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The Sky Is Everywhere

by Jandy Nelson (Goodreads Author)

4.17 · rating details · 7,279 ratings · 1,577 reviews

Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life ? and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey's...more

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Published by Brilliance Audio (first published March 9th 2010)

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Dec 03, 2010

~Tina~ rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: to-own, young-adult, read-2010, lib, set-to-music

This is more of a ramble then a review, so bare with me.

After reading this book, my emotions were kinda everywhere at once.
There are a lot of different ways that people grieve when they loss someone they love.
Lennie unconsciously and purposely explores her sexuality with not one but two guys in her life. Joe is the new boy in town, talented musician and all around swoon-worthy while Toby just happens to be her sister boyfriend.
There is a very fine line to right and...moreThis is more of a ramble then a review, so bare with me.

After reading this book, my emotions were kinda everywhere at once.
There are a lot of different ways that people grieve when they loss someone they love.
Lennie unconsciously and purposely explores her sexuality with not one but two guys in her life. Joe is the new boy in town, talented musician and all around swoon-worthy while Toby just happens to be her sister boyfriend.
There is a very fine line to right and wrong that Lennie is treading on and at first I was pretty tossed up about it. On one hand, to turn to someone for comfort, to feel mad-hot kisses and hands exploring, getting lost in the sensation of lust and need, to feel alive, it's actually pretty realistic and normal way to deal with lost. I just didn't expect to find this method in a YA book with a character who hasn't really began to experience with it to begin with. But then I thought, why not? Toby and Len have experience the same lost and they understand what the other is going through. Is it right? Is it wrong? There is no real answer and quite frankly it doesn't matter, people do messed up things to make it better. Anything to not be able to feel pain or connecting in a way that keeps the memory alive in some twisted up way, but there it is, making this situation more bittersweet then it already is.
Then there's Joe, someone animated and funny and sweet and sexy and says things that can melt any heart. He's already had to mend one broken heart and has been betrayed all over again. I had to go with Joe here, at least for awhile, I wasn't sure I could forgive Len at first either but then I realize that it wasn't ever about deep emotion with Toby, it was just to fill a void that they desperately needed to fill. Poor Joe just walked in at the wrong time.
Len and Joe are such a sweet couple, sure, it's a bit rushed but the sap in me couldn't care less, I wanted them together. Period.

Overall, The Sky is Everywhere really surprised me in the best way possible. I laughed, I cried, I cringed and I grinned from ear to ear and I have such a crush on Joe!
A touching, raw and emotional read that pulls at your heart strings and defines how people who have lost a loved one can still smile and laugh and love and finally...let go.

An Amazing Debut!
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Apr 07, 2011

Lisa O. rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: ya-lit, favorites, need-to-re-read, swoooooon

Yesterday, searching for something "light" to read, I picked up The Sky Is Everywhere. Funny how I needed to relax and ended up not being able to put it down until I finished the last page, at 2am.

Lennie Walker is a teenage clarinetist whose beloved sister, Bailey, suddenly dies of a heart failure. This is the story of her journey through grief and loss, through teenage hormones and love, through family and friendship, in the quest to eventually find her true self and survi...more

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Oct 03, 2011

Maja rated it

· review of another edition

Recommended to Maja by: Lisa O.

Shelves: own-a-dtb, ya, amazing-writing, books-that-changed-me, books-with-soundtracks, contemporary-fiction, cover-lust, favorites, my-flat-army, incredibly-stupid-choices, reviewed-in-2011

Each time someone dies, a library burns.

First of all, let me just say that reading this as an ebook is a crime against literature and should be punished as such. The edition I’m holding resembles a diary with its worn cover, wonderful illustrations, little handwritten notes, blue ink and a rubber band holding it all together. It is, without a shadow of a doubt, the prettiest book I’ve ever seen. If you can’t get your hands on a paper edition, wait until you do or you’ll be robbing your...moreEach time someone dies, a library burns.

First of all, let me just say that reading this as an ebook is a crime against literature and should be punished as such. The edition I’m holding resembles a diary with its worn cover, wonderful illustrations, little handwritten notes, blue ink and a rubber band holding it all together. It is, without a shadow of a doubt, the prettiest book I’ve ever seen. If you can’t get your hands on a paper edition, wait until you do or you’ll be robbing yourself of the most wonderful experience.

Second, I think it’s safe to say that this book isn't for everyone. The mixed reviews have already proven as much. Many of you would probably be severely irritated by this dreamlike experience. Besides, a lot of people find Lennie to be quite unlikeable and I must admit that I can see why. She makes so many horrible mistakes. She is lost, insecure, her actions can often be interpreted as selfish and she is very skilful in telling lies. If that’s all someone can see in her, there’s no reason to even try to like her. But I saw a different layer of her character, one that is confused, scared and alone and it didn’t take long for her to win me over.

I put aside for a moment the fact that I’ve turned into a total strumpet-harlot-trollop-wench-jezebel-tart-harridan-chippy-nymphet because I’ve just realized something incredible. This is it - what all the hoopla is about, what Wuthering Heights is about – it all boils down to this feeling rushing through me in this moment with Joe as our mouths refuse to part. Who knew all this time I was one kiss away from being Cathy and Juliet and Elizabeth Bennet and Lady Chatterley!?

