O céu está em todo lugar

De Jandy Nelson

Eu deveria estar de luto, não me apaixonando. Às vezes é preciso perder tudo, para encontrar a si mesmo... Lennie Walker, obcecada por livros e música, tocava clarinete e vivia de forma segura e feliz, à sombra de sua brilhante irmã mais velha, Bailey. Mas quando Bailey morre de forma abrupta, Lennie é lançada ao centro de sua própria vida, e, apesar de não ter nenhum histórico com rapazes, ela se vê, subitamente, lutando para encontrar o equilíbrio entre dois: um deles a tira da tristeza, o outro a consola. O romance é uma celebração do amor, também um retrato da perda. A luta de Lennie, para encontrar sua própria melodia em meio ao ruído que a circunda, é sempre honesta, porém hilária e, sobretudo, inesquecível. Às 16h48 de uma sexta-feira de abril, minha irmã estava ensaiando para o papel de Julieta e, menos de um minuto depois, estava morta. Para minha surpresa, o tempo não parou com o coração dela. As pessoas continuaram indo à escola, ao trabalho, a restaurantes; continuaram quebrando bolachas salgadas em suas sopas, preocupando-se com as provas, cantando nos carros com as janelas abertas. Por vários dias, a chuva martelou o telhado da nossa casa — uma prova do terrível erro cometido por Deus. Toda as manhãs, quando me levantava, ouvia as incessantes batidas, olhava pela janela para a tristeza lá fora e me sentia aliviada, pois pelo menos o sol tivera a decência de ficar bem longe de nós.

• Idioma: Português
• Editora: Editora Novo Conceito
• Data de lançamento: 2 de ago. de 2012
• ISBN: 9788581630656

Pré-visualização do livro

mãe

Parte 1

Avovó está preocupada comigo. Não só porque minha irmã Bailey morreu há quatro semanas, ou porque a minha mãe não tem contato comigo há dezesseis anos, ou até mesmo porque eu, subitamente, comecei a pensar em sexo. Ela está preocupada comigo porque uma das suas plantas está com manchinhas.

A vovó acredita, desde que me conheço por gente, que essa planta em particular, de espécie desconhecida, reflete o meu bem-estar emocional, espiritual e físico. E eu também cresci acreditando nisso.

Do outro lado da sala em que estou sentada, está vovó — com 1,80 metro de altura, usando o vestido de estampa floral de costume, aproximando-se das folhas com manchinhas pretas.

— Como assim? Pode ser que elas não resistam desta vez? — ela pergunta ao tio Big: floricultor, viciado em maconha e aprendiz de cientista louco. Ele sabe de tudo um pouco, mas de plantas sabe tudo mesmo.

Pode parecer estranho a qualquer um, ou até bizarro, perceber que a vovó fica me encarando enquanto faz a pergunta, mas não é estranho para o tio Big, pois ele também está me analisando.

— Desta vez a situação é muito grave — a voz de Big ecoa como se estivesse em um palco ou em um púlpito; suas palavras têm peso, até mesmo me passe o sal sai de sua boca como se fosse a declamação dos Dez Mandamentos.

Vovó leva as mãos ao rosto, agoniada, e eu volto a rascunhar um poema no canto de uma das páginas de O morro dos ventos uivantes. Estou em um canto do sofá. É inútil dizer qualquer coisa, seria melhor começar a guardar os clipes de prender papel em minha boca.

— Mas a planta sempre se recuperou antes, Big, como daquela vez em que Lennie quebrou o braço, por exemplo.

— Daquela vez a planta tinha manchas brancas.

— Ou como naquele outono em que ela fez um teste para tocar o clarinete principal, mas acabou ficando na segunda fila novamente.

— Manchas marrons.

— Ou quando…

— Desta vez é diferente.

Olho para cima. Eles continuam me encarando, os dois bem altos, cheios de tristeza e preocupação.

A vovó é a mentora das plantas. Ela tem as mais extraordinárias do nordeste da Califórnia. Suas rosas florescem com mais cores do que um ano todo com pôr do sol, e a fragrância é tão embriagante que dizem que sentir esse aroma faz com que nos apaixonemos por alguém na hora. Contudo, apesar de seus cuidados e do conhecido jeito com as plantas, essa espécie em particular parece acompanhar a trajetória da minha vida, independente de seus esforços ou de sua própria sensibilidade vegetal.

