“All the bright places” as in a movie has always been on my watching list. Since the day I saw the trailer I was overwhelmed by its beautiful scenes and acting. I thought the movie was worth watching. But soon enough I came across the book while roaming in the library and I just had to read it before watching the movie, I just had to and I am so glad I did.
Short Synopsis:
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.
Trigger Warnings: Suicide, mental illness, accident, bully
Strong points and Highlights:
Dual pov:
One of the strongest points of the book is the dual perspective. Hearing both Finch’s and Violet’s thoughts and feelings made me fully understand the complexity of their struggles. The book also emphasizes the importance of seeking help for mental illness and normalizes therapy as a necessary step in the healing process.
Flawed Characters:
Theodore Finch is a character who is fascinated by death and constantly thinks of ways to end his own life. He struggles with bipolar disorder, and his mood swings often leave him feeling hopeless and helpless. Violet, on the other hand, is dealing with the aftermath of her sister’s death and is struggling to find a reason to keep going. Both of them are struggling to live and that’s when they got to meet each other too.
I love how I got to see the real struggle behind each of the characters. They are imperfect. Psychologically, their life has been disturbed where they are aching for the happiness and peace. The book beautifully shows both of their perspective and the reason behind their pain.
This book reminded me of Malibu Rising which has the same kind of concept of real life struggles, though they both have completely different genre.
Nothing remains the same:
After the accident, Violet has not only just lost her sister but she has lost her identity as a whole too. Her everyday life has turned upside down. Before she was a smart, studious girl with lots of friends and a boyfriend. But, after that incident, it’s like everything has suddenly changed. She wants to be like her dead sister so she pretends to be her sister, even her actions are copied.
Everyone is avoiding her and she is avoiding everyone too. The friends that were so close to her were no longer with her anymore, even her boyfriend. She doesn’t feel a connection with them like before. She would rather be with a freak, Finch than her friends now. Just like this, everything around her changes and everyone moves forward.
Unexpected love story:
Who would have thought?? Finch and Violet would be together and be in love. It’s like destiny. When everything has gone downhill for them, they found each other in their lowest moment. They first met in the bell tower and now they are both paired to do the project assignment together.
Slowing, they begin to see each other in a new light and develop a deep connection. They kind of clicked together after that. Finch’s quirky and unpredictable personality was a perfect match for Violet’s guardedness and sadness. Their love story is not just a romantic one, but a story of two people who find solace and comfort in each other’s company.
It shows how one person can change the whole dynamics of one’s life and make it better.
You’re my Jovian-Plutonian gravitational effect
Downside:
Theodore Finch is bullied in college for his way of doing things and thinking. He is infamous for being a freak that has no control over his own head. People don’t want to get associated with him after hearing certain rumors about him. Finch has only two friends around him and his family by his side. It explains how no one is there for him even if he wants to ask for help because everyone thinks he is psycho.
Due to his bipolar nature, he is portrayed as a person who romanticized suicide. He thinks about death all the time and ways to end his life. He would disappear for one or two weeks. Even though he would come back after his disappearance, there was no one to ask him why did he disappear without having no contact at all. And, the people around him didn’t think for one moment it was a problem, that he was actually struggling and it was not just his personality.
They would have at least reported to the police when he used to disappear. This shows how little knowledge people have about mental illness and health and how we, as a society don’t take steps to change it and are ignorant about it. We take it as a normal thing but it actually is not.
I just felt bad for Finch and the people who are suffering from these kinds of problems. It kind of sucks when you feel like no one is on your side and you are whole alone in this world and nobody cares at all. You are broken, and you are trying your best to mend it but it can’t ever be the same as before.
‘I’m broken, and no one can fix it. I’ve tried. I’m still trying. I can’t love anyone because it’s not fair to anyone who loves me back.’
Conclusion:
Above is my favorite quote from this book. The book has so many quotes regarding life, love, mental health, journey, and emotions. Every sentence hits you hard because you can relate to it so much. This book teaches us to be kind and compassionate to everyone because you never know what one is going through and fighting which battle in their life.
Overall, “All the Bright Places” is a powerful and moving book that has expanded my thinking horizon. It is a story of hope, love, and resilience in the face of adversity. Niven’s writing is honest and raw, and she does an excellent job of creating characters that the reader can’t help but root for. The book is a poignant reminder of the importance of seeking help for mental illness and the impact it can have on a person’s life. If you’re a fan of heartbreaking love stories with a message, then this book is definitely worth a read. You can also watch the movie.
Let’s Chat
If you have already read it, how was your experience and do you like it as much as I did or it was a different story? Let me know in the comments!!