Writing a plot summary or trying to explain The Sky Is Everywhere in any way would probably do more harm than good. If I tried to write about Lennie’s story, about her sister Bailey who died of arrhythmia while rehearsing for the role of Juliet, I’d be running the risk of making this book sound so ordinary. The Sky Is Everywhere is nothing short of extraordinary in every way that counts.

Joe… must I go there?! I’m trying to be an adult here, a serious, calm, respectable adult. But Joe can take that away in a second and turn me into a useless, gushing teenager with his joeliciousness, his musicality, his gentleness, his humor, his boldness and his Frenchness and those damn eyelashes. Bat. Bat. Bat. *swoon*

The secondary characters are just as amazing: the hippie Gram who grows flowers famous for their aphrodisiac powers, the five-times-married-five-times-divorced uncle no woman can resist and the sweet and charming brothers Fontaine. They all had a huge part in making this story so special, so unlike any other story I’ve ever read.

And Jandy Nelson, where on earth did you come from?!? Your writing is like this huge energy ball that found its place in my stomach and just exploded over and over and over again, making me cry, laugh or jump with excitement, turning me into whatever you wanted me to be at that particular moment. You had a remote control for my moods and you weren’t afraid to use it and for that you have my eternal love and respect. Yes, I had a Maggie-sized hole in my heart and yes, I thought you might fill it for a second, but instead I ended up with a Maggie-sized hole and a Jandy-sized hole right next to it. You are nobody’s replacement, lady. You are far too good for that.

I will shut up now and try to preserve some semblance of dignity.

Oh, but I forgot my favorite quote:
This is our story to tell. He says it in his Ten Commandments way and it hits me that way: profoundly. You’d think for all the reading I do, I would have thought about this before, but I haven’t. I’ve never once thought about the interpretative, the storytelling aspect of life, of my life. I always felt like I was in a story, yes, but not like I was the author of it, or like I had any say in its telling whatsoever.
You can tell your story any way you damn well please.
It’s your solo.
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Oct 28, 2010

Arlene rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: read-2010, ya-contemporary, favorites, books-i-own

Sometimes you must lose everything to find yourself.

Jandy Nelson’s debut novel The Sky is Everywhere is an absolute must read for YA readers. I breezed through this book in one sitting, and I’m still going over in my heart and in my mind all the emotions this book made me feel about the complexities of grief and loss.

Surprisingly enough, there were moments this book had me laughing out loud… literally guffawing and I’m not one prone to bursting out in hysterics, but Le...moreSometimes you must lose everything to find yourself.

Jandy Nelson’s debut novel The Sky is Everywhere is an absolute must read for YA readers. I breezed through this book in one sitting, and I’m still going over in my heart and in my mind all the emotions this book made me feel about the complexities of grief and loss.

Surprisingly enough, there were moments this book had me laughing out loud… literally guffawing and I’m not one prone to bursting out in hysterics, but Lennie’s analogies and mental conflict, especially how she chose to express herself were truly hilarious at times. But at the same time, I’d become grounded and found myself sighing in sadness over her hurt and guilt. She took me along her journey of loss, confusion, betrayal, and self discovery; and refused to let go until she finished her story and went on her merry way. I was hooked on her every word and could probably listen to what she had to say for like ever!

Everything she shared about herself and her feelings served a purpose and not one word was wasted. In her own special way she came across as unintentionally funny, unabashedly snarky and unapologetically honest in what she expresses, feels and struggles with. She’s definitely a contender for my favorite female fictional character

In this book, Lennie shares her story of her life at seventeen immediately after the sudden and tragic death of her older sister Bailey. On her sister’s last day, Bailey was standing in their room bugging Lennie to share her opinion on what she should wear, and Lennie carelessly responded I don’t care what you wear. Those were the last words she ever spoke to her sister that she loved dearly. It made me think… how many times have I had a careless response like I don’t care… to one of my sisters? How would I feel if those were the last words I ever spoke to one of them??? But as Lennie showed us, in the same world where something as horrible as a sister dying, something as wonderful as falling in love can happen. This book hit close to home for me in so many ways it felt surreal.

I just have to mention a few characters that surprisingly won me over quite quickly. I loved Lennie’s best friend Sarah. She’s loyal and honest and who wouldn’t love a girl who suffers from an ole macdonld’s version of turrets syndrome and sports shitkickers!?! I’ve recently acquired an immense liking for any characters that wear shitkickers. =) The other character I have to mention, is bat bat bat Joe. He was just full of awesomeness! Regardless of his reaction to a choice that Lennie made, I never lost hope in him that he’d eventually bring down his barrier and forgive. I struggled with Toby for a portion of the book, but one of the last scenes where Lennie found a special something at her sister’s grave site, made my heart ultimately ache for him. Those are just a few characters that I had to mention, but this story if filled with gems that will pull at your heartstrings the entire time and the ending is one that will leave you uplifted and filled with hope.

Great book that I’m so glad I had the chance to experience, and one I have no reservations in recommending to others.

