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Hardcover, 371 pages
Published September 16th 2014 by Dial
Source: Purchased
From Goodreads:
A brilliant, luminous story of first love, family, loss, and betrayal for fans of John Green, David Levithan, and Rainbow Rowell
Jude and her twin brother, Noah, are incredibly close. At thirteen, isolated Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude cliff-dives and wears red-red lipstick and does the talking for both of them. But three years later, Jude and Noah are barely speaking. Something has happened to wreck the twins in different and dramatic ways . . . until Jude meets a cocky, broken, beautiful boy, as well as someone else—an even more unpredictable new force in her life. The early years are Noah’s story to tell. The later years are Jude’s. What the twins don’t realize is that they each have only half the story, and if they could just find their way back to one another, they’d have a chance to remake their world. This radiant novel from the acclaimed, award-winning author of The Sky Is Everywhere will leave you breathless and teary and laughing—often all at once.
This is a hard book to write a review for. First, the book is emotionally heavy, in a good way. I don’t think this is the kind of book you read if you are looking for action, adventure, or surprises. This is the kind of book you read if you are looking for feelings, emotions, character development and growth, just beauty all around.
Secondly, the stories are all so intertwined, it is hard to fully explain a lot of my feelings without giving anything away. Though I suppose I wasn’t exactly surprised at any of the outcomes, they certainly still left my emotions reeling.
Having two different POVs from two separate time periods was pretty interesting, but it worked. Noah at thirteen and Jude at sixteen were both at their most sympathetic, so it made sense. Both artists in their own ways, they feel things quite strongly. They often act impulsively, and they often act and even think dramatically, but it fits their personalities. I loved them both, and I don’t think I could pick a favorite. I related to Jude more, but she was a sixteen year old girl, and I have been a sixteen year old girl, so it made sense. That didn’t mean that Noah’s story was any less compelling. They each made me laugh, smile, and of course, cry.
The supporting characters were so incredibly fleshed out also. It’s so easy to become immersed in a story when you care about every single person in that story. I could have read a full length book on any one of the characters in this book and been inspired. Their stories were unique and lovely and heartbreakingly real.
The aspect of I’ll Give You the Sun that made it most appealing to me is that in these characters, I think virtually everyone could find something that they connected to: an emotion that they’d felt, a situation that hit close to home, a relationship that needed saving.
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Hmm…the last book that really stirred my emotions? Oh right, this one! I loved this book so much and I’m glad you did too! Your review is spot on and I couldn’t agree more. I loved it because at parts, when I was reading from Noah’s point of view, I hated Jude and the way she acted, but then, in her parts, I loved her and hated the way he was acting. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that did duel POVs so well.
Great review!
That was the best part- they were great at different times. Kind of genius on Jandy Nelson’s part!
I want to read this so bad it hurts. I haven’t read a good sibling story in . . . well, God, it seems like I haven’t EVER. And I keep seeing awesome reviews like yours and so, lack of money be damned, I’m buying this today!
Oh yes you must! I really loved it, and the sibling thing is just so, so good. It works so well I think because they are twins. I don’t know if regular siblings would have such connections (or if their lives would intersect so much) but since they are twins, it just works! I hope you enjoy it 🙂
WELL HELLO THERE WORDPRESS! I love it Shannon hahaha! (Hopefully this ends all site problems)
Anyways, I NEED THIS. I can tell that this was an emotionally heavy book, just the title itself gives that away. But I love emotional reads, and I’m pretty sure I need this in my life.
Hmmm, the last book I read that I just couldn’t put down and that destroyed MY FEELS, was I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak. 😀
Thanks! I am still having site problems, go figure lol. I am having issues with some sites accepting my feed, ugh. I am so not technical enough for this!
The book is just one big old pile of emotions! That’s probably what it should be called “I’ll Give You the Feels”.
I need to read some Markus Zusak ASAP. Like, yesterday. I love feels, and apparently,he delivers!
Wonderful review, Shannon! I can’t wait to read this book. I recently read The Sky is Everywhere and I’ve been in a reading funk ever since…It’s been 13 days now, and I’ve only read 140 pages. I haven’t even finished one whole book…it’s getting me quite annoyed actually. However, that just goes to show how fantastic of an author Jandy Nelson is. I’m glad to hear that this one sounds as if it’ll live up to my expectations.
Aw, I hope you make it out of your funk soon 🙁 That is awful! But, I am glad that The Sky is Everywhere is so good! I am going to be needing it for sure. Good luck, I hope you can finish a book soon!