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Le ciel est partout

by Jandy Nelson (Goodreads Author), Nathalie Peronny (Translator)

4.12 of 5 stars 4.12 · rating details · 20,187 ratings · 2,722 reviews

Un amour brûlant, une perte dévastatrice, Lennie lutte pour trouver sa propre mélodie. Alors que Bailey, sa soeur, sa meilleure amie, vient de mourir, comment continuer ? A-t-elle le droit de plaire, elle aussi ? De désirer Toby? D'être heureuse sans Bailey ? Et comment ose-t-elle rire encore ? Parfois, il faut tout perdre pour se trouver...

Paperback, 331 pages

Published May 17th 2010 by Gallimard Jeunesse (first published March 9th 2010)

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Dec 03, 2010 ~Tina~ rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, read-2010, lib

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 wrong that Lennie is treading...more 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 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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59 likes · like · see review

Apr 07, 2011 Lisa O. rated it 5 of 5 stars · 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 survive her sister's death....more

49 likes · like · see review

Oct 03, 2011 Maja rated it 5 of 5 stars · 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 yourself of t...more 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 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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71 likes · like · see review

Oct 28, 2010 Arlene rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2010, ya-contemporary, favorites, young-adult

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 Lennie’s analogies and mental...more 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 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)

30 likes · like · see review

Apr 21, 2013 Keertana rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Keertana by: Maja

Shelves: beautiful-prose, books-that-linger, favorites, life-changing, rainy-day-re-reads, swoooon, teary-eyed-reads, kick-ass-heroines, 2013-favorites

The Sky is Everywhere is the type of novel that makes me devastated that I only know five languages. You see, perhaps if I knew more words in different languages I could find that one perfect word to describe what this book is. All I know is that it doesn’t exist in the English language. Nelson’s debut is a raw, visceral experience, one that you need to live through yourself to understand its beauty. It’s the type of novel that makes me realize that I’ve been looking at the world the wrong way a...more

16 likes · like · see review

Sep 02, 2010 Tatiana rated it 3 of 5 stars · 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

40 likes · like · see review

Nov 18, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews, trt-gold-star-award-winner

Reviewed by Amber Gibson for TeensReadToo.com

Lennie and Bailey are sisters, best friends, everything to each other. Their mother took off when they were just babies, which Gram has always attributed to the "restless gene" that runs in the family.

When Bailey, vivacious and fiery Bailey, dies of a heart arrhythmia while rehearsing for Romeo & Juliet, Lennie is utterly lost. Without Bailey's guidance, smothering affection, and her untameable spirit, Lennie doesn't know what to do. She has alway...more

6 likes · like · see review

Nov 09, 2012 Maja rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: amazing-writing, made-me-cry, favorites, moments-of-great-frustration, my-flat-army, reread, ya

And so the second time is even better than the first time. Imagine that.
You can enter to win a copy at The Nocturnal Library.

6 likes · like · see review

Sep 16, 2011 Jo marked it as gave-up-on · review of another edition

Shelves: boy-crush, on-hold, ya, e, own

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 like it would be a good idea, in...more

10 likes · like · see review

Jan 24, 2012 Heather rated it 3 of 5 stars · 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 without Bai...more 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 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 3 of 5 stars · 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...more 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 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)

14 likes · like · see review

Dec 05, 2010 Nic rated it 5 of 5 stars · 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 made me feel while reading it. My emot...more

43 likes · like · see review

Mar 10, 2010 Jake Rideout rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, top-fives

I don't have time to write a book review. I really don't. However, I also didn't have time to start a book last night, lay awake until all hours reading it, wake up, devour it during my commute, read a few pages during recess and lunch, and finish it as soon as I got home, pushing a huge assessment and lesson plans to the wayside.

But I did all of those things.

The book is called The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson, and if you are a human being (or similar) you should read it. It comes out tomor...more

6 likes · like · see review

Apr 21, 2011 oliviasbooks rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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

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 not re...more

7 likes · like · see review

Mar 31, 2010 Allison (The Allure of Books) rated it 5 of 5 stars · 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 seven times. Within twe...more

21 likes · like · see review

Apr 19, 2011 Caren rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, book-boyfriend, swoonalicious, rec-to-all-the-people-i-know, all-my-feels

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 exists in.

Mixe...more

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Jun 30, 2010 Nomes rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: i-own, 2010, read-it-in-a-page-flipping-frenzy, love-triangle, faves-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 and the feelings so real t...more

12 likes · like · see review

Oct 05, 2011 Debby rated it 5 of 5 stars · 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 between.

The Sky...more

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Nov 30, 2011 Anya Singh rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: swoon-worthy-guys, tres-hot-musicians, favorites, i-cried, ya, romance, death, kickass-female-protagonists, obsessed-with

“Each time someone dies, a library burns.”