Favorite Quotes in the Book

I’m huddled into the corner of the couch. I have no use for talking. I’d just as soon store paperclips in my mouth. - Lennie aka JL

It’s as if someone vacuumed up the horizon while we were looking the other way. - Lennie aka JL

Our tongues have fallen madly in love, gotten married and moved to Paris… Heathcliff and Cathy have nothing on us. - Lennie aka JL

I’ve never met anyone as heart broken as JL. I want to make her feel better.. want to be around her all the time… it’s crazy… it’s like she’s on full blast and everyone else is just on mute. - bat bat bat Joe

Each time someone dies, a library burns. - Anonymous

My heart is yours.
I hear your soul in your music.
I belong to you.
- Lennie aka John Lennon(less)

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Sep 02, 2010

Tatiana rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: fans of extra-emo YA

Shelves: 2010, ya, chick-lit, tres-annoying, ala-ya-2011

The Sky Is Everywhere is undoubtedly a beautifully written book. Its emotional prose and the story itself will resonate with many (female) readers. You have grief here, the main character's journey to live with it, her inability to sort out her feeling for two guys - her dead sister's fiancee, who understands and shares her feelings perfectly, and a new boy in town, whose sheer presence makes her forget her pain. A generous amount of passion will entice many too. But for me it never quite worked...more

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Sep 16, 2011

Jo marked it as gave-up-on · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, boy-crush, kindle, might-go-back-to, on-hold, ya

The flowery language/metaphors ((view spoiler)) were so distracting and exhausting. They didn't fit with the characters/story line at all. It was like this book couldn't decide whether it wanted to be a funny book (all the cheekychappy asides, chats about boners etc) or a sadtime book.
I found the contrast too jarring.

Reading this book was like eating a bowl of potpourri.
It seems li...more

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Jan 24, 2012

Heather rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, ya

The Sky is Everywhere is a bit of an oddity. I can’t pinpoint how it made me feel to read it, and I think that may be why I liked it.

Lennie, aka John Lennon, is struggling to cope with her sister Bailey’s sudden death. At 16, Lennie has never been the sole focus of her own life. She’s always been eclipsed by the vibrance of her older sister, or so Lennie thinks. Nevertheless, Lennie has always adored Bailey, just as much if not more than anyone else. She simply doesn’t know how to be...moreThe Sky is Everywhere is a bit of an oddity. I can’t pinpoint how it made me feel to read it, and I think that may be why I liked it.

Lennie, aka John Lennon, is struggling to cope with her sister Bailey’s sudden death. At 16, Lennie has never been the sole focus of her own life. She’s always been eclipsed by the vibrance of her older sister, or so Lennie thinks. Nevertheless, Lennie has always adored Bailey, just as much if not more than anyone else. She simply doesn’t know how to be without Bailey’s bright light guiding her. Lost in grief, Lennie closes herself off to everyone, with the exception of Toby, Bailey’s fiancé. Its Lennie’s belief that Toby is the only other soul who’s life is now as bleak as her own, whose loss is as comparable to hers. In her mind, she and Toby made up Bailey’s whole heart, and thus these two reach out to one another in some vague hopes of bringing back any semblance of what they have lost. But the arrival of Joe Fontaine makes Lennie question what kind of life she has always led, and for the first time, she begins to imagine what her life could be.

Lennie is a hard one to describe. She might just be one of the most authentic characters I’ve read in a long while. I say this because there are no handful of words to describe her. She’s complex, incredibly hormonal and her actions often defy logic. How human of her!

Like many readers of this story, I wanted to scoff at her relationship with Toby, especially when it so quickly turned physical, but when I took a step back, it made a weird sort of sense. Grief can overwhelm a person and cause them to reach out to those who wouldn’t normally be a beacon in ways they wouldn’t usually consider. These two characters were tied to one another by love and I suppose expression of that love was bound to occur. And I’ll admit I got some enjoyment out of reading the steamy scenes. They accurately depicted the illogical actions that often accompany lust. But my enjoyment of these scenes aside, I was a champion for Joe. Toby and Lennie’s connection was based entirely on grief of what was lost, whereas Joe brought light and possibility into Lennie’s universe. Again, I was momentarily deterred when these two were so quick to consider becoming physical, but that’s about how it works isn’t it? Love and lust are inextricably linked and when one is “in love” lust undeniably follows. It was the most honest portrayal of modern relationships I’ve read in this genre to date. Because let’s face it, teenage boys, and girls for that matter, aren’t usually content with kissing and solving one another’s emotional problems. Their heads are in the clouds and they want to do everything. Kudos to Jandy Nelson for baring it all in a no holds bared way.

Additionally, there are some truly beautiful thoughts and emotions afoot within this book. And I’m sure that any music lover or creative soul will have a bit of a soft spot for this one. It’s a bit unnerving to read, but it’ll suck you in.
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Sep 14, 2010

Annalisa rated it

· review of another edition

Recommended to Annalisa by: Joanna

Shelves: young-adult, romance, psychology, contemporary

Some beautiful, lyrical prose about love and loss and growing up. It had some great lines and great emotions. It's a little too Bohemian love story for my taste, but the characters were lovable and quirky and I liked them anyway. (On a side note, if I have to read one more story about a teenage girl whose favorite book is Wuthering Heights and she's read every classic out there, I'm going to poke my eyes out. Okay, the Wuthering Heights obsession worked on Lennie, but it would have worked better...moreSome beautiful, lyrical prose about love and loss and growing up. It had some great lines and great emotions. It's a little too Bohemian love story for my taste, but the characters were lovable and quirky and I liked them anyway. (On a side note, if I have to read one more story about a teenage girl whose favorite book is Wuthering Heights and she's read every classic out there, I'm going to poke my eyes out. Okay, the Wuthering Heights obsession worked on Lennie, but it would have worked better if every other author hadn't already used it, and I would have liked it more if she hadn't read every other classic that most adults are still trying to get through and think that Love in the Time of Cholera was beautiful. Okay, I'm glad I got that out of my system.)

