All the Bright Places

Movie Tie-In Edition

By: Jennifer Niven

Narrated by: Kirby Heyborne, Ariadne Meyers

Length: 11 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

This New York Times best-selling love story about two teens who find each other while standing on the edge is soon to be a Netflix film starring Elle Fanning and Justice Smith!

Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might die. 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.

Please note: Includes a PDF Help Line Resource Guide, available in your Audible Library, and a Note read by the author.

©2014 Jennifer Niven (P)2014 Listening Library

Critic reviews

"Many teen novels touch on similar themes, but few do it so memorably." (Kirkus Reviews)

"In her YA debut, adult author Niven creates a romance so fresh and funny...The journey to, through, and past tragedy is romantic and heartbreaking, as characters and readers confront darkness, joy, and the possibilities - and limits - of love in the face of mental illness." (Publishers Weekly)

"The writing in this heartrending novel is fluid, despite the difficult topics... Finch in particular will linger in readers’ minds long after the last page is turned." (School Library Journal)

Best YA Quirky Love Story of 2015

Alternating points of view tell the story of Finch, an unconventional almost eccentric, yet cool HS senior and Violet. Having lost her sister less than a year ago in a car crash, Violet shrinks away from standing out until she finds herself meeting Finch in a most unusual place only to lead to more trips via a history project for school.

This story is sweet, clever, odd, funny, snarky, sad and ultimately endearing. Don't ruin it by listening to negative reviews. If you like other smart YA titles, you should read or listen to this one. It's fabulous.

Rocked me to my core

Such an important book. It felt way more like a book for adults about teens. Reflections and memories unbound. It rang so true that can see why it's compared to Eleanor and Park. I miss the characters now that I've finished listening.

Incredible Story

This book takes you on a journey and I really don’t have the right words to express how emotional and right it all is.

There are books that just touch you in a way you can’t explain and this is one of those books for me. Because I remember being their age and having some of those very same thoughts. High school is for many, not the most fun experience and these characters really struggle. Maybe not always in the classroom or school setting.

But their struggle is real. My heart was in my throat for a good part of this book and I couldn’t wouldn’t put it down. I hope many more read it and the authors note at the end well stick a fork in me I am done.

The narration well Kirby is number 1 in my books man he delivers so, so, well. I can’t even with him just has a way about him and his voice is perfect. I really enjoyed Ariadne’s performance too I think this might have been a first for me.

Honestly don't read others reviews.

Any additional comments?

By listening to others you have this mind set of what they think of it. I found this book at random in the Contemporary section and had no expectations what so ever. The first chapter got me hooked. The way the author portrays both characters is so interesting and addictive. For a good laugh and a good cry session, I would highly recommend, but don't take my word for it ;) LOVELY. (<You'll get that if you read it)

Couldn't last 20 minutes...

This could be considered a minor spoiler, but since it happens in the first 15 minutes it is only minor...

I can't continue to listen to a book that sets up its premise the way this one has. There are two kids from a high school standing on a tall structure on campus, both close to jumping to their death. One is a popular girl, one is an unpopular boy. It is by chance they both happen to be up there at the same time. I have no problem with the story beginning this way, but the absolutely asinine way the "crowd" behaves below them is why i will be getting my credit back right after hitting "submit" on this review.

I don't know what pissed me off more about the depiction of "high school" in this beginning - the way a kid on the ground yelled, "why don't you go ahead and get it over with freak" to the unpopular boy, the way the other kids LAUGHED at that or the way the school councilor GLARED at the boy about to jump. REALLY??? A school counselor GLARING at a boy about to commit suicide???

I understand the need for an author to establish the "good vs bad" characters in a story, but this one is so far beyond realistic it honestly pissed me off. My wife is a counselor and, although they aren't perfect, at heart all of the ones i've known would never in a million years treat a potential suicide that way. Plus a crowd of kids laughing at someone about to jump??? Seriously???

Such a downer

If you love suicidal teens then this is the book for you otherwise steer clear! the naration was great and made it easy to listen to but the story was just too much.

Great performance

Some parts were slow. I considered abandoning it at one point. I stuck it out and I finished the final third of the story in two days. WARNING: This is not a book for someone looking to be cheered up.

Heart-Wrenching in the Best Way

This is such a tough book to review, mostly because it was one of those books I had to sit with for a while. I finished it in just a few days, but I couldn't stop thinking about it for a while after that. This was one of those books that made me laugh and cry (mostly cry), and it's definitely not a happy ending, but listening to it was such an enjoyable experience. I truly fell in love with both characters. Their love story was realistic and charming, and the way they both grew over the course of the novel was moving and powerful.

I also found it to be worlds better than the movie, so don't be deterred if you didn't love the movie.

Both narrators were great, and I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a touching, bittersweet YA romance.

Beautiful

This story talks a lot about suicide, but somehow it doesn’t make the story depressing. This story is beautiful. It helped me to see the light in the dark. I took a few quotes from this book and wrote them into my journal.
The readers did a very good job with the vocals as well.

A well established take on mental illness

Beautiful, breathe taking. tear jerking novel. The amount of relation on how the upbringing of a mental illness victim and their surrounding environmental affect their "choices". Extremely relatable to those with mental illness. Realistic ending and great moral.

If you love this book don’t buy the audio version

I absolutely adore this book. It’s my favourite book of all time and I even wept when I met Jennifer but this audio book is awful. I’ve never in my life listened to a such a monotone and robotic voice. I never thought that a crappy performance would ever make me press stop on my favourite book but I didn’t even make it to chapter 3 before I had to make it end. A little gutted I wasted a credit on this tbh

One of the most important books you will ever read

Theodore Finch is real. He is within our hearts, forever. Let him be a constant reminder, to talk to each other. Always.

Stunning performance, but....

The performance of this is absolutely stunning, and I like the concept of the story. I just find myself struggling to connect with the ralationship between Violet and Finch. I feel a connection to Finch and his outcast status and dreamy personality, I think most of us would. I also feel a connection to Violet as the person who like all of us, is lying for social acceptance. But that's almost my problem with the whole thing. I don't know what Finch sees in her, when she is so outwardly similar to Amanda, and with all her bitching and pushing him away, I can't understand how she manages to see into him or he into her. So although I like both of them, and I enjoyed their separate narratives, I found the whole thing a bit disjointed.

Great book with great story and message

I loved the book since it has such a deeply important message regarding suicide for our society today. The presentation of the message by means of a love story makes the experience even more magical and brings the message to life. I still believe the language could be a bit more exquisite? But perhaps that would also make it harder to understand. So, for a modern reader who is tired of cliché love stories and actually wants to take something away fron the story, this is definitely a go to book to read!

Story good, performance not

A really good story, but the performance really wasn't great. The readers were really quite monotonous

love it

very raw and emotional story. loved listening so much that I bought my own copy of the book to read again .

Good book with a great story line :)

it was so amazing I loved it however it was triggering in some places so I'd suggest people who struggle with their mental health read with caution

First audio book I’ve listened too

I’ve wanted to read this for a while, I’d picked up the book but never got round to reading it so thought I’d try to audio book.

Found that nothing much happened in the story in my opinion, the story was drawn out and a bit boring with nothing major happening.

Not worth the hype

One of the worst books I’ve ever read! Sadly ditched half way through as I couldn’t take the terrible dialogue and unbelievable pace anymore

Oh my God.

Blown away. So beautiful and emotional. So real. Amazing. I would recommend this book to everyone!