Ponho o livro e a caneta de lado. Vovó se aproxima ainda mais da planta, sussurra-lhe a importância da joie de vivre¹ e depois vem em direção ao sofá, senta-se ao meu lado.

Em seguida, Big junta-se a nós, jogando seu corpanzil ao lado de vovó. Nós três, todos com o mesmo tipo de cabelo encaracolado, acomodado em nossa cabeça como um bando de corvos pretos e brilhantes, ficamos assim, olhando para o nada, pelo resto da tarde.

É como estamos desde que minha irmã Bailey faleceu, há um mês, de uma arritmia fatal, durante um ensaio para uma produção local da peça Romeu e Julieta. É como se alguém tivesse aspirado o horizonte enquanto estávamos olhando para outro lado.

(Encontrado em um papel de bala, na trilha para o Rain River.)

Meu primeiro dia de volta à escola está exatamente como eu esperava: o corredor se divide como no episódio do mar Vermelho:quando eu passo, as conversas fluem, os olhares demonstram uma compaixão de me dar nos nervos, e todos me encaram como se eu estivesse segurando o cadáver de Bailey em meus braços, o que, por sinal, acho que estou. A morte dela está inteira em mim, posso senti-la e todos conseguem notar isso, assim como percebem o enorme casaco preto que estou vestindo em um lindo dia de primavera. Mas o que eu não esperava era o alarde sem precedentes por um garoto novo, Joe Fontaine, que havia chegado durante o meu longo mês de ausência. Por todo o lugar que passo é a mesma coisa:

— Você já o viu?

— Parece um cigano.

— Parece um astro do rock.

— Um pirata.

— Ouvi dizer que faz parte de uma banda chamada Dive.

— Ele é um gênio da música.

— Alguém me disse que ele morava em Paris.

— Ele tocava na rua.

— Você já o viu?

Eu já o vira, pois, ao voltar ao meu lugar na banda, o mesmo que me pertenceu durante um ano, lá está ele. Apesar da tristeza, meus olhos deslizam das botas pretas para as pernas cobertas pela calça jeans, o interminável torso e, finalmente, param em um rosto tão animado que sinto ter interrompido uma conversa entre ele e a partitura.

— Oi — ele diz, levantando-se. É muito alto. — Você deve ser Lennon — fala, apontando para o meu nome na cadeira. — Fiquei sabendo… sinto muito — presto atenção na forma como ele segura o clarinete, nada cuidadoso, punho cerrado ao redor do pescoço, parece uma espada.

— Obrigada — respondo, e cada centímetro do rosto dele se abre em um sorriso. Que é isso?! Foi uma rajada de vento que o trouxe de outro planeta aqui para a escola? O cara é descaradamente feliz, com um sorriso estilo Curinga, totalmente diferente do comportamento melancólico que a maioria de nós exibe com perfeição. Ele tem cabelo encaracolado, todo bagunçado, agitando-se para todos os lados, e as sobrancelhas são tão compridas e grossas que, quando ele pisca, parece que seus olhos verdes estão focados em você. O rosto dele é mais transparente que um livro aberto, como um grafite de parede. Percebo que escrevo uau na minha coxa com o dedo e decido que é melhor abrir a boca para nos tirar deste concurso improvisado de quem encara mais o outro.

— Todo mundo me chama de Lennie — digo. Não é muito original, mas é melhor do que um guh, minha outra opção, e funciona. Ele olha para baixo por um segundo e eu respiro fundo e me organizo para o segundo round.

— Estava mesmo pensando nisso. Lennon por causa do John? — ele pergunta, novamente me encarando. Um desmaio parece inevitável. Ou, então, um incêndio.

