All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

This book is heart wrenchingly beautiful. It is an honestly written view of what it’s like to suffer with mental illness. I read over some other reviews and I know people have disliked the book because of how the other people in their lives treat the characters, how they fail them. Unfortunately. the truth is that this happens. While the truth sucks, that doesn’t make this book any less of a masterpiece.

While it’s getting more acceptable to talk about, Mental illness still carries a stigma. There are so many people out there, who have never experienced it so simply do not understand that it’s not something that can simply be dismissed.

Do you know how many times I’ve heard people say ‘Just get over it’  ‘Just be happy’ ‘I get sad sometimes too” to other people? It’s appalling. It’s not their fault that they don’t understand, it’s a societal thing. I’ve seen attempted suicides where the people in their turn around and claim the person was “only doing it to get back at me”.

Let me tell you many people have gotten a piece of my mind for their comments. It’s ignorance like this that needs to be tackled first and foremost because any changes can be made.

Even people who claim to understand, often don’t really not unless they’re going through it, or have been, or have been with someone who has gone through it.

This is why Finch becomes the person to help Violet. He understands and this makes him the perfect person to help her, only he doesn’t have anyone to truly help him in return. His family dismisses his illness as ‘just the way he is’ and he doesn’t get the treatment he has needed for so long.

This book is heartbreaking is so many ways. I think it’s truly an eye opener to the world around us. I believe everyone needs to read this book. It’s sad, but truly a piece of magic.

Happy Reading!