677#Love Note ~ [Book Review] All the Bright Places

I notice that from last year, the theme about depression and psychological problems have been the main in Young Adult books. But now I want to talk about this book which I personally prefer than The Fault in Our Stars despite the comparisons between them. 

Read: From February 20 to 25, 2015

Rating: 4.7/5

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 debut YA book by Jennifer Niven is one of my favourite YA till now. I like both Finch and Violet. Okay even though Finch's first name is Theodore but he uses his surname. Both of them meet when Violet wants to committed suicide (or try to) while Finch is thinking to jump from their school bell tower.

Finch is viewed as weird by his schoolmates and he doesn't has many friends. He comes from a broken family. Even his mother and siblings do not try to understand him. Meanwhile, Violet comes from a decent family. Both of them are totally and completely opposite but they find comfort by being in each other's side. 

Violet is able to overcome her sister's death and start to be happy again with Finch's support but what Violet doesn't know is Finch is desperately holding on her as he struggles to keep on living while makes precious moments to Violet.

I think Niven is good in portraying the depression among teenagers. If I'm not mistaken someone from the author's family committed suicide (or relatives, I read in her bio but couldn't really remember it) so writing this book might be difficult to her. However, she comes up with a great book. Niven addresses the issue as a whole by not simply makes the readers to just sympathise with the characters but to understand and be in their shoes too. 

I do not fond of the idea when people romanticise the idea of depression and suicide. It's not something to be viewed as romantic as it could bring uneasiness to the people involved. Even though I have read some books about depression but I do not romanticise them so I object when people say we, the readers of the theme, romanticise the idea. It's not, really. 

Till then.

Wassalam.