All The Bright Places is a Fault-in-Our-Stars-esque love story, dealing with the difficult topics of depression and teenage turmoil perfectly. The book is beautifully written, witty yet heartbreaking, and Niven has developed an outstanding prose throughout.
The book is about Theodore Finch and Violet Markey, who fatefully meet at the top of a bell tower, both contemplating suicide for various reasons. Both lost in their own abysses of hopelessness and despair, they fall in a tragic young love, each trying to save themselves from a devastating fate.
I really enjoyed the dual perspective in this book, and the different voices of Violet and Finch. Finch's was irresistibly humorous, but also dark and haunting, a perfect contrast with Violet's intelligent, destructed voice.
Both characters immediately trapped me and were undeniably loveable. They were each sensitive and dealt with the teenage mind wonderfully, grappling each issue and delicate topic with ease.
Although they aren't conventionally relatable, since many readers including myself cannot identify with the idea of depression, they were certainly eye-opening. The variety of personalities and characters in All The Bright Places was a beautiful yet devastating view into the complex layers of the world.
Understandably, Jennifer Niven's first YA book could be mistaken, at first glance, for another cop-off of The Fault in Our Stars, if not for the tragically romantic plot then for the striking blue cover. But All The Bright Places is unique and memorable in its own manner.
It deals with the issue of mental illness, which is arguably more prominent today than ever before. It tackles stigma, help services, spotting mental illness, and dealing with death , some things unquestionably essential to know in a young person's life.
It was only when reading the author's note that I realised how common the problem of suicide is. Niven's own experiences of people taking their own life really opened my eyes as to how important, and devastating, works of fiction like these can be; for this reason I feel that All The Bright Places is an absolutely must-read for every teenager.
Even boys, some of whom may be suspicious of the romance, and some of whom may question their masculinity within the discussion of mental illness, may benefit greatly from this read, if only to address this horrific stereotype and reassure them that boys can feel, too.
Overall, All the Bright Places was a memorable and beautiful read, one which captured me completely and really opened my eyes to the hardships which others suffer. Please, go and read it.
• Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop.
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