I'll Give You the Sun in Amazon Editors' YA Book Club

Mar 08, 2015 PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps rated it it was ok

Grade: C-

At age thirteen, artistic twins Noah and Jude fall for the same boy and their previous close, almost telepathic, relationship evaporates. At sixteen, wounded by the death of their mother two years prior, they barely speak. Each has secrets and knows a piece of the puzzle that can save the other, if they can find a way back to the other.

Major disappointment. After all the praise and accolades, I was so excited to finally have the opportunity to read I'LL GIVE YOU THE SUN. Noah narrates a ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Jul 23, 2015 Amy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ya, middle-school

This was a beautiful book, one richly written and sensation to read. The narration switches between Jude and Noah, who are twins, and takes up different points in the story. Both Jude and Noah are artists, but they both struggle with who they are beyond that. When a tragedy befalls their mother, neither one can be who they thought they were. Weaving themes of first loves, tragedies, identity, hope, and mysticism, Nelson has created a masterful book.

3 likes · Like · see review

Mar 04, 2015 HeatherAnne Norbury rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ya-fiction

I started reading this book way back in March as part of the TBR Pile Reading Challenge at Bookish. That challenge features a read-along every other month with two sets of discussion questions - one on the 15th and one of the last day of the month. I got my first set of discussion questions in and posted them here. I set the book aside to read some books and never got back to it. I have a copy from the library so last week when I saw I was running out of renewals, I decided I wanted to finish it I started reading this book way back in March as part of the TBR Pile Reading Challenge at Bookish. That challenge features a read-along every other month with two sets of discussion questions - one on the 15th and one of the last day of the month. I got my first set of discussion questions in and posted them here. I set the book aside to read some books and never got back to it. I have a copy from the library so last week when I saw I was running out of renewals, I decided I wanted to finish it before I had to return it. I'm so glad I did. While the first half of the book is engaging, due to the nature and enormity of the secrets being withheld, it is a bit confusing. There are so many unanswered questions. As the puzzle pieces fall into place in the second half, a rich story of family, fate and finding your true self is built to a climactic - and happy - resolution.

Both Jude and Noah will at times endear you and annoy you. A terrible tragedy has separated these inseparable twins and it will take an odd series of remarkable events to bring them back together. Most of the supporting cast, including a ghost or two, are well developed and relatable. I felt that Oscar was overdrawn - all motorcycles, tattoos, checkered past with a James Dean swagger. While the character was a necessary part of the story, I think he could and should have been less of a caricature That being said, the book is told from first person perspective and we “see” this characterization of Oscar from Jude’s perspective. The other author also does a pretty big disservice to another character nicknamed Zephyr. Again, I think this is the result of holding to Jude’s perspective but it would have been nice to see Zephyr redeemed.

I really like the writing style - once I got used to it. Noah, in particular, writes in colors and art. His descriptions of everyday life are as if he were describing everything as artwork. He says he can see people’s souls - his mother’s is a massive sunflower so big there is hardly room for her organs. Most of his inner dialog is this descriptive and every scene in his life includes a note on how he would paint it: (Self-Portrait: Throwing Armfuls of Air into the Air). I would recommend this to anyone who likes art or is an artist and who enjoys young adult fiction. While there are sexual situations, nothing is graphic. For the average teenaged reader, I would recommend grade 9 and up. I would let my advanced 12 year old son read it but he would not like it due to smoochy stuff. (Yay! So happy about that. How long do I have?). ...more

Like · see review

May 25, 2015 Daniel rated it it was amazing

Shelves: book-club

The story of twins Noah and Jude growing up through the ordeal of their parents splitting up and then their mother passing. Each tried to protect the other and hid things and each got angry
at the other and purposefully did things. In the end it turns out their mother’s lover was an art sculptor who had a boy he was trying to help up. The sculptor ends up helping Jude unbeknownst
to them. Jude falls in love with the boy. The boy knows Jude also through her mother’s stories. Noah is gay and has a f ...more

Like · see review