This book follows the story of two troubled young teenagers and their difficult life experiences. The only reason I decided to read this book was because I had heard so many amazing things about it, like, 'it's such a tear-jerker' and 'it will make you weep' which it actually did.
So I started to read it. At first it took me a while to get used to because I found it rather boring to be reading another replica of The Fault in our Stars or My Heart and other Black Holes.
But then after a quarter of the way in, I found I could really relate to the themes portrayed in the book. Themes like bullying, suicide, love, loss, friendship and adventure. I found that it wasn't just a replica of other sad books I've read and that it had a spark of its own.
The main characters are Violet Markey and Theodore Finch who are both damaged due to their own personal problems. But they are brought together through a near-death experience on the bell-tower of their school. That's when Finch starts to leave his suicidal thoughts behind and think about Violet. He develops an attraction towards her and wants to be a difference in her life in order to make it better.
When being assigned a project to do for U.S geography, Finch chooses Violet as his partner and thus their wanderings begin. They travel together around Indiana and become very close. Finch manages to get Violet to face her fears and sit in a car again after her sister's death and Violet becomes the light of Finch's life.
However, this happiness is short-lived as Finch has a secret that can ruin his relationship with Violet and his family and he refuses to talk to anyone about it.
This book was a very interesting read and had me hooked until the very end. Three-quarters of the way through my mind was racing and I just wanted to know what happens at the end (I had grown very attached to Finch myself.)
It really is a very emotional book and although it didn't make me cry as much as The Fault in our Stars did, this book really did leave an impact and made me realise that teenagers my age actually consider and commit suicide.
I think that writers should write more books about disorders, bullying and suicide as it really can be helpful to the readers.
The literature that is quoted in this book by Virginia Woolf and other writers is absolutely beautiful as it is seen as a different type of communication where the words of great writers speak out for what you want to say.
The other thing I loved about the book was that it didn't just end after the tragedy had occurred. In fact, it gave the reader a complete overview of how the other characters coped and completed what was left to be seen.
It is extremely difficult to not include spoilers and therefore I apologise if what I'm saying makes no sense. Just read the book and you won't be sorry you did.
Overall I enjoyed this book very much. It's another one of the sad books that will have me mourning and complaining for days and it really is worth reading.
• Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop.
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