The Fault in Our Stars meets Eleanor and Park in this exhilarating and heart-wrenching love story about a girl who learns to live from a boy who intends to die.
Soon to be a major motion picture starring Elle Fanning!
Theodore Finch
is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill
himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.
Violet Markey
lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can
escape her 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, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up
on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both
Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet
that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not
such a freak after all. 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.
This is an intense, gripping
novel perfect for fans of Jay Asher, Rainbow Rowell, John Green, Gayle
Forman, and Jenny Downham from a talented new voice in YA, Jennifer
Niven. @goodreads
MY REVIEW:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1260040560
Read from April 20 to 27, 2015
This is one of the best books I have ever read. I'm going to
say a lot of personal things on here then go on with the review which
will include spoilers, but I will put up the spoiler alert before I do. I
also want to add some quotes from the book and the author's note at the
end.
This book is about teen suicide and bullying. But, it's
also about some wonderful people, happy moments and a bit of
crazy-wonderful.
When I was young I was bullied in school most
of my life. I ended up quitting school and getting a high school diploma
through the mail, which is legit but doesn't seem so since I never
finished school. I never told my family about this and to this day at 43
they still do not know. My entire family think I was just some kind of a
loser that didn't want to go to school. Never judge a book by it's
cover right?
When I got sick, physically in 2008 it put me in
the hospital overnight and I came out with all kinds of mental
disorders. I'm guessing they were brewing on the surface as I have
always had some anxiety. I came out with severe panic disorder,
agoraphobia (fear of going outside for me), ocd, depression and then
came the physical stuff being fibromyalgia and arthritis from all the
hard playing I used to do outside before all of this and hereditary with
the arthritis, I'm assuming. All of these things turned so bad that I
wanted to kill myself many times. I still feel suicidal to this day, and
yes I see an psych, no I don't take a million pills, only one for
panic. The one thing that held me back was my dog Dakota, I never wanted
to leave him, he was my son. Then he had to be euthanized suddenly in
Feb. of 2013 from cancer. He just collapsed and then here I am having to
kill him. And I thought this is it, I can finally leave and go with
him. One out of the couple of friends I have, sent me flowers because
she knew he was my son and how much it about killed me much less me
killing myself. Surprising to me was that my dad was very understanding
and always checking on me since I cried every day. My family knew I
always said I wanted to leave this world when he goes, so I guess he was
a little worried. And my stupid self let my family and doctor talk me
into getting another dog. Now here I am with my rescued greyhound and I
don't want to leave her, but I tell you I feel the pull of suicide a
lot. I even tell her about it. Her name is Lucy.
The reason I'm
telling all of these personal things is I want some people to know a few
things from someone that really thinks about these things. It doesn't
make any of us freaks and we can't "just get over it." That's what
people say in this world with mental illness. If it's not physical it's
not real, well I would like them to walk a day in any person's shoes
with any kind of mental illness. If we could "just get over it" we would
have freakin' done that by now.
I'm going to add a quote from the book that sums up how I feel personally and I know alot of people feel the same way.
*QUOTE FROM BOOK*
Amanda
stares at her hands. "I can only tell you how I felt. Ugly. Disgusting.
Stupid. Small. Worthless. Forgotten. It just feels like there's no
choice. Like it's the most logical thing to do because what else is
there? You think, "No one will even miss me. They won't know I'm gone.
The world will go on, and it won't matter that I'm not here. Maybe it's
better if I was never here."
**Quote finished**
This gave
me chills because I have said that in my head and out loud so many
times. I even asked my parent why they even had me. And you see so many
people seem like they are ok, they can hide these things. Look at Robin
Williams, it doesn't matter if your rich or poor, if something is going
on with you and there is nothing to be done or no one sees it... that's
it. Being lonely sucks!
Okay, let's move on to the review! **SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT**
I
fell in love with Finch from the very beginning. I liked Violet too,
but it's Finch that steals the story. He is fun, crazy, seems like he is
so full of life, but he's not..
Finch and Violet meet at the
top of the bell tower at school. This was not a planned meeting, this
was a random meeting of two people that where thinking of committing
suicide. Can you imagine, someone messes up your suicide attempt. These
stupid, insignificant prats are yelling for Finch to jump. They should
have the crap beat out of them. People like that make me sick. Anyway,
Finch ends up talking Violet down from the tower but lets everyone think
it's the other way around and she is labeled as a hero.
They
end up being friends, but not without a lot of pushing on Finch's part.
Violet doesn't really want to be around anyone too much. Her sister
Eleanor was in a car wreck with her almost a year ago and Eleanor died
and she didn't. Violet feels like this is her fault because she told her
to take the ice-slicked bridge. So Violet has her own issues. She won't
get in a car, things like that. Sweet, wonderful Finch brings out all
of the good in Violet. Brings her back to herself. They do a cool report
for school together where they wander around and look at wonders in
their town. It's so wonderful and I would love to do that!
They
do fall in love, and I was so hoping this would help Finch. But
throughout the book he is still fighting these death feelings. He has a
mom and two sisters, but they don't see anything wrong, they just say
that is Finch. He has a dad who left them for another woman and her son
and he is a big jerk of a dad always saying Finch is a loser etc.
I
think Theodore Finch is a wonderful character. Just like so many out
there that take there lives or lose their lives. I can see how wonderful
he is, but he just can't.
Obviously, Finch takes his life, but
I'm not going to say how he does it. I'm not going to say any more about
this wonderful book but to tell everyone to read it! Read it!
Understand it! Love it! These things are real! People like this are
real! And there should be no room left in the world for bullies or
people that don't understand mental illness. Get off your high horse and
let others live the way they want and try to have some compassion!
I can't find the other quote I highlighted but I think I got my point across!
**I'm
going to put the Author's Note in here because I think it is another
important thing for people to read. I'm not going to add her personal
parts of the note because that may not be right to do unless she asks me
too. I'm just going to add the basic parts and some hotlines.**
**AUTHOR'S NOTE FROM THE BOOK**
Every forty seconds, someone in this world dies by suicide. Every forty seconds, someone is left behind to cope with the loss.
In
All The Bright Places, Finch worries a lot about labels. There is,
unfortunately, a good deal of stigma surrounding suicide and mental
illness.
Often, mental and emotional illnesses go undiagnosed
because the person suffering symptoms is too ashamed to speak up, or
because their loved ones either fail to or choose not to recognize the
signs. According to Mental Health America, an estimated 2.5 million
Americans are known to have bipolar disorder, but the actual number is a
good two to three times higher than that. As many as 80 percent of
people with this illness go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed.
If you think something is wrong, speak up.
You are not alone.
It is not your fault.
Help is out there.
**End of partial AUTHOR'S NOTE**
Some hotlines:
SUICIDE PREVENTION 1-800-273-TALK - suicidepreventionlifeline.org
DIAGNOSING MENTAL ILLNESS IN TEENS - helpguide.org
I recommend this book to everyone! 5 Stars