About halfway through the novel I felt this discord with what the story was saying and what I think Nelson wanted the story to say. According to Lennie's narrative, love is sex. Not that the story is filled with sex, gratefully, but the way she falls in love is all about the physical. When Lennie is falling head over heels, not once did I get a description of how lover boy made her feel special or how adorable he was because he was kind and perceptive or what an amazing musician he was. Every time it was Lennie not thinking about super-amazing, drop-dead-gorgeous guy and then all of a sudden she sees him and remembers how gorgeous he is and she has to have him. Or they start kissing and all of a sudden her life revolves around him. I think Nelson wanted to show that Lennie was so caught in love that she went cloud-nine crazy, but I didn't get the falling in love with a soul part. I only got the falling in lust with a hot guy part.

Maybe it would have helped if I were caught up in how amazing lover boy was, but what stood out for me were the bad-boyfriend red flags. That "you ever cross me and I will never speak to you again, no chance to explain or apologize" lack of forgiveness is volatile no-trust ground in a relationship. I understood why he was that way, but it kind of scared me. And the way he sought out what would be most hurtful and revengeful when he was angry turned me off the most. When things were good, he was a happy little ray of sunshine, but I personally didn't think he was very boyfriend-worthy to a girl going through so much grief. He had the qualities to be the kind of broken you want to protect (like Lennie) or the musical genius so caught up in his art you want to absorb him (like Lennie too), but these characteristics weren't developed enough to stand out above the passion that didn't sit right with me. Other girls may like him, but he's not my favorite romantic catch.

In the end, Lennie is the one who makes this story shine. After all, it is her story. She is so vivid and heartbroken and lovable that you feel for this loss she's going through. While her boyfriend's passion didn't resonate with me, Lennie's did. The poems she scatters through her day, the vulnerability of her music, the want to be as passionate as Catherine and Heathcliff. She is so very intense teenage girl, full of sadness and beauty and the weight of grief.(less)

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Dec 05, 2010

Nic rated it

· review of another edition

Recommended to Nic by: Nomes

Shelves: favourites, young-adult, 2010, realistic-fiction, swoon-worthy-read

Favourite Quote: 'I look into his sorrowless eyes and a door in my heart blows open. And when we kiss, I see that on the other side of that door is the sky.'

This review is not going to be like normal because The Sky Is Everywhere is so STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL it hard to get the words out. So I thought I use some pictures to help express my thoughts.

description

The Sky Is Everywhere made my heart ache. The above picture pretty much sums up Lennie's life and also the way it...more

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Apr 21, 2011

oliviasbooks rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, ya-contemporary, romance, unfinished-2011

It's beautifully written. Therefore anything less than three stars seems to be pretty unfair. Plus I can understand Lennie's actions and I like her memories of her sister and the closeness between them (mostly conveyed in compact prose). But still, I didn't manage to connect with Lennie, which made reading the book harder and harder. I stopped at page 69 and browsed through the rest.
Downloading and reading sample chapters should be the right thing for me and my purse. But the method does ...more

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Mar 31, 2010

Allison (The Allure of Books) rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-realistic-ya, own-it, 2010, loved-it

This book is, quite simply, stunning. Magical, hilarious, heart breaking, passionate, real...seriously. It has captivated me and left me a slobbering, stuttering cheeseball in its wake.

I have so much I want to say about it, but at the same time I want to keep all my thoughts to myself and say only that this might be the best book I have ever read...or very high up the list anyway.

Within two pages, I had a huge grin on my face. Within ten pages I had probably laughed about...more

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Apr 19, 2011

Caren rated it

· review of another edition

The Sky Is Everywhere was one of the first books I read in 2011, and still to this day, it’s stayed with me. Every time someone asks me for a recommendation, it’s the first one I mention. I really want everyone to love this book just as much as I did, and luckily everyone who has taken my rec hasn’t come back disappointed!

The summary up above pretty much explains it all. Lennie is facing the aftermath of her sister’s death and learning how to cope with a life that Bailey no longer exis...more

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Jun 30, 2010

Nomes rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: i-own, 2010, read-it-in-a-page-flipping-frenzy, love-triangle, fave-reads-of-2010, rainy-day-comfort-reads, swoon-worthy-crushes

So I saw a fair few raves about this and, had just come out of a bit of a binge read of grief-type books, so I thought I wasn't in the mood for another one... somehow, (I think partly the cute trailer), I caved.

But this book, IMO, is in a whole league of it's own.

The writing is intensely beautiful. Oh - I did some serious sentence-crushing. Reading this was like being submerged in emotion and love and all things wild and mad and crazy and the grief was just so poignant an...more

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Oct 05, 2011

Debby rated it

· review of another edition

Recommended to Debby by: Matt McNeil

Shelves: 5-star-books

WOW! Stunning! If you like teen fiction, you will want to check out The Sky is Everywhere! This book knocked my socks off!

Jandy Nelson is one phenomenal storyteller with a gift for developing characters that come to life, for writing dialogue that is so honest and real and for drawing you into the character's lives in such a way that you feel what they feel. The dialogue blew me away it was so brutally and refreshingly real and heartfelt in all its highs, lows and everything in be...more

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Jan 24, 2012

Melannie :) rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: read-2011

Although I had HIGH expectations for this one, and I still think it doesn't live up to the hype, I found myself smiling as I read the last words.

