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The Sky Is Everywhere
Adrift after her sister Bailey's sudden death, Lennie finds herself torn between quiet, seductive Toby—Bailey's boyfriend who shares her grief—and Joe, the new boy in town who bursts with life and musical genius. Each offers Lennie something she desperately needs... though she knows if the two of them collide her whole world will explode.
Join Lennie on this heartbreaking and hilarious journey of profound sorrow and mad love, as she makes colossal mistakes and colossal discoveries, as she traipses through band rooms and forest bedrooms and ultimately right into your heart.
As much a celebration of love as a poignant portrait of loss, Lennie's struggle to sort her own melody out of the noise around her is always honest, often uproarious, and absolutely unforgettable.
Join Lennie on this heartbreaking and hilarious journey of profound sorrow and mad love, as she makes colossal mistakes and colossal discoveries, as she traipses through band rooms and forest bedrooms and ultimately right into your heart.
As much a celebration of love as a poignant portrait of loss, Lennie's struggle to sort her own melody out of the noise around her is always honest, often uproarious, and absolutely unforgettable.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published March 6, 2010
About the author
Jandy Nelson
4 books10.9k followersJandy Nelson is the New York Times bestselling author of I’ll Give You the Sun, which received the Printz Award, was a Stonewall Honor Book, and was named one of TIME’s 100 Best Young Adult Books of
all Time. Her critically acclaimed debut, The Sky Is Everywhere, is now an AppleTV+ and A24 original film starring Jason Segel and Cherry Jones, for which Jandy wrote the screenplay. Together, Sun and Sky have sold well over a million copies worldwide and have been translated into more than thirty-eight languages. Both have been YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults picks and on multiple best of the year lists, have earned many starred reviews, and continue to enjoy great international success. Currently a full-time writer, Jandy lives and writes in San Francisco, California, not far from the settings of her novels. Author photo credit: Sonya Sones.
all Time. Her critically acclaimed debut, The Sky Is Everywhere, is now an AppleTV+ and A24 original film starring Jason Segel and Cherry Jones, for which Jandy wrote the screenplay. Together, Sun and Sky have sold well over a million copies worldwide and have been translated into more than thirty-eight languages. Both have been YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults picks and on multiple best of the year lists, have earned many starred reviews, and continue to enjoy great international success. Currently a full-time writer, Jandy lives and writes in San Francisco, California, not far from the settings of her novels. Author photo credit: Sonya Sones.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 10,694 reviews
October 3, 2011
Each time someone dies, a library burns.
First of all, let me just say that reading this as an ebook is a crime against literature and should be punished as such. The edition I’m holding resembles a diary with its worn cover, wonderful illustrations, little handwritten notes, blue ink and a rubber band holding it all together. It is, without a shadow of a doubt, the prettiest book I’ve ever seen. If you can’t get your hands on a paper edition, wait until you do or you’ll be robbing yourself of the most wonderful experience.
Second, I think it’s safe to say that this book isn't for everyone. The mixed reviews have already proven as much. Many of you would probably be severely irritated by this dreamlike experience. Besides, a lot of people find Lennie to be quite unlikeable and I must admit that I can see why. She makes so many horrible mistakes. She is lost, insecure, her actions can often be interpreted as selfish and she is very skilful in telling lies. If that’s all someone can see in her, there’s no reason to even try to like her. But I saw a different layer of her character, one that is confused, scared and alone and it didn’t take long for her to win me over.
I put aside for a moment the fact that I’ve turned into a total strumpet-harlot-trollop-wench-jezebel-tart-harridan-chippy-nymphet because I’ve just realized something incredible. This is it - what all the hoopla is about, what Wuthering Heights is about – it all boils down to this feeling rushing through me in this moment with Joe as our mouths refuse to part. Who knew all this time I was one kiss away from being Cathy and Juliet and Elizabeth Bennet and Lady Chatterley!?
Writing a plot summary or trying to explain The Sky Is Everywhere in any way would probably do more harm than good. If I tried to write about Lennie’s story, about her sister Bailey who died of arrhythmia while rehearsing for the role of Juliet, I’d be running the risk of making this book sound so ordinary. The Sky Is Everywhere is nothing short of extraordinary in every way that counts.
Joe… must I go there?! I’m trying to be an adult here, a serious, calm, respectable adult. But Joe can take that away in a second and turn me into a useless, gushing teenager with his joeliciousness, his musicality, his gentleness, his humor, his boldness and his Frenchness and those damn eyelashes. Bat. Bat. Bat. *swoon*
The secondary characters are just as amazing: the hippie Gram who grows flowers famous for their aphrodisiac powers, the five-times-married-five-times-divorced uncle no woman can resist and the sweet and charming brothers Fontaine. They all had a huge part in making this story so special, so unlike any other story I’ve ever read.
And Jandy Nelson, where on earth did you come from?!? Your writing is like this huge energy ball that found its place in my stomach and just exploded over and over and over again, making me cry, laugh or jump with excitement, turning me into whatever you wanted me to be at that particular moment. You had a remote control for my moods and you weren’t afraid to use it and for that you have my eternal love and respect. Yes, I had a Maggie-sized hole in my heart and yes, I thought you might fill it for a second, but instead I ended up with a Maggie-sized hole and a Jandy-sized hole right next to it. You are nobody’s replacement, lady. You are far too good for that.
I will shut up now and try to preserve some semblance of dignity.
Oh, but I forgot my favorite quote:
This is our story to tell. He says it in his Ten Commandments way and it hits me that way: profoundly. You’d think for all the reading I do, I would have thought about this before, but I haven’t. I’ve never once thought about the interpretative, the storytelling aspect of life, of my life. I always felt like I was in a story, yes, but not like I was the author of it, or like I had any say in its telling whatsoever.
You can tell your story any way you damn well please.
It’s your solo.
First of all, let me just say that reading this as an ebook is a crime against literature and should be punished as such. The edition I’m holding resembles a diary with its worn cover, wonderful illustrations, little handwritten notes, blue ink and a rubber band holding it all together. It is, without a shadow of a doubt, the prettiest book I’ve ever seen. If you can’t get your hands on a paper edition, wait until you do or you’ll be robbing yourself of the most wonderful experience.
Second, I think it’s safe to say that this book isn't for everyone. The mixed reviews have already proven as much. Many of you would probably be severely irritated by this dreamlike experience. Besides, a lot of people find Lennie to be quite unlikeable and I must admit that I can see why. She makes so many horrible mistakes. She is lost, insecure, her actions can often be interpreted as selfish and she is very skilful in telling lies. If that’s all someone can see in her, there’s no reason to even try to like her. But I saw a different layer of her character, one that is confused, scared and alone and it didn’t take long for her to win me over.
I put aside for a moment the fact that I’ve turned into a total strumpet-harlot-trollop-wench-jezebel-tart-harridan-chippy-nymphet because I’ve just realized something incredible. This is it - what all the hoopla is about, what Wuthering Heights is about – it all boils down to this feeling rushing through me in this moment with Joe as our mouths refuse to part. Who knew all this time I was one kiss away from being Cathy and Juliet and Elizabeth Bennet and Lady Chatterley!?
Writing a plot summary or trying to explain The Sky Is Everywhere in any way would probably do more harm than good. If I tried to write about Lennie’s story, about her sister Bailey who died of arrhythmia while rehearsing for the role of Juliet, I’d be running the risk of making this book sound so ordinary. The Sky Is Everywhere is nothing short of extraordinary in every way that counts.
Joe… must I go there?! I’m trying to be an adult here, a serious, calm, respectable adult. But Joe can take that away in a second and turn me into a useless, gushing teenager with his joeliciousness, his musicality, his gentleness, his humor, his boldness and his Frenchness and those damn eyelashes. Bat. Bat. Bat. *swoon*
The secondary characters are just as amazing: the hippie Gram who grows flowers famous for their aphrodisiac powers, the five-times-married-five-times-divorced uncle no woman can resist and the sweet and charming brothers Fontaine. They all had a huge part in making this story so special, so unlike any other story I’ve ever read.
And Jandy Nelson, where on earth did you come from?!? Your writing is like this huge energy ball that found its place in my stomach and just exploded over and over and over again, making me cry, laugh or jump with excitement, turning me into whatever you wanted me to be at that particular moment. You had a remote control for my moods and you weren’t afraid to use it and for that you have my eternal love and respect. Yes, I had a Maggie-sized hole in my heart and yes, I thought you might fill it for a second, but instead I ended up with a Maggie-sized hole and a Jandy-sized hole right next to it. You are nobody’s replacement, lady. You are far too good for that.
I will shut up now and try to preserve some semblance of dignity.
Oh, but I forgot my favorite quote:
This is our story to tell. He says it in his Ten Commandments way and it hits me that way: profoundly. You’d think for all the reading I do, I would have thought about this before, but I haven’t. I’ve never once thought about the interpretative, the storytelling aspect of life, of my life. I always felt like I was in a story, yes, but not like I was the author of it, or like I had any say in its telling whatsoever.
You can tell your story any way you damn well please.
It’s your solo.
November 13, 2019
when you read a story centred around the loss of someone, its expected to be an emotional and somewhat melancholy experience. but the best books that deal with loss also make you wish for hope and feel uplifted. and thats exactly what this story does.
i will always praise jandy nelsons writing. there is something so lyrical and poetic about it that shapes even the most mundane words into thoughts of beauty. and i think that is a tremendous asset to this story. she perfectly describes the difficult nature of grief and the often confusing moments people go through in it. i thought this book explores how lennie handled her grief very realistically and i couldnt help but feel invested in her and the other characters.
this is a very touching story. one i know i could read at any time in my life, regardless of what i am feeling, and come out the end of it a much better person.
