GOODREADS SYNOPSIS: The Fault in Our Stars meets Eleanor and Park in
this compelling, exhilarating, and beautiful story about a girl who learns to
live from a boy who intends to die.
PUBLISHED BY: Knopf on January 6 2015
FORMAT: ARC
RATING: ★★★✰✰
(An
ARC of this was provided by Netgalley and Penguin Random House in exchange for
an honest review)
"The
thing I realize is that it's not what you take, it's what you leave."
It's
unclear as to who saved who the day Theo and Violet meet on the bell tower, but
for a brief moment, both of them stood there, contemplating the end. Their
meeting is a pivotal point in both of their lives that will change them both
forever.
This book is
genuine and unapologetic. Jennifer Niven isn't scared of confronting the less
savory aspects of mental illnesses, but she does it so tactfully. [...]
Emotions are explored incredibly well in this book, and even if I couldn't relate to their extremes, I felt like I could understand the feelings involved - suicide, depression, isolation.
Emotions are explored incredibly well in this book, and even if I couldn't relate to their extremes, I felt like I could understand the feelings involved - suicide, depression, isolation.
The
characters, to me, were the highlight of the book, they bring the novel to life
with their intricacy and detail. Niven has a real skill in being able to write
characters who are complex and well developed. I could understand Finch's every
emotional up and down because it was written so clearly. The struggle of having
to live with a mental illness is explored in great depth, with poise and
finesse, as is the struggle of loving someone with one. I loved Finch. He was
charming and charismatic and gentlemanly, and also witty, hilarious and caring
and can be so brightly optimistic that it hurts.
Violet's
grief was tangible and heartbreaking. She's stopped living since the death of
her older sister, giving up her passion of writing. She's such a well written
character, her guilt and loss over her sister's death are presented skillfully.
I loved her relationship with her parents too.
Finch and
Violet together, though, is what made this book. The romance between them was
slow and explored deeply. Together, they helped each other overcome issues,
such as Finch's feeling of loneliness and Violet's fear of life. I loved their
relationship from the very beginning, with their snarky banter, all the way to
the explosive end.
However, I
can't say I was blown away by this book. When I finished it, I was confused and
unsure as to my real feelings. It didn't make me feel very keenly at all, all I
was left with were vague and unnameable emotions that made me toss and turn
until I fell asleep. It wasn't particularly memorable either. I don't know why
this book prompted such an apathy in me, because usually, this kind of
emotional, profound book is right up my street. I just couldn't feel it
touching my soul in the way other books did. It just kind of left me
unemotional. Nothing really stood out as exceptional, and though I could almost
see the poignancy, I couldn't feel it myself.
Despite
my personal feelings, I'm sure that this book will be an incredibly well
received book, praised for the realistic and gritty storytelling.
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