And it's because despite of it all, I think the book well written.

But the characters, oh the characters, I didn't get them (no wait, I did get Joe, I think he's awesome) even though they were very three-dimensional, (I'm talking about Lennie here) I just couldn't swallow her, to me she was just a pathetic, little selfish brat wit...more

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Sep 09, 2011

Aly (Fantasy4eva) rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: oh-how-the-heart-flutters, favourites, boys-that-make-me-swoon, crushing-on-the-cover, fast-paced-and-engrossing, i-ache-for-you, pleasantly-surprised

THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE is a beauty. It's one of those rare reads that leaves you slightly speechless and at a loss as to what to do when you have turned that last page.

I had no idea what I had in stall when I cracked open this book.

Lennie doesn't want to feel this way, but she cant help it. Her sister Bailey is dead, yet at her funereal all she can think about is kissing boys. She senses an urgency in their eyes that matches her own, that want and grief. She wants to fill ...moreTHE SKY IS EVERYWHERE is a beauty. It's one of those rare reads that leaves you slightly speechless and at a loss as to what to do when you have turned that last page.

I had no idea what I had in stall when I cracked open this book.

Lennie doesn't want to feel this way, but she cant help it. Her sister Bailey is dead, yet at her funereal all she can think about is kissing boys. She senses an urgency in their eyes that matches her own, that want and grief. She wants to fill herself with that urgency, soak up their grief and meld it with her own because she is so lost right now. Her sister was everything to her. What is Lennie when there is no Bailey?

THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE is gorgeously written. The prose, the poetry, the boys and this journey of self discovery that Lennie goes through is so heart-rendingly beautiful. There is not enough praise that can explain my love for this book.

Since her sisters death she finds her own way to express her thoughts, and she does this by jotting down thoughts on anything that comes in sight and lets it go. You can find her notes inside her drawer, in the forest, beside a trash can, under a rock. They aren't there for anyone in particular to find, but a way for her to let her thoughts run free, but it's not as simple as that. As beautiful as her poetry is, Lennie still finds herself suffocated by this unbearable grief. This ache in the pit of her stomach that won't leave her be.

This is where Toby and Joe come in.

Joe is the new boy. Lovely and sweet - with those lovely long lashes, he makes her heart flutter and makes her want to feel something else apart from pain. And then there is Toby - her sisters ex. With Toby there is more pain more confusion and grief. A pain that she can understand too well. When she is around Toby she feels closer to her sister, but what Toby may have for her, may not be what she exactly wants.

Oh Toby. Can I just say that I adore him? I know many seem to adore Joe, and I get it. But the very moment I laid eyes on this boy, I was a total goner. He is hurting, sensitive, charming, loving and everything that makes me want to hold him, comfort him and be there for him, but at the same time, he makes me swoon. Heart-breaker <3

There are days like today where I'll watch, read or witness something which will leave me somewhat sad. So I'll make that cup of tea, grab myself some chocolate, play that romantic sad song and find myself wondering around my bookshelf for something that promises tears, a strong emotional reaction. THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE is a book that in these instances I find myself being pulled towards. I don't re - read much, but Lennie' story I could read over and over again.

BASICALLY FOLKS.

THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE is a blow - you - away kind of read. (less)

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Nov 29, 2010

Tina rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, contemporary, ya

Original post at One More Page

I think the thing about reading books about death and grief is it's hard to relate to it if you haven't experienced the kind of grief the characters are experiencing. I've read a couple of books that dealt with those topics and while I really loved them and the characters resonated with me, I don't think I fully related to the characters and their plight because I am still blessed enough not to experience the kind of death that these characters had. This h...more

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Apr 14, 2011

Lisa rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: i-own-a-copy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I had my eyes on this book since it first came out about a year ago. Obviously, since I didn't have a job, me buying a hardcover novel for 23 dollars was one of the last things on my list. It just came out in paperback and I bought it right away. The only regret I have with this novel is not buying it sooner. It was honestly such an amazing book. It tugged on my heartstrings in a way not a lot of books are able to do. I cried at least 3 times through it and I had to slow myself down while readin...more

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May 14, 2011

Amy Gonzalez rated it

· review of another edition

When Lennie's older sister, Bailey, suddenly dies, Lennie's world is completely turned upside down. Bailey was Lennie's rock, her guide. Without her, she doesn't know how to live; she's afraid to live and let herself be happy. She turns to Bailey's boyfriend, Toby, and a new boy at school, Joe, to help her heal her broken heart.

I absolutely loved Lennie--how she would write poems and memories on paper cups and candy wrappers and leave them around town for other people to find--how she...more

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Nov 02, 2011

Zemira ♥'s Conrad,Adrian and Tucker rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: All my Goodreads palls

Recommended to Zemira by: Those Aussie reviewers got me hooked on other great books so I just thought this was another one and I was right.

Shelves: romance, realistic, contemporary, music, i-own, death, favorite, hot-guys, all-time-favorites, cry-fest

First of all let me say that if any of you are planning to read this book,please buy the UK edition. It was the most beautiful book I ever held in my hands. Miss Ivashkov here are pictures,as I promised. :) Those are some of Lennie's poems.