↠ 4 stars
i will always praise jandy nelsons writing. there is something so lyrical and poetic about it that shapes even the most mundane words into thoughts of beauty. and i think that is a tremendous asset to this story. she perfectly describes the difficult nature of grief and the often confusing moments people go through in it. i thought this book explores how lennie handled her grief very realistically and i couldnt help but feel invested in her and the other characters.
this is a very touching story. one i know i could read at any time in my life, regardless of what i am feeling, and come out the end of it a much better person.
↠ 4 stars
December 20, 2016
Book 22/100 for 2015
2.5/5
This book really didn't do anything for me. I was expecting great things because of the incredible hype surrounding the book, but I was bored throughout. I felt like the romance between Joe and Lennie was WAY too sudden (He just randomly shows up at her house one day and then begins to invite himself into the house every morning with croissants? Also, they kiss and then a few days later they are in love?) and her ongoing crisis between picking Toby or Joe made me want to slap her silly.
I didn't like her writing style for the most part. A few times a great sentence would stand out to me, but I felt like she did more "telling" than "showing". She would always say how a character "gave [Lennie] an irritated look", but didn't describe what that looked like. She also used weird phrases such as "WTF-asaurus", which just ????? It makes me so uncomfortable when authors try to relate to their teen readers by adding weird lingo (example: Being Audrey Hepburn by Mitchell Kriegman).
Finally, none of the characters stood out to me. I kind of hated Lennie and I have no idea why? She seemed pretentious to me with her poetry and being a "book snob" and all of her deep thoughts, but also childish. She was basically a big mess (which I know is a large part of the book, her being a mess, but she always compared herself to others and infuriatingly jumped to huge conclusions).
I also didn't cry which is very unusual for me (I sobbed in the movie Bridesmaids if that tells you anything). Everyone was saying how this book wrecked them, but I had dry eyes throughout it all.
On the positive side, though, this book was a page turner and I really did want to see how it all finished. I flew through this book in only a couple of hours and I was satisfied with the ending.
I'm sorry for the big rant, but I was really disappointed with this book and I was hoping that it would be able to get me out of my reading slump.
2.5/5
This book really didn't do anything for me. I was expecting great things because of the incredible hype surrounding the book, but I was bored throughout. I felt like the romance between Joe and Lennie was WAY too sudden (He just randomly shows up at her house one day and then begins to invite himself into the house every morning with croissants? Also, they kiss and then a few days later they are in love?) and her ongoing crisis between picking Toby or Joe made me want to slap her silly.
I didn't like her writing style for the most part. A few times a great sentence would stand out to me, but I felt like she did more "telling" than "showing". She would always say how a character "gave [Lennie] an irritated look", but didn't describe what that looked like. She also used weird phrases such as "WTF-asaurus", which just ????? It makes me so uncomfortable when authors try to relate to their teen readers by adding weird lingo (example: Being Audrey Hepburn by Mitchell Kriegman).
Finally, none of the characters stood out to me. I kind of hated Lennie and I have no idea why? She seemed pretentious to me with her poetry and being a "book snob" and all of her deep thoughts, but also childish. She was basically a big mess (which I know is a large part of the book, her being a mess, but she always compared herself to others and infuriatingly jumped to huge conclusions).
I also didn't cry which is very unusual for me (I sobbed in the movie Bridesmaids if that tells you anything). Everyone was saying how this book wrecked them, but I had dry eyes throughout it all.
On the positive side, though, this book was a page turner and I really did want to see how it all finished. I flew through this book in only a couple of hours and I was satisfied with the ending.
I'm sorry for the big rant, but I was really disappointed with this book and I was hoping that it would be able to get me out of my reading slump.
April 16, 2018
After reading "I'll Give You The Sun", I was ready to read anything by Jandy Nelson!
Once again the main character was an artist and going through grief. That part I loved. I didn't care as much for the romance/love triangle but if someone usually likes YA Contemporary romance you should absolutely give this book a shot!
Overall I think it was impossible for this book to be as good as her other one but I overall enjoyed it. (3.5)
Once again the main character was an artist and going through grief. That part I loved. I didn't care as much for the romance/love triangle but if someone usually likes YA Contemporary romance you should absolutely give this book a shot!
Overall I think it was impossible for this book to be as good as her other one but I overall enjoyed it. (3.5)
June 12, 2016
Jandy Nelson has a way with telling stories. They all come out more like works of art than books. Reading them is an experience of it's own, like dancing, but instead of your hands being on hips, they're on the cover of a book.
When I die,
tell me a funky story
just like this one
I can't help but love.
(Found on a message board, GoodReads, online)
The way The Sky Is Everywhere connects death with becoming yourself and falling in love is beautiful. All of the characters are crazy. They feel like they're all telling their own stories, until they all become parallel and then crash together. And as always, I fell for the words:
"Ever been in love?"
I don't holler, Yes, right now, with you, stupid, like I suddenly want to, but say, "No, I've never been anything."
When I die,
tell me a funky story
just like this one
I can't help but love.
(Found on a message board, GoodReads, online)
The way The Sky Is Everywhere connects death with becoming yourself and falling in love is beautiful. All of the characters are crazy. They feel like they're all telling their own stories, until they all become parallel and then crash together. And as always, I fell for the words:
"Ever been in love?"
I don't holler, Yes, right now, with you, stupid, like I suddenly want to, but say, "No, I've never been anything."
December 22, 2022
a normal reason to reread a book is because you liked it and want to experience it again.
i reread to see if i still don't.
and update - i don't!
we live in a world in which is has been EIGHT YEARS since the last jandy nelson release. EIGHT. YEARS.
she emerged, i imagine, from a human-sized cocoon like a literary butterfly, dropped the masterpiece that was i'll give you the sun in a meadow, where immediately a fairy ring of daisies bloomed, and we all rejoiced.
and then when she suddenly appeared the next year in a big-ass seashell in the middle of the ocean à la venus to strongly imply she had another book coming - a book with a title, and a synopsis, and character names, and a lot of stuff that would indicate Imminent Existence - i thought i could be normal.
well, me normal. which would still include rereading more than seems good for me and semi-annually stalking her twitter for any hints, like a loser bookworm sherlock holmes with an aging macbook.
but then 7 years passed.
and that's not an exaggeration. she announced she was working on this book in, no joke, 2015. it is now somehow 2022, which is, disturbing as it is, 7 years later.
so here we are. i'm forced to reread a book i know i didn't like to see if i still didn't like it.
and i guess i didn't?
this has all of the heaviness of i'll give you the sun, but, like...none of the same magic or loveliness? which is, speaking truthfully, what i was in i'll give you the sun for in the first place?
and also it has instalove. so.
enough said.
bottom line: not bad, but it had a tough act to follow. even 8 years later.
-------------------
belated review
i need to reread this before i can speak on it, and i'm sure when i reread it i'll like it more due to the sheer force with which i love i'll give you the sun, but probably i disliked it for this reason:
when i was in kindergarten i had kind of like a belligerent washed up art teacher who once fully yelled at us for drawing the sky as a blue line, a cornerstone of all six-year-old art projects. he was all, "when you look outside, there's blue between the trees! the sky is everywhere! it's not a blue line!"
weird dude. hope he's well, kinda.
anyway, this'll do as a placeholder review until i reread.
part of a series i'm doing in which i review books i read a long time ago, halfheartedly
i reread to see if i still don't.
and update - i don't!
we live in a world in which is has been EIGHT YEARS since the last jandy nelson release. EIGHT. YEARS.
she emerged, i imagine, from a human-sized cocoon like a literary butterfly, dropped the masterpiece that was i'll give you the sun in a meadow, where immediately a fairy ring of daisies bloomed, and we all rejoiced.
and then when she suddenly appeared the next year in a big-ass seashell in the middle of the ocean à la venus to strongly imply she had another book coming - a book with a title, and a synopsis, and character names, and a lot of stuff that would indicate Imminent Existence - i thought i could be normal.
well, me normal. which would still include rereading more than seems good for me and semi-annually stalking her twitter for any hints, like a loser bookworm sherlock holmes with an aging macbook.
but then 7 years passed.
and that's not an exaggeration. she announced she was working on this book in, no joke, 2015. it is now somehow 2022, which is, disturbing as it is, 7 years later.
so here we are. i'm forced to reread a book i know i didn't like to see if i still didn't like it.
and i guess i didn't?
this has all of the heaviness of i'll give you the sun, but, like...none of the same magic or loveliness? which is, speaking truthfully, what i was in i'll give you the sun for in the first place?
and also it has instalove. so.
enough said.
bottom line: not bad, but it had a tough act to follow. even 8 years later.
-------------------
belated review
i need to reread this before i can speak on it, and i'm sure when i reread it i'll like it more due to the sheer force with which i love i'll give you the sun, but probably i disliked it for this reason:
when i was in kindergarten i had kind of like a belligerent washed up art teacher who once fully yelled at us for drawing the sky as a blue line, a cornerstone of all six-year-old art projects. he was all, "when you look outside, there's blue between the trees! the sky is everywhere! it's not a blue line!"
weird dude. hope he's well, kinda.
anyway, this'll do as a placeholder review until i reread.
part of a series i'm doing in which i review books i read a long time ago, halfheartedly
September 2, 2010
The Sky Is Everywhere is undoubtedly a beautifully written book. Its emotional prose and the story itself will resonate with many (female) readers. You have grief here, the main character's journey to live with it, her inability to sort out her feeling for two guys - her dead sister's fiancee, who understands and shares her feelings perfectly, and a new boy in town, whose sheer presence makes her forget her pain. A generous amount of passion will entice many too. But for me it never quite worked.
It's not anything major, just small irritants here and there. The characters are a little too sophisticated for their age - too articulate, too obsessed with reading "Wuthering Heights," playing "La Vie En Rose" and being hip, emo and literate; the romance is a little too intense with proclamations of undying love and plans of "deflowering" 3 days into the relationship; the feelings that border on hysterical with the main character throwing herself into grief and lust with an unprecedented gusto; and finally, the story itself is just so excessively sensual, too wrapped up in lust and obsession for my taste.
