Book of the Month: June

All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

I couldn't start off with anything but this. I think it was quite possibly one of the best books I've read and that is a bold statement. This book is a story of two people, Violet and Theodore (more commonly known as Finch), both very very different characters, both in the same school and both deeply unhappy. Violet is unhappy because she is mourning the loss of her sister who has sadly passed away. Finch is just a very complex character with a mental illness. The two of them meet, and the story starts with them both on top of the bell tower of their school about to jump. The story follows on from that with them forming a friendship and showing how the two very different people can come together and make such a difference in each others lives.

The book is so poignant and amazing, and Jennifer tells the story incredibly well. Her writing is just so amazing and easy to follow, and very descriptive. You certainly feel as if you are actually there. She also write about mental illness in a very delicate and sensitive way, and I actually learnt a lot from this book too.

I feel like Finch is one of my all-time favourite male leads. His character is so complex and I could really picture him. There was so much about his character that I could really warm to and if I was Violet in this book, I feel I would definitely have reacted in a similar way. It rocks more of a modern love story, it's a twist on the traditional boy meets girl; it's a lot more real. I feel like so many people will be able to relate with either Violet or Finch, or both characters, or even if you know someone suffering from mental illness and depression, I think this is definitely educational as well as entertaining.

It is a book that tugs on the old heartstrings as well, I for sure shed a tear or two (okay, I sat contemplating the meaning of life crying into my pillow for an hour). It was the sort of book that I sat in silence for a while and had to take it all in, and I carried the weight of it for a while and always wanted to talk to someone about it.

I recommend this book for anyone over the age of 12, because every teenager and young adult can learn from it.

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