A review by xan_48
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

5.0

I was really excited to read this book. I was pretty much hooked from the beginning. The main characters Violet & Finch meet at the top of the school bell tower where they are both considering jumping. Finch saves Violet although this is their secret. They are not naturally supposed to be friends according to their respective statuses at school but after this incident they seem drawn to each other. The chapters alternate between the two characters so you get to see things from both their perspectives which I enjoy. I'm not sure which character I like most. It's such an intriguing story as their relationship develops. They become friends and partners on a class project to explore their home state of Indiana, leading to some unusual outings. I wish I could go wandering like they did. This book is inspiring (who wouldn't want to go wandering?), emotional, frustrating,heartbreaking, thoughtful. I ended the book feeling both miserable yet strangely uplifted. It's a book about survival and the need to continue even when you've faced the worst. It's also about all consuming first love and discovering who you are. It's not a read for the faint hearted. It will most likely affect you in some way. I think you could read this book several times and always come away with something different. I know I will read this book again. It's a 5* read! I absolutely adore it.