I don't know, I guess it simply didn't feel completely real to me in the end. It's one of those YA books that make you think that the writer doesn't quite remember what being a teenager is like, how teens talk and think, and resorts to entering the genre because the story is not deep enough to be marketed as adult fiction.
I wouldn't discourage anyone from reading this novel however, it is written well, but at the same time I can't recommend it either.
It's not anything major, just small irritants here and there. The characters are a little too sophisticated for their age - too articulate, too obsessed with reading "Wuthering Heights," playing "La Vie En Rose" and being hip, emo and literate; the romance is a little too intense with proclamations of undying love and plans of "deflowering" 3 days into the relationship; the feelings that border on hysterical with the main character throwing herself into grief and lust with an unprecedented gusto; and finally, the story itself is just so excessively sensual, too wrapped up in lust and obsession for my taste.
I don't know, I guess it simply didn't feel completely real to me in the end. It's one of those YA books that make you think that the writer doesn't quite remember what being a teenager is like, how teens talk and think, and resorts to entering the genre because the story is not deep enough to be marketed as adult fiction.
I wouldn't discourage anyone from reading this novel however, it is written well, but at the same time I can't recommend it either.
September 9, 2016
I fell in love with this book. Lennie, also called John Lennon by her friend/boyfriend and family, is grieving for her sister Bailey who died a sudden death. They live/lived with their Gram and Uncle Big. I really loved Gram and Uncle Big, they are some crazy cool characters let me tell you.
Through-out the book, Lennie writes notes, poems, thoughts on any piece of paper and lets them go, buries them, tapes them to things, throws them away in different places. Maybe someone will read them. I loved how the book was filled with these and underneath it would say where they were found.
Lennie doesn't want to get rid of anything of Bailey's. She even keeps her dirty clothes in the hamper. Lennie is also having a strange attachment to Bailey's boyfriend, Toby. She learns secrets about Bailey that she couldn't image. The secrets hurt her because she thought they were the best of friends. They lived in the same room together and were very close. Then things start getting out of control with Toby. They are both looking for an outlet from the pain. At least one day that all settles itself because it almost cost her Joe. Almost cost her sanity.
Joe is the new boy at school. He is beautiful and has beautiful brothers and everyone wants to be with them. But Lennie and Joe have something different. They play music together, they found each other in the music class. But, can Lennie let everything go enough to find love with Joe? I'm guessing you need to read the book to find out the whole story, but there is always a way . . .
I really enjoyed this book. It's about love and loss. It's about family and the people you meet. It's crazy and awesome. It's sad, not only because of the loss, but because Lennie and Bailey never knew their mother or their fathers. There are some revelations. There are tears of sadness and tears of joy. I'm glad I went on this journey with the characters in this book. It was magical in it's own way.
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
March 29, 2018
Jandy Nelson doesn't just write books—she creates dazzlingly beautiful, poetic masterpieces of words and images, which leave you breathless and shaken to your core, your mind spinning. Her second book,
I'll Give You the Sun
(see my review), still holds a place in my heart and my brain almost four years after I read it, and it made my list of the best books I read in 2014.
I've always wanted to read her debut novel, The Sky is Everywhere , but I've held back, because it made me happier knowing there was still one of her books I had yet to read. But after being a bit of an emotional wreck after seeing Love, Simon this past weekend (what an amazing movie), I thought why not just plumb my emotional depths? Once again, this book had me crying, exclaiming aloud at some of her words, and seriously wanting to applaud when I was done. (And I thought her second book was a tiny bit better than this one!)
"I wonder why bereaved people even bother with mourning clothes when grief itself provides such an unmistakable wardrobe."
Lennon—Lennie for short—is consumed with crushing grief after the death of her older sister, Bailey. Bailey, an aspiring actress, was larger than life, dramatic, a force of nature drawing everyone into the centrifugal force of her being. Lennie, more cerebral, a musician, was more than happy to play second fiddle to her sister, who has been her protector since their mother left them with their grandmother when they were little.
"He was telling us that Thoroughbred racing horses have these companion ponies that always stay by their sides, and I remember thinking, That's me. I'm a companion pony, and companion ponies don't solo. They don't play first chair or audition for All-State or compete nationally or seriously consider a certain performing arts conservatory in New York City...they just don't."
In the wake of Bailey's sudden death, Lennie is emotionally adrift, and amazingly, the only anchor she can find is Toby, Bailey's boyfriend, of whom Lennie was always a little bit jealous. Suddenly their relationship is overcome by intense longing and passion, something that Lennie has never felt before, yet she isn't sure whether she actually wants Toby, or if being with him is a way of preserving her sister. And when a breathtakingly handsome new boy, an immensely talented musician, comes to school, Lennie finds herself falling for him with an intensity she never knew possible, yet it is an intensity complicated by her feelings for Toby.
"I kiss him. I mean really kiss him, like I've wanted to do since that very first day in band. No sweet soft peck about it. With the same lips that just kissed someone else, I kiss away his question, his suspicion, and after a while, I kiss away the someone else too, the something else that almost just happened, until it is only the two of us, Joe and me, in the room, in the world, in my crazy swelling heart. Holy horses."
The Sky is Everywhere is a book about how we attempt to cope with crushing loss, and how we are often blind to how those we love are dealing with the same grief. It's a book about how love consumes us, bewitches us, makes us believe we are the only ones who have ever felt this way, and that it's okay to act impetuously, foolishly, carelessly with others' feelings.
At the same time, this is also a book about finally finding yourself after willingly standing in shadow for so long, about coming into your own and finding the courage to act, and about understanding how your past shapes your future. Nelson's storytelling fills you with emotion, makes you root for her characters, and just leaves you gasping with amazement at times because of her word choices and the feelings Lennie is experiencing. You want to hug her and protect her, yet you want to shake her, too, because of her single-mindedness as she ignores her family members and friends.
I hope Nelson has another book in store for us soon. Not everyone enjoys YA books as much as I do, but Nelson's books are so beautifully written, so intensely felt, that you're missing out. She is a talent that deserves to be experienced, and her stories deserve to be read.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com, or check out my list of the best books I read in 2017 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2017.html.
I've always wanted to read her debut novel, The Sky is Everywhere , but I've held back, because it made me happier knowing there was still one of her books I had yet to read. But after being a bit of an emotional wreck after seeing Love, Simon this past weekend (what an amazing movie), I thought why not just plumb my emotional depths? Once again, this book had me crying, exclaiming aloud at some of her words, and seriously wanting to applaud when I was done. (And I thought her second book was a tiny bit better than this one!)
"I wonder why bereaved people even bother with mourning clothes when grief itself provides such an unmistakable wardrobe."
Lennon—Lennie for short—is consumed with crushing grief after the death of her older sister, Bailey. Bailey, an aspiring actress, was larger than life, dramatic, a force of nature drawing everyone into the centrifugal force of her being. Lennie, more cerebral, a musician, was more than happy to play second fiddle to her sister, who has been her protector since their mother left them with their grandmother when they were little.
"He was telling us that Thoroughbred racing horses have these companion ponies that always stay by their sides, and I remember thinking, That's me. I'm a companion pony, and companion ponies don't solo. They don't play first chair or audition for All-State or compete nationally or seriously consider a certain performing arts conservatory in New York City...they just don't."
In the wake of Bailey's sudden death, Lennie is emotionally adrift, and amazingly, the only anchor she can find is Toby, Bailey's boyfriend, of whom Lennie was always a little bit jealous. Suddenly their relationship is overcome by intense longing and passion, something that Lennie has never felt before, yet she isn't sure whether she actually wants Toby, or if being with him is a way of preserving her sister. And when a breathtakingly handsome new boy, an immensely talented musician, comes to school, Lennie finds herself falling for him with an intensity she never knew possible, yet it is an intensity complicated by her feelings for Toby.
"I kiss him. I mean really kiss him, like I've wanted to do since that very first day in band. No sweet soft peck about it. With the same lips that just kissed someone else, I kiss away his question, his suspicion, and after a while, I kiss away the someone else too, the something else that almost just happened, until it is only the two of us, Joe and me, in the room, in the world, in my crazy swelling heart. Holy horses."
The Sky is Everywhere is a book about how we attempt to cope with crushing loss, and how we are often blind to how those we love are dealing with the same grief. It's a book about how love consumes us, bewitches us, makes us believe we are the only ones who have ever felt this way, and that it's okay to act impetuously, foolishly, carelessly with others' feelings.
At the same time, this is also a book about finally finding yourself after willingly standing in shadow for so long, about coming into your own and finding the courage to act, and about understanding how your past shapes your future. Nelson's storytelling fills you with emotion, makes you root for her characters, and just leaves you gasping with amazement at times because of her word choices and the feelings Lennie is experiencing. You want to hug her and protect her, yet you want to shake her, too, because of her single-mindedness as she ignores her family members and friends.
I hope Nelson has another book in store for us soon. Not everyone enjoys YA books as much as I do, but Nelson's books are so beautifully written, so intensely felt, that you're missing out. She is a talent that deserves to be experienced, and her stories deserve to be read.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com, or check out my list of the best books I read in 2017 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2017.html.
December 3, 2010
This is more of a ramble then a review, so bare with me.
After reading this book, my emotions were kinda everywhere at once.
There are a lot of different ways that people grieve when they loss someone they love.
Lennie unconsciously and purposely explores her sexuality with not one but two guys in her life. Joe is the new boy in town, talented musician and all around swoon-worthy while Toby just happens to be her sister boyfriend.