I know you hear this line everywhere but I am going to say it anyhow. I can't quite explain why this book was so good,it just is. Jandy Nelson's writing style is just wonderful. I felt like she lost someone very important in her lif...more

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Feb 06, 2011

Paige rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: the-decent-shelf-of-meh

Also appears on The Screaming Nitpicker.

Since her older sister Bailey died at nineteen due to a problem with her heart, Lennie Walker has been at a complete loss. She's always had Bailey there with her, acting as the companion pony to her sister's racehorse. Still drowning in her grief, she is forced to stand on her own and live day-by-day when all she wants is her sister back. This is all happening at the same time as her sexual awakening and the trouble she has with two boys: new s...moreAlso appears on The Screaming Nitpicker.

Since her older sister Bailey died at nineteen due to a problem with her heart, Lennie Walker has been at a complete loss. She's always had Bailey there with her, acting as the companion pony to her sister's racehorse. Still drowning in her grief, she is forced to stand on her own and live day-by-day when all she wants is her sister back. This is all happening at the same time as her sexual awakening and the trouble she has with two boys: new student and fellow musical talent Joe Fontaine and Toby Shaw, Bailey's boyfriend and the boy she seeks comfort in.

I have not seen characterization this strong and this wonderful for a while. For once, I felt like I could tell someone what the heroine's personality was if asked! Not only was Lennie a good heroine, she was a realistic one--she's not without her flaws, such as her insecurity and her selfishness in the wake of Bailey's death. Even Bailey, dead for the entirety of the story, had such great characterization and presence that she was alive in a way. This was the same for many of the characters, including Gram, Joe, and Uncle Big. The notes left in books, on branches, and on bathroom walls offer even more insight into the mind of this grief-addled girl.

Of all the times for Lennie to wake up and realize that boys are there and she likes them, it was horrible that it happened right after her sister's death. The overwhelming grief and new sexual desires tangle up inside of her, leading to more than a few problems (can we say Toby?). My word isn't because I have only lost two relatives (one died when I was too young to remember and the other... well, I had a hard time finding it in me to miss and mourn her because of what she did to my family), but The Sky is Everywhere is a stunning portrait of grief. No, not just of grief. Of the the internal struggle that happens when you're trying to move on with your life after someone's death and yet refuse to let them go because you're afraid they'll think badly of you from wherever they are. Everyone hurts, not just Lennie.

I admit, there isn't much of a solid plot to this book. That's why it took me a week to read it when I probably could have done it in three days: I didn't feel like there was anything to keep me reading. Sometime around page 180, something kicked in. Maybe it was that Lennie was forced to stand on her own after all the people she had been leaning on refused to hold her up anymore. Maybe it was that the hints of something more to everything finally got through my thick skull to my brain. Whatever it was, I sat in my chair for two hours and finished reading The Sky is Everywhere. You want plot? Go elsewhere. You want a character-driven novel? Here's your stop.

Despite its wonders, The Sky is Everywhere is not without flaw. My mortal nemesis good friend, the "love rival is a bitch" trope, made an appearance with the help of Rachel, the girl who holds first chair clarinet in Lennie's class. Did Rachel have any use in the story other than to make Lennie feel insecure and make her angst about whether or not Joe's involved with Rachel? Parts of this story, especially the beginning, were very telltelltell instead of showshowshow and constant telling is irritating, to say the least. There were also a few... interesting and unneeded references in there. We don't need to know that Gram doesn't drive, and that moment of "now I know why that king abdicated his throne for love, love is awesome" was a little overdramatic. Not so much bad as it was strange and out-of-nowhere.

Unless the reader lacks a heart, this book will most likely make someone cry at least once. Stories like this are not my typical fare (I prefer romance to remain a subplot, if it has to be there at all, and action), but The Sky is Everywhere was worth the time spent reading it. The novel is never about just grief or just love: it's always about both of them and how they affect everyone in the Walker family, not just Lennie. For once, there is good reason for all the praise this novel has garnered.(less)

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May 01, 2011

Theresa Milstein rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

I was hesitant to read the book because it's about grief. Lennie lost her older sister unexpectedly and doesn't know how to move on. I've read novels that deal with loss, but never with such a startling realization by the protagonist of all that was lost for the dead and the living who loved her.

Lennie's eccentric grandmother, doped up uncle, over-the-top friend, and talented musician/hot guy/new student reach out. But only her sister's boyfriend seems to understand the magnitude ...more

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Jan 19, 2011

Joy (joyous reads) rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: favourites, cant-put-these-down

Yep. No sleep, finished this in five hours. I'll edit my review later.

*UPDATED REVIEW*

Imagine yourself being seventeen. You haven't seen your mother for sixteen years; your father is unknown. All of your life you've always had your older sister, your best friend. One day, your sister dies of arrythmia. How do you cope?

Well for one, you find solace and common grief with Toby, your sister's boyfriend. Simple enough.

But then you meet Joe. French, mus...more

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Oct 19, 2010

Kerri rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: favourite-books

This book just took over top spot in my favorite books of all time. It is beautifully written. The characters are mesmerizing. You will laugh and then in your next breath, you will cry. I started reading this book at lunch and devoured it before finally going to bed. Then I got up the next morning and reread it again, just so I could savour all of the bests parts of which there were many.

