All The Bright Places

It has been freezing this week walking to college! And yet here on the south coast, we have had no snow all winter, and it does not look like we are going to have it this week either. Some of my friends who live further up the country have had lots, and I have had to endure many photos of snow covered gardens that have made me very jealous. Shame, I felt like skiving off college! It would be like having two half terms!

The book I have just finished reading even features snow, as it is set in Indiana in the middle of winter. It is All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven, and it is brilliant. The book's main characters, Violet Markey and Theodore Finch, are complete opposites. Theo has spent his whole life standing out and wandering free, yet is still so unhappy he wants to kill himself. Violet has gone from the popular cheerleader to a girl who never travels further than the streets surrounding her home after the death of her sister, and yet is content to live a life that limited. Together, they begin to explore new possibilities in their lives. But as Theo manages to get Violet to leave her comfort zone, he becomes more and more miserable, and Violet does not know how to help.

My favourite thing about the book is the stories about the weird, wonderful and unique places they travel to, as they show how the world around you is often more interesting than you think it is. My personal favourite is the women who runs a second hand book store in several caravans in a field, with a separate van for each genre. I wish we had one of those round here!

However, I am slightly annoyed that the Author is compared to John Green on the cover, with readers saying this book is the next Fault In Our Stars. Personally, I think they are completely different. The characters, the writing style, the sort of places they go, and the reasons the characters are the way they are all unique to each book. I love both books, but think they should be admired individually!

 I recommend All The Bright Places to all older teens. Have you read it? Comment with your own views if you have.