There is a very fine line to right and wrong that Lennie is treading on and at first I was pretty tossed up about it. On one hand, to turn to someone for comfort, to feel mad-hot kisses and hands exploring, getting lost in the sensation of lust and need, to feel alive, it's actually pretty realistic and normal way to deal with lost. I just didn't expect to find this method in a YA book with a character who hasn't really began to experience with it to begin with. But then I thought, why not? Toby and Len have experience the same lost and they understand what the other is going through. Is it right? Is it wrong? There is no real answer and quite frankly it doesn't matter, people do messed up things to make it better. Anything to not be able to feel pain or connecting in a way that keeps the memory alive in some twisted up way, but there it is, making this situation more bittersweet then it already is.
Then there's Joe, someone animated and funny and sweet and sexy and says things that can melt any heart. He's already had to mend one broken heart and has been betrayed all over again. I had to go with Joe here, at least for awhile, I wasn't sure I could forgive Len at first either but then I realize that it wasn't ever about deep emotion with Toby, it was just to fill a void that they desperately needed to fill. Poor Joe just walked in at the wrong time.
Len and Joe are such a sweet couple, sure, it's a bit rushed but the sap in me couldn't care less, I wanted them together. Period.
Overall, The Sky is Everywhere really surprised me in the best way possible. I laughed, I cried, I cringed and I grinned from ear to ear and I have such a crush on Joe!
A touching, raw and emotional read that pulls at your heart strings and defines how people who have lost a loved one can still smile and laugh and love and finally...let go.
An Amazing Debut!
After reading this book, my emotions were kinda everywhere at once.
There are a lot of different ways that people grieve when they loss someone they love.
Lennie unconsciously and purposely explores her sexuality with not one but two guys in her life. Joe is the new boy in town, talented musician and all around swoon-worthy while Toby just happens to be her sister boyfriend.
There is a very fine line to right and wrong that Lennie is treading on and at first I was pretty tossed up about it. On one hand, to turn to someone for comfort, to feel mad-hot kisses and hands exploring, getting lost in the sensation of lust and need, to feel alive, it's actually pretty realistic and normal way to deal with lost. I just didn't expect to find this method in a YA book with a character who hasn't really began to experience with it to begin with. But then I thought, why not? Toby and Len have experience the same lost and they understand what the other is going through. Is it right? Is it wrong? There is no real answer and quite frankly it doesn't matter, people do messed up things to make it better. Anything to not be able to feel pain or connecting in a way that keeps the memory alive in some twisted up way, but there it is, making this situation more bittersweet then it already is.
Then there's Joe, someone animated and funny and sweet and sexy and says things that can melt any heart. He's already had to mend one broken heart and has been betrayed all over again. I had to go with Joe here, at least for awhile, I wasn't sure I could forgive Len at first either but then I realize that it wasn't ever about deep emotion with Toby, it was just to fill a void that they desperately needed to fill. Poor Joe just walked in at the wrong time.
Len and Joe are such a sweet couple, sure, it's a bit rushed but the sap in me couldn't care less, I wanted them together. Period.
Overall, The Sky is Everywhere really surprised me in the best way possible. I laughed, I cried, I cringed and I grinned from ear to ear and I have such a crush on Joe!
A touching, raw and emotional read that pulls at your heart strings and defines how people who have lost a loved one can still smile and laugh and love and finally...let go.
An Amazing Debut!
April 7, 2011
Yesterday, searching for something "light" to read, I picked up The Sky Is Everywhere. Funny how I needed to relax and ended up not being able to put it down until I finished the last page, at 2am.
Lennie Walker is a teenage clarinetist whose beloved sister, Bailey, suddenly dies of a heart failure. This is the story of her journey through grief and loss, through teenage hormones and love, through family and friendship, in the quest to eventually find her true self and survive her sister's death.
I loved this book on so many levels I need to organize my thoughts on a list. So I am going to give a star to every thing I liked about it:
1 star goes to the book itself because it is gorgeous.
My edition came in the style of a diary, with the little elastic band lengthwise to keep it closed, a rough cover, a used look. Not to talk about the whole book being printed in blue ink. I fell in love instantly.
1 star goes to the writing style.
This author, this woman, is a published poet. I felt bad for so many other authors whose books I've read lately and don't stand a chance when compared to this. Her writing style is musical, evocative, colorful, humorous, snarky, visual.... just the way I like it. And let's always remember that we're talking about YA lit here. Her descriptions are so intelligent and to the point I couldn't help but note them down. One for all, when Lennie describes Joe Fontaine's cheerful character:
the guy's life-drunk, I think, makes Candide looks like a sourpuss. Does he even know that death exists?
It struck me so, because I thought about myself and realized how until a few years ago, I thought I was immortal or close to it. Then you have children and all you can think is that you'll die soon.
But apart from this, there are so many great passages in the book, you just need to pick it up and read it.
1 star goes to the notes inserted in the book.
Lennie, after her sister dies, starts to write little notes and poems to Bailey and about Bailey, snapshots of their life together. She writes them on anything she can find, candy wrappers, abandoned coffee cups, toilet walls, tree barks and then she just leaves them there for everybody -or nobody- to find. All these handwritten notes are printed out at the beginning of each new chapter throughout all the book, with a note on where they were found but not by whom. It's like they're a little book within the book and their purpose comes clear at the end.
1 star goes to the plot.
This book is not about flawless characters - even though, end in end, it seems to be about flawless love and that's the part I liked least - because Lennie does many stupid things in the story. She is part of a family of weirdos, where her uncle is a giant, a pothead and about to get married for the 5th time, where her mother abandoned her and her sister at birth never to be seen again and where her grandmother is a miracle gardener/painter/hippie whose roses are known to have aphrodisiac powers on people. This would all be extremely hilarious if not for the fact that the family is totally submerged in grief for Bailey's death and does not have a clue how to cope. Lennie's response is shocking: she starts a relationship with Bailey's boyfriend while falling in love with Joe. And she makes a total mess out of it, of course.
Note: even devoid of one single sex scene, this book is way steamier than others where sex is explicit - I'd say my imagination works rather well at least.
My last star goes to the way death is treated in this book.
I thought it was true, realistic and very honest. Her descriptions of how she felt left behind, of all her grief, of the unjustness of a broken life and of her guilt and loneliness at being the one who survived, really touched my heart. Lennie writes on a note:
I
wish
my
shadow
would
get
up
and
walk
beside
me
I wouldn't know how to express loneliness in a better way.
Highly recommended.
You can read my reviews also here: http://lisa-nighreader.blogspot.com
Lennie Walker is a teenage clarinetist whose beloved sister, Bailey, suddenly dies of a heart failure. This is the story of her journey through grief and loss, through teenage hormones and love, through family and friendship, in the quest to eventually find her true self and survive her sister's death.
I loved this book on so many levels I need to organize my thoughts on a list. So I am going to give a star to every thing I liked about it:
1 star goes to the book itself because it is gorgeous.
My edition came in the style of a diary, with the little elastic band lengthwise to keep it closed, a rough cover, a used look. Not to talk about the whole book being printed in blue ink. I fell in love instantly.
1 star goes to the writing style.
This author, this woman, is a published poet. I felt bad for so many other authors whose books I've read lately and don't stand a chance when compared to this. Her writing style is musical, evocative, colorful, humorous, snarky, visual.... just the way I like it. And let's always remember that we're talking about YA lit here. Her descriptions are so intelligent and to the point I couldn't help but note them down. One for all, when Lennie describes Joe Fontaine's cheerful character:
the guy's life-drunk, I think, makes Candide looks like a sourpuss. Does he even know that death exists?
It struck me so, because I thought about myself and realized how until a few years ago, I thought I was immortal or close to it. Then you have children and all you can think is that you'll die soon.
But apart from this, there are so many great passages in the book, you just need to pick it up and read it.
1 star goes to the notes inserted in the book.
Lennie, after her sister dies, starts to write little notes and poems to Bailey and about Bailey, snapshots of their life together. She writes them on anything she can find, candy wrappers, abandoned coffee cups, toilet walls, tree barks and then she just leaves them there for everybody -or nobody- to find. All these handwritten notes are printed out at the beginning of each new chapter throughout all the book, with a note on where they were found but not by whom. It's like they're a little book within the book and their purpose comes clear at the end.
1 star goes to the plot.
This book is not about flawless characters - even though, end in end, it seems to be about flawless love and that's the part I liked least - because Lennie does many stupid things in the story. She is part of a family of weirdos, where her uncle is a giant, a pothead and about to get married for the 5th time, where her mother abandoned her and her sister at birth never to be seen again and where her grandmother is a miracle gardener/painter/hippie whose roses are known to have aphrodisiac powers on people. This would all be extremely hilarious if not for the fact that the family is totally submerged in grief for Bailey's death and does not have a clue how to cope. Lennie's response is shocking: she starts a relationship with Bailey's boyfriend while falling in love with Joe. And she makes a total mess out of it, of course.
Note: even devoid of one single sex scene, this book is way steamier than others where sex is explicit - I'd say my imagination works rather well at least.
My last star goes to the way death is treated in this book.
I thought it was true, realistic and very honest. Her descriptions of how she felt left behind, of all her grief, of the unjustness of a broken life and of her guilt and loneliness at being the one who survived, really touched my heart. Lennie writes on a note:
I
wish
my
shadow
would
get
up
and
walk
beside
me
I wouldn't know how to express loneliness in a better way.
Highly recommended.
You can read my reviews also here: http://lisa-nighreader.blogspot.com
February 8, 2016
4 stars
The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson. YA book #2 in 2016.
Jandy Nelson has this special writing style. It’s kind of odd (in the best way) and beautifully poetic. Her characters are a little out there and her stories are like nothing I’ve ever read before. The Sky is Everywhere is a powerful story of a young woman dealing with grief the best way she knows how.
