The Sky is Everywhere

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson is a book that I had my eyes on quiet a while. My parents eventually bought me the book as a Christmas present. Thanks! I'm really happy that I got it, as well as another book by this author. It's the first one on the list of my January TBR.

Lennie lost her only older sister, Bailey. She's still adjusting to being an only child which isn't as easy as it seems. Sleeping alone in their room, seeing her things, reminding herself to old conversations they had, don't do any good to Lennie's loss. She feels as if she's abandoned by yet another person. 
Together with Bailey's boyfriend, they seek peace and comfort. Toby gives her that calmness, the feeling that she's not alone and for a moment it's all she wants. That until a new boy in town gets on her way and makes her feel a lot more. More than grief, sadness and loneliness. He makes her forget, even for a moment. Although Lennie struggles with that, she can also find peace in moving on. Two boys, 1 future but who'll it be?

I was really excited to read this book and it met so many expectations! I liked Lennie so much, the grief she's feeling while still holding on to every last memory of her sister. Throughout the book we also see these memories and past conversations that Lennie scribbles down on paper she finds on her way to wherever she's going. That's something I loved about this book because we could see the scribbles in the margins and find the story behind it. It really made you feel like you were a part of it, like it was something you needed to complete the puzzle. With every paper and poem there was a description on where it was found and at the end of the book we'll get to see why it's written by it.

I sometimes was really moved with memories she told us but sometimes confused too. Her story suddenly went over to the present and sometimes I didn't see that transition. That's really too bad because that made it harder to read for me. It doesn't mean that I didn't like it because I obviously loved this book, but I do wish sometimes the transitions were clearer.

Bailey's boyfriend, Toby is a whole different kind of feeling. I don't really know if I should hate him or like him but for me it was already clear I didn't want Len to end up with him. Somehow it just didn't fit. He wasn't like her but I did like to see them go from a dark place to a brighter one with the sky around them, together. Their final part together was also very special! Throughout the story Toby reveals a lot of things to Lennie that leave her both shocked and more alone. I was shocked myself, and felt really sorry for Len because in the end if he didn't tell her, she'd never have known. 

As for the new boy in town, God I just loved that one! He has so many similarities with Lennie and he was such a romantic, which could be a little cliche when you know where he has lived. But that aside this character really was the one for me! He didn't drown Len in more 'I'm sorry for your loss' which I think did help her figure things out. I don't want to spoil a lot about him because I think it'd be more pleasant for you guys to discover him all by yourself. 

This book wasn't all focused on the whole love situation. It really did capture the feeling of loss and grief but also the many consequences of it. The not talking anymore and the hiding from everyone you loved. So more the pushing away and trying to give it some space, to accept. I think it really gives you some insight in how it really must feel for that person to lose someone that important. 

The grief and sadness was very often switched with the romance part but also with the family part! The many questions Lennie had according to another family member that has abandoned her, give you a good variety on the whole sadness and loss part which I find really good. Otherwise it would've been a very sad book but that's absolutely not the case! 

At the end I did want more closure because I find it that there wasn't a real finale to the book. And I did wish to know more about some things Len wrote or how everything ended up later on with the characters. But this is very personally, it's known that I really want closure after every story! ;) 

Overall this book was a fantastic and realistic read about a girl finding peace and comfort in all different kind of ways. It captured certain emotions and personally I really longed for the romance that tore away the sadness. Don't think this is an all emo-type of book because it really isn't! It's all about the accepting of the loss and finding new things to be happy about, without having to feel guilty about it. It's okay to accept and find new things that bring you joy, that's what life is all about and Jandy Nelson really showed me this in the story! 



"If anyone asks where we are, just tell them to look up."