Concordo com a cabeça. — Minha mãe era hippie. Afinal de contas, estamos no nordeste da Califórnia — a última fronteira da esquisitice. No segundo ano do ensino médio há uma garota chamada Eletricidade, um garoto chamado Ônibus Mágico e uma infinidade de flores: Tulipa, Begônia e Papoula — todos nomes registrados por seus pais como constam em suas certidões de nascimento. Tulipa é o nome da caminhonete de 2 polegadas do cara que seria a estrela do time de futebol, se fôssemos o tipo de escola que tem time de futebol. Mas não somos. Somos o tipo de escola que tem meditação matutina como curso extra no ginásio.

— Pois é — diz Joe — minha mãe também, e meu pai, assim como todas as minhas tias, tios, irmãos, primos… bem-vinda à Comunidade Fontaine.

Dou uma gargalhada. — Sei o que quer dizer.

Mas o que foi isso novamente? Será que posso rir assim com tanta facilidade? E é para eu estar me sentindo tão bem assim, como se mergulhasse em um rio de águas frescas?

Viro-me de costas, imaginando se alguém está nos observando, e vejo que Sarah acaba de entrar na sala de música, apesar de parecer mais um furacão chegando. Eu quase não a vi depois do funeral; sinto uma pontada de culpa.

— Lennieeeee! — diz, vindo em nossa direção no melhor estilo um-dia-fui-gótica-hoje-sou-vaqueira: vestido preto, justo e chique, botas de vaqueira, cabelo loiro tão tingido de preto que parece azul. Tudo isso acompanhado de um enorme chapéu de boiadeiro. Percebo o ritmo perigoso da sua aproximação e penso, por um minuto, se ela vai mesmo pular nos meus braços em uma tentativa de nos fazer tropeçar no Joe, que, de alguma forma, consegue manter o equilíbrio, e assim não saímos todos voando pela janela.

— Esta é a Sarah — digo de forma submissa.

— Legal! Ótima ideia derrubar o bonitão — sussurro no ouvido dela quando me dá um abraço de urso, apesar de sua forma de passarinho. Ela ri e sinto ao mesmo tempo uma sensação de surpresa e desconcerto ao ter alguém, em meus braços, tremendo de rir e não de desgosto.

Sarah é a cínica mais entusiasmada do planeta. Ela seria a líder de torcida perfeita se não se sentisse tão enojada pelo espírito da escola. É fã de literatura, como eu, mas lê coisas mais sombrias: conheceu Sartre no primeiro ano do ensino médio, Náusea, e foi por isso que começou a usar preto (até mesmo na praia), a fumar (apesar de parecer a garota mais saudável que conheço) e a ficar obcecada por crises existenciais (mesmo participando de baladas até altas horas).

— Lennie, bem-vinda, querida — diz uma outra voz. Era o Sr. James, também conhecido na minha mente como Yoda, tanto por sua aparência externa, quanto por seu charme musical interno, que fica em pé ao lado do piano, olhando para mim com a mesma expressão de profunda tristeza que tanto recebi dos adultos. — Nós todos sentimos muito.

— Obrigada — digo pela centésima vez no dia. Sarah e Joe também me encaram. Sarah com uma expressão de preocupação e Joe com um sorriso do tamanho de um continente. Será que ele olha assim para todo mundo? Será que ele é maluco? Seja lá o que ele for, é contagioso. Antes que me dê conta, estou imitando seu sorriso do tamanho dos Estados Unidos, unindo-os ao Havaí e Porto Rico. Devo estar parecendo a enlutada alegre. Psiu! Isso não é tudo, pois começo a pensar em como seria beijá-lo, beijá-lo de verdade, oh-oh. Isso é um problema, um problema totalmente novo, nada ao estilo-Lennie (que droga!) que começou no funeral. Eu estava afundando na escuridão e, subitamente, todos os rapazes do quarto estavam brilhando. Jovens, amigos de Bailey do trabalho ou da faculdade, a maioria desconhecidos, não paravam de se aproximar dizendo que sentiam muito, e eu não sabia se era porque me achavam parecida com Bailey ou porque estavam com pena de mim. Mais tarde, porém, vejo alguns deles olhando para mim de uma forma urgente, declarada, e me pego encarando-os de volta, como se eu fosse outra pessoa, imaginando coisas que raramente fantasiava antes, coisas que me deixam em pânico, pois estou pensando nelas em uma igreja, imagine, no funeral da minha irmã!