The synopsis really tells you what this story is about- Lennie is grieving the loss of her sister. She’s a musician, a poet, and she’s torn between two guys. I did not consider this a love triangle (if you read it, you’ll understand). I loved both the guys, Joe and Toby. I felt for Lennie and understood her. I also really loved the grandma. Best character in this book! She was so quirky and eccentric. I listened to the audio book and the narration was good. The story was interesting, well written and beautiful. This is one I’d recommend.
“The sky is everywhere, it begins at your feet.”
The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson. YA book #2 in 2016.
Jandy Nelson has this special writing style. It’s kind of odd (in the best way) and beautifully poetic. Her characters are a little out there and her stories are like nothing I’ve ever read before. The Sky is Everywhere is a powerful story of a young woman dealing with grief the best way she knows how.
“grief is a house
where the chairs
have forgotten how to hold us
the mirrors how to reflect us
the walls how to contain us
grief is a house that disappears
each time someone knocks at the door
or rings the bell
a house that blows into the air
at the slightest gust
that buries itself deep in the ground
while everyone is sleeping
grief is a house where no one can protect you
where the younger sister
will grow older than the older one
where the doors
no longer let you in
or out”
The synopsis really tells you what this story is about- Lennie is grieving the loss of her sister. She’s a musician, a poet, and she’s torn between two guys. I did not consider this a love triangle (if you read it, you’ll understand). I loved both the guys, Joe and Toby. I felt for Lennie and understood her. I also really loved the grandma. Best character in this book! She was so quirky and eccentric. I listened to the audio book and the narration was good. The story was interesting, well written and beautiful. This is one I’d recommend.
November 14, 2016
One of the funniest, most beautiful and most inspiring stories I’ve ever read about coping with grief and falling in love, about discovering oneself, strengthening the bond of friendship and sisterhood, and realizing who your genuine family is. I now clearly understand why so many of my friends have fallen in love with this book. I undeniably have as I have gone through all the symptoms of falling madly in love with a book.
♣ Inability to put the book down.
♣ Grinning like a buffoon and snorting at the imagery and metaphors most wittingly used by the author.
“An army of ninja-cupids who must have been hiding out in the canopy draw their bows and release-arrows fly at me from every which way.”
♣ Satisfying positive emotions welling up and threatening to pour out of the chest (Husband may have earned more than the usual dose of hugs and kisses. Too much information? Sorry. Lol!)
♣ Multitasking (grabbing a pen and the special notebook while holding the book to copy all those beautiful lines worth remembering)
♣ Being surprised with the writing technique and creativity.
♣ Wiping a few tears but definitely not bawling out.
♣ That wild spark in my brain brought about by the connection between the story and the cover and title.
♣ That inexplicable need to read every word written by the author up to the Acknowledgement and the About the Author part.
♣ Thinking about already rereading the book even before finishing it.
♣ The need to know about the other books written by the author and the overpowering urge to have them.
♣ Hugging the book to your chest after finishing and staring at nothingness with heart eyes.
♣ Inability to formulate proper speech, ergo a proper review.^^
P.S. I never thought I’d like any male character who bats his eyelashes so much until Joe Fontaine (and the rest of the Fontaine boys for that matter). Lol.
December 6, 2010
Favourite Quote: 'I look into his sorrowless eyes and a door in my heart blows open. And when we kiss, I see that on the other side of that door is the sky.'
This review is not going to be like normal because The Sky Is Everywhere is so STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL it hard to get the words out. So I thought I use some pictures to help express my thoughts.
The Sky Is Everywhere made my heart ache. The above picture pretty much sums up Lennie's life and also the way it made me feel while reading it. My emotions were all caught up in this story thanks to Jandy Nelson utterly gorgeous writing. All the poems and notes scattered throughout this book really captured the pain Lenny was feeling. But there were also funny and happier moments that warmed my heart as well.
Lennie, I could really empathise with her and feel her pain as she looked for a way to deal with it. I didn't always like her choices but completely understood them and it was wonderful to watch her grow and work towards happiness. This story also has interesting secondary characters that are just as well crafted. You could feel Toby, Gran and Big's pain as you watched each of them deal with their grief differently and Sarah's confusion and hurt as Lennie pushes her away.
The romance in this book is that epic, forever, two souls connecting, kind of love. It does happen somewhat fast but it works because of the writing that really expresses how Lennie feels when she is with Joe. And also because of Joe ('quel major dork', 'bat bat bat' - for those of you have read the book it will make sense). He has such a gorgeous soul. And well his passion for music makes it hard not to fall for him. He has found a place with my other literary crushes.
I really wished I could have written some more detail and depth to this review to express how I felt but I am hoping these pictures will get across the words I can't. Overall, this book is a story about love, that I fell in love with.
This review is not going to be like normal because The Sky Is Everywhere is so STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL it hard to get the words out. So I thought I use some pictures to help express my thoughts.
The Sky Is Everywhere made my heart ache. The above picture pretty much sums up Lennie's life and also the way it made me feel while reading it. My emotions were all caught up in this story thanks to Jandy Nelson utterly gorgeous writing. All the poems and notes scattered throughout this book really captured the pain Lenny was feeling. But there were also funny and happier moments that warmed my heart as well.
Lennie, I could really empathise with her and feel her pain as she looked for a way to deal with it. I didn't always like her choices but completely understood them and it was wonderful to watch her grow and work towards happiness. This story also has interesting secondary characters that are just as well crafted. You could feel Toby, Gran and Big's pain as you watched each of them deal with their grief differently and Sarah's confusion and hurt as Lennie pushes her away.
The romance in this book is that epic, forever, two souls connecting, kind of love. It does happen somewhat fast but it works because of the writing that really expresses how Lennie feels when she is with Joe. And also because of Joe ('quel major dork', 'bat bat bat' - for those of you have read the book it will make sense). He has such a gorgeous soul. And well his passion for music makes it hard not to fall for him. He has found a place with my other literary crushes.
I really wished I could have written some more detail and depth to this review to express how I felt but I am hoping these pictures will get across the words I can't. Overall, this book is a story about love, that I fell in love with.
February 13, 2017
I'M SORRY I JUST CAN'T DEAL WITH HOW PHENOMENAL THIS BOOK WAS.
April 14, 2017
*Lowered my rating to a 3 just because I hated the ending so much.
I loved this so much for the first half but then I became excessively irritated with Lennie and I just couldn't handle it. Video review soon!
I loved this so much for the first half but then I became excessively irritated with Lennie and I just couldn't handle it. Video review soon!
June 13, 2020
Having lot of spare time during quarantine day filled with insanely boring repeated activity made me looked for some books for readings. If you ask me what a recommended book I will suggest to you, the answer goes to The Sky is everywhere. This book is the first novel written by Jandy Nelson. The (almost) three hundred pages like wouldn’t make you bore nor think to stop reading until the end of the pages.
“But if you’re someone who knows the worst thing can happen at any time, aren’t you also someone who knows the best thing can happen at any time too?”, the question that hits me, like it sounds loud whenever I read this. There will be much more words that will hit you. The story of the novel can really allow you to indulge on how the conflict of each character yet makes you questioning the reason of some done decisions.
The romantic yet problematic love story wrapped in a warm family (story) in which each character tries to complete each other in incompleteness.
The story begins with the deepest sadness of two sisters who have to be separated in different world. A seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker who loves to play clarinet has to live a new life without her soul sister, Bailey. She tries to manage her life as if Bailey is still with her, but the fact is she can’t live as she lived before. Lennie becomes so sorrowful, lives in the shadow of her fiery Bailey. She lose her hope anything, including her dream with Bailey to find out their mother. That makes Gram, her Grandma, so worry about Lennie. However, is Lennie the only one who feels this?
No, Gram manages so hard to hide her feelings of loosing Bailey, also Toby, Bailey’s boyfriend. This is how the real story begins. Both Lennie and Toby feel this way too deep. Because they feel the same loss sad, both of them then strengthen each other. They do the things they used to do when Bailey was still with them. Yes, Lennie is often invited to Bailey and Toby dates. When Lennie finds comfort with Toby, Toby also feels that comfort. Both of them feel Bailey's presence when they both together. Bailey is like living again between them. But Lennie feet so sorry for Bailey, because Toby was Bailey's girlfriend, the one who made his sister madly falling in love with, yet, Lennie can’t deny her feeling to Toby.
At the beginning of their closeness, comes Joe Fontaine, someone who is so a genius musician. Lennie loves music so much that it's easy to talk to Joe. Joe is also a kind and nice person, he is so easy to make Lennie laugh even when no one is able to make Lennie laugh after she lost Bailey.
The writer managed to confuse me with Lennie's feeling towards Toby and Joe. Although her feeling of guilt towards Bailey is so great, but Lennie could not avoid her feeling with Toby who managed to make her forget the sadness left by Bailey. On the other hand, her closeness to Joe also makes her could not deny that she loves Joe. How is the ending? You may read that yourself and find out how the writer will bring you into the story!
Besides the story that is presented in an interesting yet touching, Jandy Nelson also presented this story in an interesting and light language, so easy to understand. I even found many interesting new idioms and vocabularies in this novel.
I guess that why the title is The Sky is Everywhere is maybe the writer tried to tell us that we can see many beautiful things when we look up to the sky no matter where the grounds we stand, we will always see the beautiful sky when we look up, as if someone we love so bad we have lost is alive there, at the sky.
Overall, this romantic-themed novel with complex inner conflicts is so interesting to read. There are many lessons I can take after reading this book, one of which is that many people feel the sadness of loss, but some of them choose to be happy to make people around them not dissolve in sadness, and if you believe sadness can come at any time, you should also believe that happiness does so!
Happy reading!
“But if you’re someone who knows the worst thing can happen at any time, aren’t you also someone who knows the best thing can happen at any time too?”, the question that hits me, like it sounds loud whenever I read this. There will be much more words that will hit you. The story of the novel can really allow you to indulge on how the conflict of each character yet makes you questioning the reason of some done decisions.