What's the book about? Because I cannot say it any better than the cover does, here is what the ...more

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Jul 19, 2010

Tahereh Mafi added it · review of another edition

Dear Jandy,

If you're out there, I hope you can hear me.
If you're out there, I hope you get this.
If you're out there, I need you to know I think you're brilliant.

I read your book three days ago and I haven't stopped thinking about it. I can't get your words out of my head, I can't stop thinking about Gram, I can't wash the scent of lilacs from my skin and to be honest I don't really want to. What I want to do is run through the rain and meet Lennie for only ...more

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Jun 02, 2010

Leah rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: books-read-2010, for-review, favorites

Lennie Walker has always felt safe in her sister’s shadow; with Bailey there Lennie could float through life without having to worry too much about being the center of attention. So when Bailey dies, the bottom of Lennie’s world falls from underneath her and she suddenly finds herself very much the center of attention and doesn’t know how to deal with it, particularly when it appears that she has two boys to choose from. There’s Toby, but what kind of girl falls for her sister’s boyfriend; her d...moreLennie Walker has always felt safe in her sister’s shadow; with Bailey there Lennie could float through life without having to worry too much about being the center of attention. So when Bailey dies, the bottom of Lennie’s world falls from underneath her and she suddenly finds herself very much the center of attention and doesn’t know how to deal with it, particularly when it appears that she has two boys to choose from. There’s Toby, but what kind of girl falls for her sister’s boyfriend; her dead sister’s boyfriend, no less? Then there’s Joe, the new boy in town with a grin the size of America. But how can Lennie be falling in love when her sister Bailey isn’t around to witness it? But who is Lennie actually falling in love with? Toby or Joe?

Jandy Nelson’s debut novel only came to my attention a couple of months ago when I saw it being reviewed everywhere after it’s American release. I thought it sounded fantastic and I was pleased to find out that it was going to be published in the UK. I was contacted by one of the ladies who work for Jandy’s UK publishers, Walker, about getting a review copy and I jumped at the chance to be able to get an early copy of the book. It took a little while to arrive and I was eager to get stuck in as soon as possible. I finally finished the book I was reading when The Sky Is Everywhere arrived and got stuck in hoping for a fantastic debut novel.

I knew from reading the blurb of the book that the book dealt, as you can expect if you’ve read the blurb, with death and the aftermath of death and how it affected those left behind. Grief is always a difficult topic to write about and you certainly have to have a certain touch to pull off a book that deals with the aftermath of the death of a loved one. With The Sky Is Everywhere I thought Jandy Nelson did a fantastic job portraying just how confused Lennie was after the death of her sister, and best friend, Bailey. I truly didn’t think the Lennie/Toby strand of the storyline would work; but it really really did. I thought I would find it disgusting and wrong and that it would tarnish Bailey’s memory in some way, but Jandy handled it so well that although it was wrong on a lot of levels, it was also understandable; it made sense.

My absolute favourite favourite favourite (yes I just said favourite three times) part of the book was the blossoming relationship between Lennie and Joe. From that very first meeting, in the first few pages, I loved them together. They seemed to spark off each other so well and I loved that Joe called Lennie John Lennon. Their chemistry was fantastic and they’re almost certainly one of my favourite pair of characters that I’ve read in a long, long time. Of course, with Lennie having to decide between both Toby and Joe there was bound to be some sort of huge part in the middle where it all exploded and let me tell you, it was a good explosion. It was a good way for everything to pour out and boil over and although it was a bit sad, it also meant for a fantastic build up to the end of the book.

I absolutely loved Lennie, right from the off. I’m the kind of person that prefers to stay in the shadows rather than be the center of attention so I could totally understand how much Lennie’s life changes after Bailey’s death. Lennie goes from standing in her sister’s shadow to being the only person there, with no one to stand behind and it was a huge change. She went from being a shy music-geek to fighting off the attentions of two boys. I liked both Toby and Joe but for very different reasons. It was clear that Toby was struggling to come to terms with everything that had happened and although I thought he was a bit full-on at times, I did still manage to understand his feelings. Joe just shone from the page and I couldn’t not love him. Truly, there’s nothing I can say to give Joe the justice he deserves, he was a fantastic character. Two other hugely important characters to the book are Gram, Lennie’s grandmother, as well as Big, Lennie’s Uncle. They’re also fabulous characters and are of huge importance to the book. There’s quite the family atmosphere around Lennie; despite the fact her mother is AWOL and she doesn’t know who her father is but the fact is, Gram and Big – and Bailey, of course – are her family. Surprisingly, although she never makes one appearance, Bailey is also important to the book. Despite the fact she’s dead, she’s alive throughout the book simply by the way in which Lennie relies on her, and the way Lennie keeps her room the same as it was the day she last left it.

The Sky Is Everywhere is a truly fantastic read. Jandy Nelson writes so beautifully that once I managed to sit down and get stuck into the book, I barely wanted to put it down. She writes from Lennie’s point of view incredibly well and Lennie’s voice is just fantastic. Jandy has put a note in the advance copies of the book saying that she herself lost someone important to her around about Lennie’s age so it means she’s able to write grief very very well, as I said. There are a lot of kooky elements to the book all of which add up to make a totally fantastic debut novel. I truly hope Jandy is currently working on her second book, I for one will be snapping it up as soon as it’s physically possible. I hugely recommend The Sky Is Everywhere, it’s a fab read.(less)

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Apr 26, 2010

elissa rated it

· review of another edition

Recommended to elissa by: Capitol Choices

Shelves: youngadult, my_10s_reads, romance

What I said right away: Picked up this ARC at Cap Choices last Friday (thanks, Jamie!). It's good, but I'm having a little bit of trouble keeping things straight, and I've had to flip back to look at something a couple of times. I've been picking at it before I go to bed for the last few nights. The things written all over the place are interesting.