Um dos garotos brilhantes se aproxima de mim. Contudo, parece ter um estilo próprio de brilho. Talvez pertença a uma parte bem amigável da Via Láctea, penso, ao mesmo tempo que tento tirar o sorriso de maluca do rosto, mas, em vez disso, quase grito para Sarah: — Ele se parece com o Heathcliff² — pois acabo de perceber que sim, com exceção do sorriso. Mas então, de repente, começo a perder o fôlego, afundando-me no cimento duro e frio que é a minha vida agora, pois me lembro de que não posso correr para casa depois da escola para contar a Bails sobre o novo garoto da banda.

Minha irmã morre inúmeras vezes, o dia todo.

— Len? — Sarah toca em meu ombro. — Está tudo bem?

Faço que sim com a cabeça, desejando que o trem de fuga da dor, cada vez mais perto de mim, vá embora.

Alguém atrás de nós começa a tocar a música-tema do filme Tubarão. Viro-me para ver Rachel Brazile vindo de mansinho em nossa direção, resmungando engraçadinho para Luke Jacobus, o saxofonista responsável pelo arranjo. Ele é apenas um dos muitos integrantes da banda que Rachel deixou para trás; os garotos se iludem com o fato de toda aquela arrogância horrorosa estar presa a um corpo espetacular, e ainda se deixam enganar pelos olhos castanhos de fauno e pelo cabelo de Rapunzel. Sarah e eu temos certeza de que Deus estava com o humor meio irônico quando fez Rachel.

— Percebi que já conheceu o maestro — ela me diz, tocando as costas de Joe de forma casual ao se sentar na cadeira, clarinete de primeira fila, onde eu deveria estar sentada.

Ela abre o estojo e começa a montar seu instrumento, dizendo: — Joe estudou em um conservatório na Fronce. Ele te contou? — É claro que ela não diz France daquele jeito que rima com dance como qualquer ser humano normal, falante de inglês americano, faria. Sinto que, atrás de mim, Sarah está cada vez mais nervosa. Tem tolerância zero com a Rachel desde que ela pegou a posição que deveria pertencer a mim, mas Sarah não sabe o que aconteceu de verdade, ninguém sabe.

Rachel aperta a ligadura do bocal como se estivesse tentando asfixiar seu clarinete — Joe foi fabuloso na sua ausência — diz, soando como se a palavra fabuloso estivesse despencando da Torre Eiffel.

Não quero perder meu fôlego com ela, por isso digo: — Que bom que tudo deu certo para você, Rachel — não digo mais nenhuma palavra, só desejo me enrolar feito uma bola para sair rolando dali. Sarah, por outro lado, parece desejar um machado por perto.

A sala torna-se um clamor de notas e escalas. — Terminem de afinar os instrumentos, quero começar pontualmente hoje — diz o Sr. James, ao piano. — E peguem seus lápis, fiz algumas mudanças nos arranjos.

— É melhor eu ir bater em algo — diz Sarah, fuzilando Rachel com o olhar.

Rachel dá de ombros e sorri para Joe. Não sorri, pisca. — Bem, é verdade — diz. — Você foi, quer dizer, é… fabuloso.

— Nem tanto — ele se abaixa para guardar o clarinete. — Só estava esquentando o lugar. Agora posso voltar ao local a que pertenço — diz, apontando o clarinete para a ala das trombetas.

— Você só está sendo modesto — diz Rachel com seu olhar de conto de fadas, de costas para a cadeira. — Sua palheta tem tantas cores!

Olho para Joe, esperando ver alguma evidência de um resmungo interno por causa da imbecilidade daquelas palavras, mas vejo outra coisa. Ele sorri para Rachel também de forma geográfica. Percebo meu pescoço queimando.

— Você sabe que vou sentir sua falta — ela diz, fazendo beicinho.

— A gente vai se ver novamente — responde Joe, acrescentando uma piscadela ao seu repertório. — Na próxima aula: história.

É como se eu não estivesse mais lá, o que na verdade é bom, pois, subitamente, não faço ideia do que fazer com o rosto ou o corpo, nem mesmo com meu coração partido. Sento-me em meu lugar, percebendo que o sorriso, a piscadela idiota da Fronce, não tinha nada a ver com Heathcliff. Eu havia me enganado.