The romantic yet problematic love story wrapped in a warm family (story) in which each character tries to complete each other in incompleteness.
The story begins with the deepest sadness of two sisters who have to be separated in different world. A seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker who loves to play clarinet has to live a new life without her soul sister, Bailey. She tries to manage her life as if Bailey is still with her, but the fact is she can’t live as she lived before. Lennie becomes so sorrowful, lives in the shadow of her fiery Bailey. She lose her hope anything, including her dream with Bailey to find out their mother. That makes Gram, her Grandma, so worry about Lennie. However, is Lennie the only one who feels this?
No, Gram manages so hard to hide her feelings of loosing Bailey, also Toby, Bailey’s boyfriend. This is how the real story begins. Both Lennie and Toby feel this way too deep. Because they feel the same loss sad, both of them then strengthen each other. They do the things they used to do when Bailey was still with them. Yes, Lennie is often invited to Bailey and Toby dates. When Lennie finds comfort with Toby, Toby also feels that comfort. Both of them feel Bailey's presence when they both together. Bailey is like living again between them. But Lennie feet so sorry for Bailey, because Toby was Bailey's girlfriend, the one who made his sister madly falling in love with, yet, Lennie can’t deny her feeling to Toby.
At the beginning of their closeness, comes Joe Fontaine, someone who is so a genius musician. Lennie loves music so much that it's easy to talk to Joe. Joe is also a kind and nice person, he is so easy to make Lennie laugh even when no one is able to make Lennie laugh after she lost Bailey.
The writer managed to confuse me with Lennie's feeling towards Toby and Joe. Although her feeling of guilt towards Bailey is so great, but Lennie could not avoid her feeling with Toby who managed to make her forget the sadness left by Bailey. On the other hand, her closeness to Joe also makes her could not deny that she loves Joe. How is the ending? You may read that yourself and find out how the writer will bring you into the story!
Besides the story that is presented in an interesting yet touching, Jandy Nelson also presented this story in an interesting and light language, so easy to understand. I even found many interesting new idioms and vocabularies in this novel.
I guess that why the title is The Sky is Everywhere is maybe the writer tried to tell us that we can see many beautiful things when we look up to the sky no matter where the grounds we stand, we will always see the beautiful sky when we look up, as if someone we love so bad we have lost is alive there, at the sky.
Overall, this romantic-themed novel with complex inner conflicts is so interesting to read. There are many lessons I can take after reading this book, one of which is that many people feel the sadness of loss, but some of them choose to be happy to make people around them not dissolve in sadness, and if you believe sadness can come at any time, you should also believe that happiness does so!
Happy reading!
November 6, 2011
Truthfully this really isn't even a review. IT's more of a list of questions and comments. SO if you actually like the book. I recommend turning away. Cause this is sort of a hate review.
HATE/STRONGLY DISLIKE
1) Screwed up love triangle.
2) Screwed up characters
3) Screwed up plot
4) I know that the character was grieving. But really?
5) Really?
6) Setting
ACTUALLY LIKE
1) Writing. It was really good and beautiful
2) Dead sister
OKAY
1) Concept (author maybe pulled it off)
See that was my hate list. Any disagreements? Okay yep theres a lot. Maybe I'll give it another go in a couple years. But right now. It's just not working for me.
HATE/STRONGLY DISLIKE
1) Screwed up love triangle.
2) Screwed up characters
3) Screwed up plot
4) I know that the character was grieving. But really?
5) Really?
6) Setting
ACTUALLY LIKE
1) Writing. It was really good and beautiful
2) Dead sister
OKAY
1) Concept (author maybe pulled it off)
See that was my hate list. Any disagreements? Okay yep theres a lot. Maybe I'll give it another go in a couple years. But right now. It's just not working for me.
May 18, 2024
This is a book that demanded to be read in one sitting.
It may have taken me only a few hours to read this, but I'll be writing down my favorite quotes for days. If I was totally into ink, I could completely cover myself with Jandy Nelson quotes.
Phenomenal.
It may have taken me only a few hours to read this, but I'll be writing down my favorite quotes for days. If I was totally into ink, I could completely cover myself with Jandy Nelson quotes.
Phenomenal.
January 24, 2022
Um Trilho de Poesia
As Personagens:
— A Avó 👵: Uma Guru de Plantas com 1.80 m, vestidos floridos e um Jardim Afrodisíaco
— Bailey: A neta vivaça e centro de atenções que sucumbiu a um ataque de arritmia, durante um ensaio de Romeu e Julieta. (Foi como se alguém tivesse aspirado o horizonte enquanto olhávamos para outro lado...)
— Lennie: A neta apagada que toca clarinete, rabisca poemas nas margens de “Wuthering Heights”, e ficou destroçada com a morte repentina da irmã. (Foi como se um comboio de desgosto descarrilado se precipitasse sobre mim)
— A Mãe Ausente: Uma hippie portadora do gene do desassossego que desapareceu largando as filhas ainda bebés.
— Big: O tio cientista 👨🔬 louco, arborista, fumador de charros, que sabe um pouco de tudo e tudo sobre plantas 🌱
— Joe: O génio 🧞♂️ musical! O giraço de sorriso rasgado! Vá onde vá, deixa um rasto de corações palpitantes à sua passagem...
(Teria sido trazido para a nossa escola por algum sopro de vento de outro Planeta?!...)
— Toby: O namorado enlutado de Bailey, e à partida o consolo mais apropriado à tristeza desesperada de Lennie.
...........
Um Esfregaço de História:
Aquela planta estranha está novamente com manchas e a Avó preocupa-se... A dita planta, duma espécie considerada desinteressante, tem o dom de reflectir o estado de espírito de Lennie:
- Já apareceu com pontos brancos!
- Já se infestou de manchas castanhas!
E ambas as ocorrências registaram-se em períodos emocionais mais delicados de Lennie.
Porém, o caso corrente aparenta maior gravidade pois, desta feita, a planta surge salpicada de Negro...
https://www.presenca.pt/soap/uploads/...
A Conclusão:
A premissa de “ O Céu Está Em Toda A Parte “ combina luto com amor a três. Lennie tem um desgosto para enterrar e pensa avidamente em sexo como paliativo. Anda em busca do seu pedaço de Céu e envolve-se num triângulo amoroso, num percurso de resiliência e auto-descoberta. Um misto de lugares-comuns que ganha asas sob a pena poética de Jandy Nelson.
— Já antes lemos histórias assim?
— POSSIVELMENTE!
—Já antes lemos histórias contadas assim?
—DUVIDO SERIAMENTE!
A novidade deste livro reside na sua forma poética, não no conteúdo. A escrita mágica de Jandy Nelson, transmuta a vulgaridade em poesia.
Ao mostrar que o Céu está em Toda a Parte, Jandy Nelson ajuda-nos a encontrá-lo! 😊🥰
Só nos resta pois, destrinçar um trilho de poesia por entre os meandros da banalidade ...
São 4 estrelas 🌟 obesas 😊👍🥰
O Público Alvo:
— Quem leu “ Eu Dou-te o Sol ☀️ “ e ficou a aguar por mais, agarre este livro!
— Quem não leu “ Eu Dou-te o Sol ☀️ “ e nem vislumbra o que perdeu, agarre este livro!
Deixei de fora aqueles que leram e alcançaram a proeza de não gostar de “ Eu Dou-te o Sol ☀️ “, pois esses só por milagre irão gostar deste livro. Mas como os milagres acontecem, tentem também!...😉
Em suma: este livro destina-se a todos os curiosos não gatos! A curiosidade matou o gato e longe de mim querer matar alguém !... 😊😉
O Céu Está Em Toda A Parte ajuda-nos a encontrar a Poesia que há na Vida...
Não percam este!!! 🥰👍
P.S.: Sabem como se diz Louca Varrida em Avolês (linguagem de Avó 👵)?
Caso não saibam nem tão pouco imaginem, aqui vai a resposta:
Saí do meu galho e ando à solta pelo parque 😉
As Personagens:
— A Avó 👵: Uma Guru de Plantas com 1.80 m, vestidos floridos e um Jardim Afrodisíaco
— Bailey: A neta vivaça e centro de atenções que sucumbiu a um ataque de arritmia, durante um ensaio de Romeu e Julieta. (Foi como se alguém tivesse aspirado o horizonte enquanto olhávamos para outro lado...)
— Lennie: A neta apagada que toca clarinete, rabisca poemas nas margens de “Wuthering Heights”, e ficou destroçada com a morte repentina da irmã. (Foi como se um comboio de desgosto descarrilado se precipitasse sobre mim)
— A Mãe Ausente: Uma hippie portadora do gene do desassossego que desapareceu largando as filhas ainda bebés.
— Big: O tio cientista 👨🔬 louco, arborista, fumador de charros, que sabe um pouco de tudo e tudo sobre plantas 🌱
— Joe: O génio 🧞♂️ musical! O giraço de sorriso rasgado! Vá onde vá, deixa um rasto de corações palpitantes à sua passagem...
(Teria sido trazido para a nossa escola por algum sopro de vento de outro Planeta?!...)
— Toby: O namorado enlutado de Bailey, e à partida o consolo mais apropriado à tristeza desesperada de Lennie.
...........
Um Esfregaço de História:
Aquela planta estranha está novamente com manchas e a Avó preocupa-se... A dita planta, duma espécie considerada desinteressante, tem o dom de reflectir o estado de espírito de Lennie:
- Já apareceu com pontos brancos!
- Já se infestou de manchas castanhas!
E ambas as ocorrências registaram-se em períodos emocionais mais delicados de Lennie.
