This is a superb contemporary novel that is now one of my all-time favourites. It is the story of Violet Markey – a quiet girl on the edge of the popular group whose perception of life changed after the death of her older sister – and Theodore Finch, a misfit who is constantly thinking about death and ways to kill himself. But this isn't your classic boy meets girl: they meet atop the bell tower with Violet about to attempt suicide. The majority of the story follows Finch and Violet as they work together on a project; finding wonders in the local area.
The story is told through Finch and Violet's alternating perspectives, which brings the touching tale to life beautifully. This is a story full of unique quirks and endearing, detailed characters. Yet it still has a basis in real life, with more than one tear-jerker moment and a heart breaking (but slightly bitter-sweet) ending.
I loved the idea of the plot. Without spoiling too much, I can tell you that our star-crossed lovers visit a ball of paint, a back-yard roller-coaster and a tiny mountain. Through their visits to these strange places, the pair bond and eventually become romantically involved.
The writing style of All the Bright Places is fantastic. The characters are shown in so much detail, through straight forward description as well as how they speak and act. There is some beautiful imagery and a number of amazing quotes that could rival those from The Fault in our Stars which are currently taking over the internet. Instead of "You gave me a forever within the numbered days.", try "You are all the colours at once, at full brightness."
This is not a trashy romance though. The romance in All the Bright Places is used carefully and it is endearing rather than raunchy, which is nice. But this is also a book with an important message. It incorporates serious themes such as mental health and suicide. It is a book for mature readers. I think it is brilliant that Niven put links to websites that help people dealing with these topics. The book could make readers realise they have a related issue and it's great that support is offered.
Additionally, the book itself is beautiful. The published cover has that quirky design of the sticky notes, and the inside has the violet+finch concept art, and the variating fonts for the different perspectives. I was lucky enough to receive a signed arc from the guardian which had a physical sticky note on the cover with a finch on. All of this proves that this book has the potential to become huge- there are so many possibilities for merchandise etc. This could be the next big thing.
However, I personally feel quite protective towards this particular novel. I think with its unique quirks it should be something left to the readers. There is a danger, with the film, that it would be commercialised like The Fault in our Stars, which is now popular with people who would never think of reading the book. People who call themselves fans after seeing the film once. I think books should always belong to us as readers.
If I had to pick a fault in this book, it would be that the secondary characters could do with more detail. There is so much focus on Violet and Finch that we lose sight of the other people involved. I would've liked to know more about Violet's ex-boyfriend, or both our principals' parents.
So, to conclude All the Bright Places is an amazing novel that opens your eyes to life. It is touching but serious at the same time. The two main characters are incredibly detailed and the plot is unique and quirky. Pick it up as soon as you can!
All the Bright Places is all the books at once, at full brightness. And books should always belong to us as readers.
• Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop.
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