Abro o estojo do meu clarinete e posiciono o bocal para umedecê-lo, mas acabo mordendo-o.

(Encontrado em um pedaço de partitura, cravado em um galho baixo, no desfiladeiro Flying Man.)

Orestante do dia foi obscuro até a hora do último sinal; saio de fininho e me escondo na mata. Não quero ir para casa pela estrada, não quero correr o risco de encontrar alguém da escola, principalmente Sarah, que havia me informado que, enquanto eu estava me escondendo, andara lendo sobre perdas e, de acordo com todos os especialistas, estava na hora de começar a falar sobre o que eu vinha passando. Mas ela, e todos os especialistas, e a vovó não entendem nada disso. Eu não entendo. Preciso de um alfabeto novo, um que seja feito de quedas, e de pratos tectônicos giratórios, e da profunda escuridão que devora.

Ao caminhar pelas sequoias, meu tênis absorve a chuva de vários dias; pergunto-me por que pessoas enlutadas se preocupam em usar roupas pretas, uma vez que a própria dor nos fornece um armário inconfundível. A única pessoa que não pareceu ter percebido como eu estava hoje, além de Rachel, que não conta, foi o garoto novo. Ele só conhecerá meu novo eu, órfã de irmã.

Vejo um pedaço de papel no chão, seco o suficiente para que eu possa escrever nele; então, sento-me em uma pedra, tiro a caneta que sempre guardo no bolso e rascunho uma conversa que lembro ter tido com Bailey. Depois, dobro o papel e o enterro na terra molhada.

Quando saio da floresta e pego a estrada que dá para minha casa, estou inundada de alívio. Quero estar em casa, onde Bailey está o mais viva possível, onde ainda posso vê-la inclinada na janela, com seus cabelos negros selvagens voando em seu rosto enquanto ela diz: — Vamos, Len, vamos agora mesmo para o rio.

— Olá — a voz de Toby me assusta. O rapaz que Bailey namorou durante dois anos é metade boiadeiro, metade skatista, completamente submisso ao amor da minha irmã e totalmente sumido ultimamente, apesar dos vários convites da vovó. — Precisamos nos aproximar dele agora — ela vive dizendo.

Ele repousa no jardim dela com os dois cachorros do vizinho, Lucy e Ethel, deitados ao seu lado. Essa é uma visão comum na primavera. Quando as bailarinas e os lilases florescem, o jardim da vovó se transforma em um sonífero natural. Basta ficar alguns minutos perto das flores que mesmo a pessoa mais energética se deita e começa a contar as nuvens.

— Eu estava arrancando ervas daninhas para a vovó — diz, obviamente envergonhado pela posição constrangedora.

— Claro, acontece com todos nós — digo.

Com seu cabelo de surfista e o rosto largo repleto de sardas, Toby é o humano que mais se aproxima do leão, sem pular espécies. Quando Bailey o viu pela primeira vez, ela e eu estávamos lendo na estrada (todos nós lemos na estrada; as poucas pessoas que moram na nossa rua sabem que minha família faz isso e passam devagar com seus carros, caso um de nós esteja passeando por lá bastante absorto). Eu estava lendo O morro dos ventos uivantes, como sempre, e ela estava lendo Como água para chocolate, seu predileto, quando um cavalo alazão marrom passou por nós a caminho da trilha. Belo cavalo, pensei, e voltei para Cathy e Heathcliff, olhando para cima somente alguns segundos depois, quando ouvi o barulho do livro de Bailey caindo no chão.

Ela não estava mais ao meu lado. Tinha parado um pouco atrás.

— O que foi? — perguntei, tentando entender minha irmã, que parecia ter sofrido uma súbita lobotomia.

— Você viu aquele cara, Len?

— Que cara?

— Meu Deus, qual o seu problema, o cara lindo no cavalo, ele parece ter saído de um romance ou algo assim. Não acredito que você não o tenha visto, Lennie — sua irritação pelo meu desinteresse em rapazes era tão perpétua quanto a minha irritação por sua preocupação com eles. Ele se virou quando passou por nós e sorriu bem para mim. Ele era tão bonito… igual ao revolucionário do livro — ela se abaixou para pegar o livro, limpando a poeira da capa. — Sabe, aquele que arrebata Gertrudis com seu cavalo, roubando-a em um lampejo de paixão….