Porém, o caso corrente aparenta maior gravidade pois, desta feita, a planta surge salpicada de Negro...
https://www.presenca.pt/soap/uploads/...
A Conclusão:
A premissa de “ O Céu Está Em Toda A Parte “ combina luto com amor a três. Lennie tem um desgosto para enterrar e pensa avidamente em sexo como paliativo. Anda em busca do seu pedaço de Céu e envolve-se num triângulo amoroso, num percurso de resiliência e auto-descoberta. Um misto de lugares-comuns que ganha asas sob a pena poética de Jandy Nelson.
— Já antes lemos histórias assim?
— POSSIVELMENTE!
—Já antes lemos histórias contadas assim?
—DUVIDO SERIAMENTE!
A novidade deste livro reside na sua forma poética, não no conteúdo. A escrita mágica de Jandy Nelson, transmuta a vulgaridade em poesia.
Ao mostrar que o Céu está em Toda a Parte, Jandy Nelson ajuda-nos a encontrá-lo! 😊🥰
Só nos resta pois, destrinçar um trilho de poesia por entre os meandros da banalidade ...
São 4 estrelas 🌟 obesas 😊👍🥰
O Público Alvo:
— Quem leu “ Eu Dou-te o Sol ☀️ “ e ficou a aguar por mais, agarre este livro!
— Quem não leu “ Eu Dou-te o Sol ☀️ “ e nem vislumbra o que perdeu, agarre este livro!
Deixei de fora aqueles que leram e alcançaram a proeza de não gostar de “ Eu Dou-te o Sol ☀️ “, pois esses só por milagre irão gostar deste livro. Mas como os milagres acontecem, tentem também!...😉
Em suma: este livro destina-se a todos os curiosos não gatos! A curiosidade matou o gato e longe de mim querer matar alguém !... 😊😉
O Céu Está Em Toda A Parte ajuda-nos a encontrar a Poesia que há na Vida...
Não percam este!!! 🥰👍
P.S.: Sabem como se diz Louca Varrida em Avolês (linguagem de Avó 👵)?
Caso não saibam nem tão pouco imaginem, aqui vai a resposta:
Saí do meu galho e ando à solta pelo parque 😉
January 16, 2011
TBR Reduce Challenge #1- 2011: Arlene
I'm so so so sorry Arlene, but I'm in 50% and I still don't like the book. I really tried.
I don't sympathize with Lennie, I don't get her Toby thing, I don't feel her loss or her pain. It's like watching a movie without sound: you see what's happening, but you don't really get into it because something important is missing.
I wanted to like this so much because so many of my friends loved this.
I'm so so so sorry Arlene, but I'm in 50% and I still don't like the book. I really tried.
I don't sympathize with Lennie, I don't get her Toby thing, I don't feel her loss or her pain. It's like watching a movie without sound: you see what's happening, but you don't really get into it because something important is missing.
I wanted to like this so much because so many of my friends loved this.
March 22, 2015
This book was seriously so wonderful. It deals with grief in a way that was so spot on and beautiful. Jandy Nelson has this superhuman ability to articulate really hard to explain emotions completely perfectly and its just the best.
October 29, 2010
Sometimes you must lose everything to find yourself.
Jandy Nelson’s debut novel The Sky is Everywhere is an absolute must read for YA readers. I breezed through this book in one sitting, and I’m still going over in my heart and in my mind all the emotions this book made me feel about the complexities of grief and loss.
Surprisingly enough, there were moments this book had me laughing out loud… literally guffawing and I’m not one prone to bursting out in hysterics, but Lennie’s analogies and mental conflict, especially how she chose to express herself were truly hilarious at times. But at the same time, I’d become grounded and found myself sighing in sadness over her hurt and guilt. She took me along her journey of loss, confusion, betrayal, and self discovery; and refused to let go until she finished her story and went on her merry way. I was hooked on her every word and could probably listen to what she had to say for like ever!
Everything she shared about herself and her feelings served a purpose and not one word was wasted. In her own special way she came across as unintentionally funny, unabashedly snarky and unapologetically honest in what she expresses, feels and struggles with. She’s definitely a contender for my favorite female fictional character
In this book, Lennie shares her story of her life at seventeen immediately after the sudden and tragic death of her older sister Bailey. On her sister’s last day, Bailey was standing in their room bugging Lennie to share her opinion on what she should wear, and Lennie carelessly responded I don’t care what you wear. Those were the last words she ever spoke to her sister that she loved dearly. It made me think… how many times have I had a careless response like I don’t care… to one of my sisters? How would I feel if those were the last words I ever spoke to one of them??? But as Lennie showed us, in the same world where something as horrible as a sister dying, something as wonderful as falling in love can happen. This book hit close to home for me in so many ways it felt surreal.
I just have to mention a few characters that surprisingly won me over quite quickly. I loved Lennie’s best friend Sarah. She’s loyal and honest and who wouldn’t love a girl who suffers from an ole macdonld’s version of turrets syndrome and sports shitkickers!?! I’ve recently acquired an immense liking for any characters that wear shitkickers. =) The other character I have to mention, is bat bat bat Joe. He was just full of awesomeness! Regardless of his reaction to a choice that Lennie made, I never lost hope in him that he’d eventually bring down his barrier and forgive. I struggled with Toby for a portion of the book, but one of the last scenes where Lennie found a special something at her sister’s grave site, made my heart ultimately ache for him. Those are just a few characters that I had to mention, but this story if filled with gems that will pull at your heartstrings the entire time and the ending is one that will leave you uplifted and filled with hope.
Great book that I’m so glad I had the chance to experience, and one I have no reservations in recommending to others.
Favorite Quotes in the Book
I’m huddled into the corner of the couch. I have no use for talking. I’d just as soon store paperclips in my mouth. - Lennie aka JL
It’s as if someone vacuumed up the horizon while we were looking the other way. - Lennie aka JL
Our tongues have fallen madly in love, gotten married and moved to Paris… Heathcliff and Cathy have nothing on us. - Lennie aka JL
I’ve never met anyone as heart broken as JL. I want to make her feel better.. want to be around her all the time… it’s crazy… it’s like she’s on full blast and everyone else is just on mute. - bat bat bat Joe
Each time someone dies, a library burns. - Anonymous
My heart is yours.
I hear your soul in your music.
I belong to you.
- Lennie aka John Lennon
Jandy Nelson’s debut novel The Sky is Everywhere is an absolute must read for YA readers. I breezed through this book in one sitting, and I’m still going over in my heart and in my mind all the emotions this book made me feel about the complexities of grief and loss.
Surprisingly enough, there were moments this book had me laughing out loud… literally guffawing and I’m not one prone to bursting out in hysterics, but Lennie’s analogies and mental conflict, especially how she chose to express herself were truly hilarious at times. But at the same time, I’d become grounded and found myself sighing in sadness over her hurt and guilt. She took me along her journey of loss, confusion, betrayal, and self discovery; and refused to let go until she finished her story and went on her merry way. I was hooked on her every word and could probably listen to what she had to say for like ever!
Everything she shared about herself and her feelings served a purpose and not one word was wasted. In her own special way she came across as unintentionally funny, unabashedly snarky and unapologetically honest in what she expresses, feels and struggles with. She’s definitely a contender for my favorite female fictional character
In this book, Lennie shares her story of her life at seventeen immediately after the sudden and tragic death of her older sister Bailey. On her sister’s last day, Bailey was standing in their room bugging Lennie to share her opinion on what she should wear, and Lennie carelessly responded I don’t care what you wear. Those were the last words she ever spoke to her sister that she loved dearly. It made me think… how many times have I had a careless response like I don’t care… to one of my sisters? How would I feel if those were the last words I ever spoke to one of them??? But as Lennie showed us, in the same world where something as horrible as a sister dying, something as wonderful as falling in love can happen. This book hit close to home for me in so many ways it felt surreal.
I just have to mention a few characters that surprisingly won me over quite quickly. I loved Lennie’s best friend Sarah. She’s loyal and honest and who wouldn’t love a girl who suffers from an ole macdonld’s version of turrets syndrome and sports shitkickers!?! I’ve recently acquired an immense liking for any characters that wear shitkickers. =) The other character I have to mention, is bat bat bat Joe. He was just full of awesomeness! Regardless of his reaction to a choice that Lennie made, I never lost hope in him that he’d eventually bring down his barrier and forgive. I struggled with Toby for a portion of the book, but one of the last scenes where Lennie found a special something at her sister’s grave site, made my heart ultimately ache for him. Those are just a few characters that I had to mention, but this story if filled with gems that will pull at your heartstrings the entire time and the ending is one that will leave you uplifted and filled with hope.
Great book that I’m so glad I had the chance to experience, and one I have no reservations in recommending to others.
Favorite Quotes in the Book
I’m huddled into the corner of the couch. I have no use for talking. I’d just as soon store paperclips in my mouth. - Lennie aka JL
It’s as if someone vacuumed up the horizon while we were looking the other way. - Lennie aka JL
Our tongues have fallen madly in love, gotten married and moved to Paris… Heathcliff and Cathy have nothing on us. - Lennie aka JL
I’ve never met anyone as heart broken as JL. I want to make her feel better.. want to be around her all the time… it’s crazy… it’s like she’s on full blast and everyone else is just on mute. - bat bat bat Joe
Each time someone dies, a library burns. - Anonymous
My heart is yours.
I hear your soul in your music.
I belong to you.
- Lennie aka John Lennon
May 26, 2015
tissue count: 7
this book was so freakin fantastic, one of my new favorites.
like, up-at-1:30-AM-crying-because-it's-so-good favorite
this book was so freakin fantastic, one of my new favorites.
like, up-at-1:30-AM-crying-because-it's-so-good favorite
April 2, 2016
In-freaking-credible!!!!! If I could give this book a thousand stars, I would! Review later :)
September 1, 2016
This was breathtakingly beautiful and heartrendingly tragic read! I had (wrongfully) anticipated this to be a cute Summer read full of angsty teen romance and not much else.
