Bailey is dead. Bailey is dead and her sister is acutely aware of the grey clouds that Bailey left in her wake. Writing poetry is the only way Lennon, called Lennie can express herself, it’s the only way, until she and her dead sisters boyfriend find solace in each other and in each others arms. Lenny knows it’s wrong, but it’s the only way to keep Bailey, and keep her close by. When the new kid Joe Fontaine, a musical genius from France shows interest in Lenny things get complicated. In the midst of her grief and her shameful hookups with Toby, Lenny is falling in love, every time Joe kisses her, Lenny sees the sky open up before her, the only problem, where she is going in life, Bailey cannot come...and she never will.
My review:
This is an induction ceremony, I am inducting The Sky is Everywhere into the Mod Podge Bookshelf hall of Favorites, a place where the books can be counted on my two hands (and possibly left foot, there are a lot of books out there people) and I love every one of them deeply, passionately and soulfully.
Obviously, I recommend this book, I believe you should run, don’t walk, to your book store of choice and buy your copy. I am convinced that you will love this book.
This book appears to have a ton of cliche plot points, the dead sister, bad hookups, weird family, girl with an original voice, poetry, music, you name it, the classic YA contemporary plot is laid out, but the soul of this book is laid out to bare.
The entire time I was reading I kept thinking, “this book is like a foreign film, Indie’s music and a picnic lunch on a Summer’s Eve, all at the same time.” It’s deep, it’s language is all it’s own and sometimes the volume gets cranked up, then, when you least expect it, the DJ turns the rock beat down slowly and a violin concerto emerges, a classical piano accompaniment, Mozart at his best, soft, quiet, beautiful and haunting.
The greatest part of this book is the love story, have you ever put down a book and thought, I wonder why these two broke up only to get back together, a month from now, they will have broken up, and I would have born witness to it, if the book only lasted a little longer? Don’t you hate that? It is the one thing I hate, yes, I am using the ache (H in French, I speak french) word, about contemporary YA, there is never a love story that lasts! This makes me think of the classics, Elizabeth and Darcy, Cathy and Heathcliff, and I wonder, are these books what has come from being inspired by such epic love stories? Because if that is true these authors need to read those books again! However, Nelson got it right, this is the love story of Lennie’s life, this is how she met her soul mate, but the book is based vaguely around Wuthering Heights, so don’t think I gave away the ending, it may turn out not as you expect, but just as you had hoped. I will say this, these characters are fighters, they are fighting for the chance to tell their story, I loved that!
I have never read a book where I love both of the protagonists male counterparts. Edward and Jacob, I’m for Edward. Peeta and Gale, I’m pro-Peeta. This is the exception. I fell in love twice while reading The Sky Is Everywhere, I fell in love with Bailey’s Till-Death-Do-Us-Part and I fell in love with Lennie’s Forever-And-Ever. I will say this however, in the end, it ends just where I wanted everyone to be. Yeah, even Bailey, there is a poem to explain my reasons, just read this book, I beg you!
I am planning to read this book again, because there is this huge awesome reveal at the end, so I want to read the book from someone else’s perspective this time around, see what that character witnesses. Also, this book is so quote worthy and I was too wrapped up in the emotional journey to write my favorites down!
I want this book to be made into a movie, and I kept seeing these people as the characters, so, enjoy!
Notes on the Names: Okay, I didn’t like them to begin with, but they began to endear themselves to their characters, so I am appeased. Plus, Joe calls her John Lennon! AW!
Thoughts on the cover: A non-model cover and I am over-the-moon in love with. Beholding it isn’t enough, you have to drink it in!
2 comments:
I looove your casting choices for Lennie and Toby :)
And I adored this book so much, too. I've re-read it twice, now, just studying the prose, the way that Jandy Nelson puts everything together. It really is absolutely exquisite.
Great review!
Great review! I loved this book too. I agree that the language is so beautiful that it's like a character in the novel.
New follower btw.
Post a Comment