— Tanto faz, Bailey — viro-me de costas e volto a ler, indo em direção à varanda, afundando-me em uma cadeira e na mesma hora absorta no mundo da paixão assustadora dos dois, no meio da charneca inglesa. Gostava do amor seguro entre as capas de um romance, não no coração da minha irmã, que fazia com que ela me ignorasse por meses intermináveis. Contudo, com muita frequência, eu a via sentada em uma pedra perto da trilha do outro lado da estrada, tão obviamente fingindo estar lendo o livro que não dava para acreditar que era atriz. Ficava lá horas esperando que seu revolucionário voltasse, o que finalmente acabou acontecendo, mas do lado oposto, pois ele trocou o cavalo em algum lugar por um skate. No fim das contas, parecia que ele não havia saído de um livro, e sim do Clover High, como todos nós, só que ficava com os fazendeiros e os skatistas, e, porque ela era exclusivamente uma diva do drama, seus

Avaliações de O céu está em todo lugar

[bookishpeach240 · Nota: 5 de 5 estrelas]

I've been into fantasy this year and have not been able to enjoy contemporary much so naturally I was worried I might not enjoy this book. It turned out that there was no need to worry. It is true that I had trouble getting into this book. The beginning was slow paced and there was not much character development. However, I could not stop reading after Lennie and Joe share their first kiss. That was the moment where the story started moving and I just could not resist the urge to find out what happens next. I was supposed to be studying for a calculus exam!! I don't regret finishing this book, though. It was so beautiful and heartwarming and I cannot wait to start reading the other book written by Jandy.

[margaraawr-1 · Nota: 3 de 5 estrelas]

Beautifully written. :)

[banoczi_henrietta · Nota: 1 de 5 estrelas]

i did not like it as much as i wanted to. I liked the writing style and the characters but it just felt boring and i couldn't really get into it. I gave up after the first 50 pages or so and then skipped to the last chapter.

[foggidawn · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

Grieving the death of her sister, teenage Lennie finds herself attracted to two boys at once: charismatic Joe, who helps ease the weight of loss, and melancholy Toby, who may be the only one who truly understands her pain.A good book, though not quite as fantastic as I'll Give You the Sun. For readers who like realistic fiction that is both happy and sad, with touches of poetry and whimsy.

[alyssakimpisarski · Nota: 3 de 5 estrelas]

Living in a free spirited, music loving town in Northern California, Lennie Walker struggles to recover from sudden death of her only sister and the deep loss and grief it is causing her and her not-so-normal family, but Lennie must face change as she confronts the truth of her runaway mother and discovers her new found sexuality. Nelson eloquently and delicately shapes the tumultuous world of a coming of age, teenage girl who’s life is painted with grief, loss, confusion and desire. Each chapter begins or ends with poetry written by Lennie, depicting the depth of Lennie’s sadness, joy and growth while emphasizing the overall lyrical quality of the narrative. This story is tragic at times but uplifting at others, while being consistently relatable to teen readers struggling with loss, friendship, relationships, insecurities, and identity. However, the frequent and casual depictions of sex, alcohol, and drugs make this novel an inappropriate choice for some readers. While this book is a good suggestion for mature teens looking for a heart wrenching, romantic story; the reader’s age, maturity and family life should be considered prior to recommending. (Ages 17+)

[a_reader_of_fictions · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

Gah! This book. I just do not know how I feel about it. In some ways, I really, really loved it, and in others I was so incredibly frustrated and annoyed by it. My emotional investment in the story makes me feel like I should throw five stars at this book, but, when I think about the plot, I feel like it just deserves three. Either way, Nelson impressed me with her unique style and unflinching look at dark subject matter.

Nelson's writing has its own cadence, a rhythm. This book reads like poetry to me, more so than do most poems I've read. Her writing both held me captive and frustrated me. Part of her style includes the use of poetic license with regards to sentence structure that make seriously not poetic me crazy. However, the writing fit Lennie's character so completely perfectly that I do not think this book could have been powerful any other way.

