“All the Bright Places” is a young adult novel following two mentally ill teenagers, Finch and Violet, learning to appreciate life. When they are first partnered up for a school project, they visit the local wonders of their small Indiana town as well as the rest of their city and grow an emotional bond with each other in the process. Throughout the book, we follow Violet’s gradual mental recovery, Finch’s gradual mental deterioration, and their “unconventional” love story.
I most certainly would not recommend this book. From start to finish, it was predictable and cliche while trying (failing) to be unique and unconventional. The ending was boring and I did not take any lessons from this book. Furthermore, I found Violet’s savior complex unbearable to deal with and I hated the boring “opposites attract” dynamic she had with her love interest. Even though it was sweet romance, I personally believe that you can take the same message from other, less cringeworthy, predictable, and dull novels. Overall, bland and trying too hard. This book appeals to escapists, but I would never go out of my way to recommend this.
By Anonymous