What I say when I'm done: I like the characters, the situation is handled well and realistically, and it was an enjoyable read, but ...more

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Dec 07, 2010

Nicole rated it

· review of another edition

Beautiful and really pulled at my heart... One of the better "death" books I've read lately...

11/28/11
So somehow I just realized that I didn't give this book a full review! :( There's not much I can say because I read it so long ago, but I have to admit that I still think about this book once in a while. It's one of those books that really stays with you. And like I said earlier, this is one of the best books I've read where death was the main theme. But so was love. ...moreBeautiful and really pulled at my heart... One of the better "death" books I've read lately...

11/28/11
So somehow I just realized that I didn't give this book a full review! :( There's not much I can say because I read it so long ago, but I have to admit that I still think about this book once in a while. It's one of those books that really stays with you. And like I said earlier, this is one of the best books I've read where death was the main theme. But so was love. Actually, realizing that I never reviewed this makes me want to read it again... So just hold that thought.

12/6
Officially re-reading this one... Hold on tight for that review!

12/7
Oh. My. GOD! I forgot how honestly and utterly amazing this book is. I just can't get over it... The writing is nearly flawless, especially for a debut novel. I read this is one day (basically), which is what I think happened the first time I read it too. I just couldn't put it down even though I already knew how it ended. It was that intense. Joe was just pure perfection! I remember the first time I read this, I was like what are you doing with Toby you stupid, stupid whore!! But reading it the second time, I realized how much she was hurting. And even though she really liked Joe and finally came to love him, she couldn't let go of Toby. Especially after learning (***SPOILER!!***) that Bailey had been pregnant when she'd died and that she and Toby were engaged (***END OF SPOILER!!***). Like Lennie said, she and Toby were the two people that Bailey loved the most, and so they must have been trying to put her heart back together.

I loved Joe and Lennie. I was a clarinet player once, but I never got into music as much as those two did. Although I have made that honking noise more than once. He is a little pig-headed about things, but Lennie vowed to herself never to kiss Toby again, but lo and behold she breaks that vow and Joe just happens to witness it. I can't give away the ending, but let's just say it's as Victorian as Lennie hoped it would be. You'll just have to read the book to find out what I mean.

To be truthful, the missing mother element was a little random, but I guess it just added to the tragedy of the story. I'm glad Lennie finally decided to talk to Gram, realizing that she wasn't the only one that was hurting. And that Gram was more of a mother than her real one ever could be. It's just too bad that Bailey never figured that out. On that note, I'm still confused as to how Bailey died. Was it an anuerism? Did I miss reading that litte detail somehow? Bt anyway, it was sad and I wish I had known Bailey.

I would recommend this to well, everyone! It's beautiful and heart-breaking, but puts your heart back together at the same time. Sometimes, I honestly felt like I couldn't breathe, just like the characters. This is one of those books where you sound crazy because you're talking out loud to yourself at those really awkward or horrible parts. I will definitely be reading this again. I CANNOT get enough of thise story!(less)

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Jul 13, 2010

Scarlet rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2010

I am copying and pasting my bn.com review:)

This book is breathtakingly good.

Jandy Nelson's first novel is a tender, beautifully written book about grief, love, family, and self-realization. Lennie is just 17 when her beloved older sister Bailey dies abruptly and the after affects of the loss are almost catastrophic. Once a talented clarinet player, Lennie stops playing and begins to hide from everything she once knew. The sadness that comes through in the words of t...more

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Jan 06, 2011

Capillya rated it

· review of another edition

There are some books that I burn through, absorbing every word, drinking every thought, eyes glazed over as I'm completely soaked in the depth of a consuming story.

After reading Nelson's The Sky is Everywhere, it's really hard to not let out one really long sigh with a smile on your face as big as Joe Fontaine's.

Yep, I said it, in that totally lovey-dovey-swoony way that implies I was almost infatuated with this inanimate object wrapped in a really weird sunflare-kissed-cover...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Strategic Reading: How Would You Go On?	13	21	Feb 10, 2012 10:16am
What do you think of Selena Gomez as Lennie ?	14	29	Feb 06, 2012 12:33pm
Epic or what?	7	32	Jan 30, 2012 05:16pm
Epic or what?	2	23	Nov 28, 2011 04:13am
What age group is this for?	3	25	Nov 13, 2011 03:28am
♥!The Young Adult...: Best Book (August) + Giveaway!	1	15	Aug 31, 2011 09:28am

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About Jandy Nelson

Jandy Nelson received a BA from Cornell, an MFA from Brown in poetry, and another MFA from Vermont College in writing for children and young adults. A literary agent for many years, she is also a published poet. The Sky Is Everywhere is her first novel. Jandy lives in San Francisco. www.jandynelson.com, www.theskyiseverywhere.com

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“The sky is everywhere, it begins at your feet.” — 174 people liked it

“I wish my shadow would get up and walk beside me.” — 159 people liked it

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