Speaking of Lennie, I am really torn on her. On the one hand, I totally identify with characters who feel boring and lovable, and spend their lives comparing themselves unfavorably to others. If there's something that captured the feelings of my teenager years, that's definitely it. Plus, my heart ached for Lennie's grief over her sister Bailey's death. I really felt her pain and could sense how much was missing. This came through especially powerfully in her little notes that she left everywhere, which, I think, were a good portion of why I liked her so much.

On the other hand, though, Lennie does some unforgivable things, and, much as I want to forgive her because grief can do a number on a person, I don't think I can. Yes, I could see how she made the decisions she did, but I feel like lots of people can get through their grief without doing that stuff. She cheats and she lies, and I really don't feel like she deserves her happy ending, even though I sort of wanted it to come. Basically, I'm conflicted. I really just wish the plot hadn't had to revolve so much around infidelity.

What I loved most about this book was seeing Lennie come alive, even though she did so many idiotic, awful things. Only through her sister's death has she been able to flourish, too content with following along in her sister's shadow until forced into independence. Bailey's death wrought a strange change in Lennie, taking her from a girl with little interest in boys to a hormonal, horny mess of a girl. I really loved this, because it is so rare to read novels about girls with healthy sexual appetites. Usually, they're so virginal and pure, so that made such a refreshing change.

The other characters really stole the show, though: Gram, Big, Joe, Gram's garden. Gram and her garden reminded me a bit of Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen, with the sort of magical realism to her garden. Gram is completely quirky and sassy and loving, and just the best guardian ever; Lennie and Bailey's mom may have run off, but she still has a very present family in Gram and Big.

Oh, Joe. He's so incredibly, marvelously, wonderfully himself. Unlike the usual YA guys, he does not aim for mysteriousness or brooding. He's endlessly optimistic and smiling, always happy to help in any sort of crazy scheme. Joe treats everyone with kindness and is incredibly open about his feelings. Plus, he's a complete and total band geek. Quel swoony, right?

For now, this book wasn't perfect for me, but I will be holding on to my copy and revisiting Lennie's story some time in the future, because this might be one of those books I need a second reading to truly appreciate.

[ajbraithwaite_1 · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

Loved the poetry and the realistic depiction of a self-centred but heartbroken and confused teenager. Beginning to think that every YA book written nowadays has a bit of an obsession with death, though...

[nicola26 · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

I'm really uncertain about how I feel about this one. I think I would give it 3.5 stars if that was possible.

It started off really slow.The writing was all over the place and it just felt really jumbled to me. It definitely picked up at around page 70 though, and from then on, it was pretty good. I couldn't connect with Lennon, though, despite the fact that she was telling the story.

I just found Lennie to be really annoying, and I generally can't stand stories where the girl has more than one guy on the go at a time. I did love all the little notes scattered throughout the book, though. They were really interesting and helped break the story up, as I felt it was a little drawn out. I loved the character of her Grandmother, and Joe was also really amusing. It wasn't amazing but I'm glad I kept on reading to the end.

[sschreur-1 · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

Lyrical poems interspersed throughout beautifully crafted text. Lots of great imagery and metaphors, but things do get melodramatic and introspective which will appeal to some readers but not others.