The story follows Lennie Walker as she attempts to cope with teenage life and its many multiplying predicaments following the death of her big sister, Bailey.
I immediately felt an affinity and empathy with Lennie as, just two pages in, she professed her love for Wuthering Heights; my all-time favourite book! My love for this fictional character only grew as we learn of her lonely depressive and dismal inner-most thoughts through the poetry she stashes around her town.
Her beautiful soul was matched by the stunning and lyrical quality to the writing. I warmed to the entire story and could even forgive the emergence of the dreaded insta-love!
Despite the touching subject-matter, there was levity and humour added to the text in the form of Lennie's Gram and Uncle Big. Her eccentric home life made me feel all fuzzy inside and I adored reading these sections especially.
The story follows Lennie Walker as she attempts to cope with teenage life and its many multiplying predicaments following the death of her big sister, Bailey.
I immediately felt an affinity and empathy with Lennie as, just two pages in, she professed her love for Wuthering Heights; my all-time favourite book! My love for this fictional character only grew as we learn of her lonely depressive and dismal inner-most thoughts through the poetry she stashes around her town.
Her beautiful soul was matched by the stunning and lyrical quality to the writing. I warmed to the entire story and could even forgive the emergence of the dreaded insta-love!
Despite the touching subject-matter, there was levity and humour added to the text in the form of Lennie's Gram and Uncle Big. Her eccentric home life made me feel all fuzzy inside and I adored reading these sections especially.
August 23, 2017
Quise que me gustara tanto como el otro trabajo dela autora, pero no fue así.
El tema de perder a un ser querido, ya ha sido bastante utilizado en otros libros americanos, y esté en particular no me gustó para nada.
Hay muchas cosas que no funcionaron, como los personajes principales, la relación de hermanas fue nefasta, tanto en el pasado como todo lo que sucedió en el transcurso del libro, fue ridículo, ilógico y una falta de respeto total, si ya lo leyeron sabrán por que. Me costó mucho terminarlo, super pesado.
La chica horrible, desde sus pensamientos egoístas, hasta su percepción del mundo, me cayo muy mal.
En lugar de dejarnos algo bueno o positivo te quedas con cara de ¿que? ¿Es enserio?
Una historia que pretendía mucho pero que al final no consiguió nada.
El tema de perder a un ser querido, ya ha sido bastante utilizado en otros libros americanos, y esté en particular no me gustó para nada.
Hay muchas cosas que no funcionaron, como los personajes principales, la relación de hermanas fue nefasta, tanto en el pasado como todo lo que sucedió en el transcurso del libro, fue ridículo, ilógico y una falta de respeto total, si ya lo leyeron sabrán por que. Me costó mucho terminarlo, super pesado.
La chica horrible, desde sus pensamientos egoístas, hasta su percepción del mundo, me cayo muy mal.
En lugar de dejarnos algo bueno o positivo te quedas con cara de ¿que? ¿Es enserio?
Una historia que pretendía mucho pero que al final no consiguió nada.
March 25, 2019
The Soul Inside the Houseplant
“Sometimes you must lose everything to find yourself“
Grandma, a six feet (tall) old lady who happens to be a guru on anything related to plants, is worried. She’s worried cos one of her plants is black-spotted and she’s trembling with the motive.
That particular plant has a wireless connection to her granddaughter’s soul, reflecting her darkest feelings by means of colored stains:
Once it got white spots...
Once it got brown spots...
However, both times, the girl and the plant perfectly recovered!
But this case seems more upsetting, cos black is the color of mourning plus the long line of sorrows that comes with it!...
The Sky is Everywhere is a story about finding your own sky out of grief and self-discovery. This common premise turns into a story packed with magic characters, by the pen of Jandy Nelson. A story you’ll be reading like a real life fairy tale!
“A secret: The kookiest elements of this novel are all true: The Spotted Plant, The Bad Luck House Purge, The Forest Bedroom, The Pyramids, and the biggie: A grief-stricken girl who scatters her poems all over town.”
Jandy Nelson turns vapidity into poetry!
The Sky is Everywhere, and this book is also there — WOW😊😉🥰
“Sometimes you must lose everything to find yourself“
Grandma, a six feet (tall) old lady who happens to be a guru on anything related to plants, is worried. She’s worried cos one of her plants is black-spotted and she’s trembling with the motive.
That particular plant has a wireless connection to her granddaughter’s soul, reflecting her darkest feelings by means of colored stains:
Once it got white spots...
Once it got brown spots...
However, both times, the girl and the plant perfectly recovered!
But this case seems more upsetting, cos black is the color of mourning plus the long line of sorrows that comes with it!...
The Sky is Everywhere is a story about finding your own sky out of grief and self-discovery. This common premise turns into a story packed with magic characters, by the pen of Jandy Nelson. A story you’ll be reading like a real life fairy tale!
“A secret: The kookiest elements of this novel are all true: The Spotted Plant, The Bad Luck House Purge, The Forest Bedroom, The Pyramids, and the biggie: A grief-stricken girl who scatters her poems all over town.”
Jandy Nelson turns vapidity into poetry!
The Sky is Everywhere, and this book is also there — WOW😊😉🥰
August 6, 2016
Okay, so about half way through this book I felt like it was going to be a 2 star read for me. I had major issues with the main charter, Lennie, and how she dealt with a lot of things. Now I know people do crazy things in the face of grief, but her actions were hard to understand given that she hurt a lot of people in the process. Also, there was EXTREME instalove in this that was not believable for me.
Getting on to what I did enjoy:
Jandy Nelson is a fantastic writer, and she makes you feel for these characters even though they're frustrating as heck. I really loved Lennie’s Gram, she was wise, which added a lot of depth to the novel. I loved Joe, he was a little cinnamon roll. There is also a common theme in this book that was in I’ll Give You the Sun, and that is about life being messy and unpredictable. There sometimes is no explanation to why people do what they do, or why life is so difficult, and I think this novel showed contentment in not having all the answers. Overall, (even though I didn’t enjoy it as much as I hoped) it was still an enjoyable read.
Getting on to what I did enjoy:
Jandy Nelson is a fantastic writer, and she makes you feel for these characters even though they're frustrating as heck. I really loved Lennie’s Gram, she was wise, which added a lot of depth to the novel. I loved Joe, he was a little cinnamon roll. There is also a common theme in this book that was in I’ll Give You the Sun, and that is about life being messy and unpredictable. There sometimes is no explanation to why people do what they do, or why life is so difficult, and I think this novel showed contentment in not having all the answers. Overall, (even though I didn’t enjoy it as much as I hoped) it was still an enjoyable read.
April 27, 2015
*3.5/5 stars.
After I read I'll Give You The Sun last year and it easily became my favorite book of 2014, I obviously had high expectations for Jandy Nelson’s first book. And while this book met most of my expectations, it certainly didn’t exceed them.
Let me explain: Basically, I just didn't like and couldn't sympathize with the main character Lennie. There are your typical immature and puberty stricken protagonists and then there’s Lennie. She definitely took it too far. Some decisions she made were just plain dumb.
My thought process while reading : "God no, Lennie! Don’t do that! Stop being so stupid!“ Then: "Ok, but she’s obviously grieving and has to go through a lot. She’ll probably learn from it.“ *Lennie does next stupid thing.* „Ok, nope.“. I just couldn’t get behind her logic.
()
However, the writing was just beautiful. The way Nelson can describe feelings makes them feel so immediate, real and poignant. I can only applaud her ability to do that! She just hits you in the feels. I also liked the way Lennie’s poems were integrated into the narrative. They really fluctuated in quality though - some of them were really gorgeous, while others felt a bit childish and clumsy.
I also enjoyed reading about all of the other characters that surrounded Lennie. I especially loved Sarah - she’s the kind of friend I’d like to have. Big and Gram were also very diverse and interesting characters.
The plot was rather predictable, which in the end didn’t bother me too much since this is not the kind of book that lives off shocking plot twists. However, my favorite YA contemporaries managed to build in great surprises into the character-driven narrative, and that just wasn’t the case in The Sky is Everywhere.
So,yeah. This wasn’t by any means a disappointment, but I'll Give You The Sun is superior in every way.
After I read I'll Give You The Sun last year and it easily became my favorite book of 2014, I obviously had high expectations for Jandy Nelson’s first book. And while this book met most of my expectations, it certainly didn’t exceed them.
Let me explain: Basically, I just didn't like and couldn't sympathize with the main character Lennie. There are your typical immature and puberty stricken protagonists and then there’s Lennie. She definitely took it too far. Some decisions she made were just plain dumb.
My thought process while reading : "God no, Lennie! Don’t do that! Stop being so stupid!“ Then: "Ok, but she’s obviously grieving and has to go through a lot. She’ll probably learn from it.“ *Lennie does next stupid thing.* „Ok, nope.“. I just couldn’t get behind her logic.
()
However, the writing was just beautiful. The way Nelson can describe feelings makes them feel so immediate, real and poignant. I can only applaud her ability to do that! She just hits you in the feels. I also liked the way Lennie’s poems were integrated into the narrative. They really fluctuated in quality though - some of them were really gorgeous, while others felt a bit childish and clumsy.
I also enjoyed reading about all of the other characters that surrounded Lennie. I especially loved Sarah - she’s the kind of friend I’d like to have. Big and Gram were also very diverse and interesting characters.
The plot was rather predictable, which in the end didn’t bother me too much since this is not the kind of book that lives off shocking plot twists. However, my favorite YA contemporaries managed to build in great surprises into the character-driven narrative, and that just wasn’t the case in The Sky is Everywhere.
So,yeah. This wasn’t by any means a disappointment, but I'll Give You The Sun is superior in every way.
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