending, stylish love story.” —The Wall Street Journal
“A complex love story that will bring all the feels.” —Seventeen Magazine
“Impressively layered, lived-in, and real.” —Buzzfeed
About the Author
Jennifer Niven is the author of the New York Times and international bestseller All the Bright Places, as well as her new YA novel, Holding Up the Universe. She has also written four novels for adults—American Blonde, Becoming Clementine, Velva Jean Learns to Fly, and Velva Jean Learns to Drive—as well as three nonfiction books: The Ice Master, Ada Blackjack, and The Aqua Net Diaries, a memoir about her high school experiences. She grew up in Indiana and now lives with her fiancé and literary cats in Los Angeles. For more information, visit JenniferNiven.com, GermMagazine.com, or find her on Facebook or Twitter.
Praise For…
“…this heartbreaking love story about two funny, fragile, and wildly damaged high school kids named Violet and Finch is worth reading. Niven is a skillful storyteller who never patronizes her characters – or her audience.”
— Entertainment Weekly
“Many teen novels touch on similar themes, but few do it so memorably.”
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"In her YA debut, adult author Niven creates a romance so fresh and funny. . . The journey to, through, and past tragedy is romantic and heartbreaking, as characters and readers confront darkness, joy, and the possibilities—and limits—of love in the face of mental illness.”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
“The writing in this heartrending novel is fluid, despite the difficult topics… Finch in particular will linger in readers’ minds long after the last page is turned.”
—School Library Journal, starred review
"Ultimately, the book, with narration that alternates between Finch and Violet, becomes Violet’s story of survival and recovery, affirming the value of loving deeply, grieving openly, and carrying your light forward."
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
“Have The Fault in Our Stars withdrawal? Pick up this heartrending novel about a girl who vows to live with purpose after bonding with a boy who plans to end his own life.”
— SELF Magazine
"It’s touching, vibrant, and an impressively honest depiction of depression."
— BuzzFeed
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
A Miami Herald Best Books for Children
GoodReads Choice Awards Young Adult Fiction Category Winner
A TIME Top Young Adult Book of the Year
A NPR Guide to Great Reads Book