All the Bright Places in 2017 Reading Challenge

Feb 02, 2015 Beth Honeycutt rated it it was amazing

I finished this book while sitting on a beautiful porch just a few feet from the ocean. I know that the book will stay with me for a while. Sad, touching, frustrating, and lovely are words to describe my thoughts.

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May 03, 2016 Martha rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2016, fiction, would-read-again, mental-health

What a beautiful, heartbreaking book! I read this as part of a GR book club and found myself appreciating it even more because I was trying to think of points that could start discussion threads.

In terms of Niven's portrayal of Bipolar, I can't offer any opinion because I have no personal experience of it. However, the portrayal of mental health at a broader level resonated deeply, and I thought it was done exceptionally well. Everything was in there - the shame, guilt, social stigma, fear, self What a beautiful, heartbreaking book! I read this as part of a GR book club and found myself appreciating it even more because I was trying to think of points that could start discussion threads.

In terms of Niven's portrayal of Bipolar, I can't offer any opinion because I have no personal experience of it. However, the portrayal of mental health at a broader level resonated deeply, and I thought it was done exceptionally well. Everything was in there - the shame, guilt, social stigma, fear, self-loathing, self-harm, confusion, fear of medication, fear of labels, all of it!

I also found the distinction between Violet and Finch's experiences to be illuminating. They both find themselves up on that bell tower (not a spoiler - it's how the book opens!) in almost the same situation, but as Violet begins to process her grief, Finch's struggle gets worse. If you assumed they were both on the bell tower for the same reason, you could fall into the common trap of thinking that mental illness is just temporary and will pass. Violet could be held up as an example of that, a benchmark against which Finch is helplessly failing. But that is the point - grief and mental illness are not the same. Just like "I'm feeling a bit depressed today" and "I have depression" are absolutely not the same thing. As long as a poor understanding of mental health and the vast array of illnesses continues, people will continue to believe that most of it is transient, that we can just "pull ourselves together".

I found myself comparing this book to Everything, Everything, which I read earlier this year and loved. I thought "oh this book isn't as funny, I don't love the characters as much", I probably should give this 4 stars and upgrade Everything Everything to 5. That was until I found myself sitting on a train reaching the climax of the book as I was reaching my stop and storming home muttering "MOTHERF****R!" over and over, before sobbing my way through the remaining chapters on the sofa and spending the rest of the day in a pretty foul mood.

(view spoiler)

I might not have laughed out loud as much or been as absorbed in the love story as with Everything Everything, but this book had a profound impact on me that deserves nothing less than 5 stars. ...more

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Mar 21, 2015 Brittany rated it it was amazing

I am actually at a loss for words upon finishing this book. I savored it at first, and then I just slammed it.

To say that I'm in love with Theodore and Violet would be a massive understatement. I was so invested in each story and it was so aptly told.

It's romantic and dark and lustful, all in the right measure. I actually cried out at parts. I felt this book deeply and I will carry this one with me. ...more

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