All the Bright Places

 A. Bibliographic Data

Niven, Jennifer. 2015. All the Bright Places. Knopf Publishing Group.

ISBN: 038575588002

B. Summary

Theodore Finch is fascinated by death. Every day he thinks of ways he might kill himself, but every day he also searches for—and manages to find—something to keep him here, alive, and awake.

Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation when she can escape her small Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.
 
When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school—six stories above the ground— it’s unclear who saves whom. Soon it’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink. . ..

C. Critical Analysis

In this book, I felt a lot of different emotions especially as we are seeing/hearing more about mental health and suicide issues. The story is one that many will enjoy and relate to. The story is one that many will see themselves in. I think most teens have similar experiences while growing up even though at the time we feel alone. This book will help young adults see that they are not alone and that they can find happiness. I do wish the book had more about the characters because to me it was as if they were only depressed people. I wish they had more to them, yet I have been in depressed situations where that is all there is to you for a little while (feels like). I  just think for young adults it might have been good to have a little more depth to the characters. I found the book to be moving and written well overall and recommend this book to all.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

D.  Book Reviews

The New York Times bestselling love story is about two teens who find each other while standing on the edge.

“A do-not-miss for fans of Eleanor & Park and The Fault in Our Stars, and anyone who can breathe.” —Justine Magazine
 
“At the heart—a big one—of All the Bright Places lies a charming love story about this unlikely and endearing pair of broken teenagers.” —The New York Times Book Review

“A heart-rending, stylish love story.” —The Wall Street Journal

“A complex love story that will bring all the feels.” —Seventeen Magazine

“Impressively layered, lived-in, and real.” —Buzzfeed

E. Connections

- This book has been turned into a film on Netflix and would be a good way to compare both the book to film.

- Educator Guide provided by the Penguin.

- Great book to use for a vocabulary lesson with words.

- Write a poem to summarize the plot.

- Create a playlist with what you think a character would have based on their traits.

- Write a short phrase that reflects an important message or theme in the book to create a bumper sticker.

- Create your movie cast. Pick 5 characters and who do you think should play them and why?