SADDEST BOOK EVER?
"All the Bright Places" is Jennifer Niven's first YA novel that came out in January 2015 and is set to be adapted into a movie. I liked how the novel raises awareness about some serious issues that teenagers face, and how Niven turned that into an interesting read.
The book starts at a rather unusual location – atop the bell tower of a school somewhere in Indiana. Theodore Finch – a suicidal teenager – is contemplating jumping off and ending his life. But then he notices Violet Murkey – a rather popular girl – standing at the edge of the same. They don't jump, but [spoiler]. Later, they are assigned a group project where teams of two are to visit different places in Indiana, and Theodore volunteers to be Violet's partner. Thus begins their adventures and a love story ensues.
The book touches quite a few dark themes, with mental illness and depression being highlighted, and the darkness lingers in the book. On one hand we have Theodore, an eccentric boy who constantly has suicidal thoughts as a result of domestic problems and bullying at school, and on the other hand we have Violet, a writer who has been depressed since a tragic death in the family. The story revolves around their adventurous wanderings, their personal struggles in coping with their respective problems, and of course their relationship. Some may say that there's not much of a plot in this novel; I like to see it as life unravelling, so the lack of an out-of-the-box story doesn't bother me here.
I consulted Goodreads before getting started on the book, and found that most people compared it with The Fault in Our Stars and/or Eleanor & Park. As I proceeded with the book itself, I understood why the comparisons had been made. There are certain John Green-esque elements you'd find in All the Bright Places, such as road trips and finding and following clues. More importantly, the character of Theodore might as well have been taken right out of a John Green novel. As to the comparison with Eleanor & Park, I think that it was mostly due to the sad backstories to the characters and the alternating narratives that give you an insight into both Violet and Finch's lives and perspectives.
I'm not satisfied with how little we get to know about characters other than the protagonists. For example, we know that Theo has two best friends, but that's about all we know about them. In fact, he seems to have a closer relationship with his counsellor than with his friends. And while we get to know about both Theo and Violet's family members, I felt that there was no real character development there.
In retrospect, All the Bright Places is a light read with heavy emotions and a twist that I saw coming. Still, it portrays youth issues in a way most other YA novels can't. So long as you don't actively look for TFIOS elements in this novel, I'd recommend this interesting book, especially if you love the genre.
Arman R. Khan is an engineer, a caffeine addict, a dreamer and a culture enthusiast who takes life one day at a time. Correspond with him at fb.com/arman.r.khan or tweet @ArmanRK
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