I have always believed that the most depressed minds think the creative-est. Cos they feel everything ten times amplified as if their sensory devices are cranked up to the max and they are very sensitive towards eveything.They draw sarcastic humour from the drama that is their life or just fade into nothingness (read suicidal tendencies)

Take Jimi Hendrix.Or Kurt Cobain.Or Alexander McQueen.Or Georgia Nicholson (Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging).Y...more

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Jun 03, 2011 Jaime Arkin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: recommend-forever, stand-alone-books, swoony-boys, ebook-format, favorites, will-be-rereading, don-t-even-ask-just-read-it, 5-starers, on-my-real-shelves

I couldn't put this book down once I started. When we meet Lennie she's a month out from the death of her older sister and the pain she feels and that Jandy Nelson makes you as the reader feel is heartbreaking.

Through the entire story I had such sorrow and pain for her, not taking into consideration the other people around her. I was so wrapped up in Lennon's character that, like her, you think she's (and Toby) are the only ones affected by this life changing event.

The way Nelson used the litt...more

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Jan 24, 2012 Melannie :) rated it 2 of 5 stars · 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 with no life or personality...more

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Sep 09, 2011 Aly (Fantasy4eva) rated it 5 of 5 stars · 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 herself with that urgenc...more 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 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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Alanna Laura wrote: "I…I’m speechless. Or….I could start swearing up a storm! Selena is cute, but she is NOT Lennie! In my humble opinion. Haha…so much for r...more
Feb 01, 2012 01:56pm

Aly (Fantasy4eva) hey Lanna! it's been a while! hope you're doing good. and i've thought about it a lot since then. it offers hope and i think that's something to hold...more
Feb 02, 2012 04:09am

Sep 20, 2011 April rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own, ya

The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson is not your typical grief book. It’s completely devoid of purple prose, none of this ‘heart shattering in a million pieces, never ending tears’ BS. Rather, The Sky Is Everywhere is full of genuine heart and emotion. Lennie Walker has never been the center of attention, she’s never been the one to make a splash. Instead, the spotlight has been reserved for Lennie’s older sister Bailey. When Bailey dies from an undiagnosed heart condition, Lennie finds herself...more

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Jun 14, 2012 Beth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

I don't know what The Sky is Everywhere is supposed to say, but I know what it said to me: that words and writing are an intrinsic part of life, and that understanding them can help you understand yourself, and that sometimes those words have no answers and you have to take a deep breath and look for the answers in the present. That writing is a redemption, and that life is a redemption, and that sometimes both of them slap you in the face. That there's no yardstick for pain, and none for relati...more

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Nov 29, 2010 Tina rated it 3 of 5 stars · 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 holds me at...more

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Apr 14, 2011 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars · 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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Mar 07, 2012 Dichotomy Girl rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, favorites-2012, ya, library-ebook

4.5 Stars

The Sky is Everywhere is the story of 17-year old Lennie, and how she copes with the sudden death of her old sister Bailey. And in it's wake her unwanted attraction to her Sister's Boyfriend Toby, her feelings for the new boy Joe, and how she fits into a family that is missing not just her sister, but the Mother who abandoned her as a baby.

I think this might be one of those books that you either love or wonder what all the hype is about.

One thing is certain, the emotions of this book...more

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May 14, 2011 Amy Gonzalez rated it 5 of 5 stars · 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 played cl...more

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Apr 07, 2012 Tiffany Neal rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, young-adult-realistic-fiction

I. Love. This. Book.

Why has it taken me this long to pick it up??

**Letting this simmer a little more in order to do this review justice. Absolutely perfect book! **

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Apr 08, 2013 Shelley rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-romance, ya, i-cried

The Sky is Everywhere begins after the death of the lead character’s sister. In the ensuing story the author takes you through the slow crawl of grief, the cacophony of emotions that strike like silent stingers at the most unexpected moments. The ceaseless pain in the pit of your stomach, the guilt over being the one left living… Ugh, *taking deep breath*, this book was difficult for me.

It was so real, and for that reason, this book deserves no less than 5 stars.

For my own personal reasons, I f...more

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The sky is everywhere ending help!!	7	75	20 hours, 12 min ago
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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.” — 436 people liked it

“My sister will die over and over again for the rest of my life. Grief is forever. It doesn't go away; it becomes a part of you, step for step, breath for breath. I will never stop grieving Bailey because I will never stop loving her. That's just how it is. Grief and love are conjoined, you don't get one without the other. All I can do is love her, and love the world, emulate her by living with daring and spirit and joy.” — 431 people liked it

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