[neysakristanti-1 · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

"I don’t know how the heart withstands it."—LennieThe first thing that hooked me up to this book was obviously its cover. The heart was striking against the blue sky, and I was just finished reading Twenty Boy Summer when I found this book, and I was in the mood for another sweet YA book, so this book totally made it to my TBR list.The Sky is Everywhere told us about the life of Lennie Walker, as she coped up and lived every single day in ignorance when her only sister, Bailey, died from a sudden arrythmiac. Her life was just stopped the moment Bailey stopped breathing. And when a new Joe Fontaine moved to her town, suddenly her life's gear started to turn once again. They seemed to click with each other just perfect, a clarinetist Lennie and guitarist Joe. But when Bailey's boyfriend, Toby, came to her to seek solace and Lennie found herself became comfortable grieving and kissing with Toby, what would she do the her 'the-only-one' Joe Fontaine, and with her life that seemed to fly away more and more everyday?The one thing that I really loved about this book was especially its strong voice and plot. I loved how Lennie was able to narrate this book with a real teenage's feeling and angst. It was not just another soulless monotone, but a real sentence with feeling and just like a personal diary. The plot was perfectly paced too, not to fast for this kind of story, but not too slow to be boring either. I also love Lennie's poems at every chapter's beginning. I think it was such an unique and perfect way to tell us about how her life was before Bailey was gone. It was true, sad, and full of feeling.Lennie Walker, our main character, was well developed and it was very easy to sympathize with her. Her personality was very balanced, having a good traits as well as a fatal bad one, such as selfishness, and also believable. Joe Fontaine, our other protagonist as well as Lennie's counterpart, was actually a bit flat. His personality was okay, witty, funny, and all that. But he didn't have any obvious flaw and his past was not too solid either. But I do love how he seemed to fit perfectly with Lennie's life without being too cheesy or seemed to be forced.Bailey, Lennie's now-deceased older sister, was described in such a great was it was very easy to imagine how she was when she was still around. Her personality was very well-developed too, and I love how she would act impulsively but care for the people she loved as well and tried to do her best for them.One character I found quite interesting was Toby, Bailey's boyfriend. I love how his grief seemed so real and believable, and I loved how he decided to cope up with it in such a realistic way. And beneath his dark demeanor, he actually had a kind heart, and it was portrayed nicely in this book.One thing I'm not quite fond of this book was its secondary character, like Lennie's grandmother and uncle, and her best friend Sarah, or her love rival Rachel. It was,kt they were undeveloped and just flat, but rather not finished enough. Their concept actually seemed very interesting, but their personality was floating around with no solid uniqueness.Overal, if you would like to read a sweet YA novel about teenage's life, love, overcoming grief and loss and change, and ultimately finding the new happiness in an unpredictable place, you should definitely try this one.

[ewyatt_16 · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

Lennie is reeling with grief after the sudden death of her older sister. She has to figure out how to build her life when she has always defined herself by her relationship with Bailey. The girls lived with their grandmother after being abandoned by their mother. One of the ways Lennie deals with her grief is through poetry which she writes and leave all over town. She's also a romantic and falls head over heals for the impossibly handsome, musically gifted Joe Fontaine. The book is rich with emotion and quirky likeable characters. An enjoyable read, tinted with a bit of magic.

[sguzick_1 · Nota: 5 de 5 estrelas]

Lennie is a bright high school girl and talented musician. Her mom left her when she was one with her older sister Bailey and her quirky Gram and uncle. When her sister, a college actress, dies suddenly of a heart attack, Lennie’s world is turned upside down with grief and love for a handsome, new, ultra talented band-mate. She is, however, confused by her sexual attraction to her deceased sister’s boyfriend, who seems to be the only one who understands, as they reach for each other to try to hold on to her sister. Readers of this young adult novel will root for Lennie and her larger than life family, as she fights her grief and loss. Along the way readers will be totally engaged as Lennie realizes that she might not have known her sister as well as she thought and as her illusions about her absent mother are shattered. She also learns a lot about herself along the way. This book is recommended for young adults, especially those dealing with a loss, their sexuality, and those attempting to find their identity.

[paisean13 · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

I do not know what took me so long to read this book. I thought the book would be a light read. You know, where the story mainly focuses on the romance, while the death of the sister is only thrown in to add depth and angst to the main character. This was definitely not the case in The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson. This book reminds me of Jodi Picoult's My Sister's Keeper. If you have read both books, you would find my comparison odd. The story lines of both books are completely different. The comparison is due to how both books unequivocally terrify me. How they make it feel impossible to breath at times. It is the probabilities and possibilities both books present to me. How they push my worse fears in my face and make me confront them. The Sky is Everywhere is written so beautifully you feel the grief of the main character, Lennie, in every word on every page. The supporting characters are all wonderfully written, believable and enjoyable. However, Lennie is the one who makes you keep turning the pages and hoping for her heart to heal.Yes, there is a romance in the book. Yes, there is focus on the romance between Lennie and Joe. But ultimately, this is a book about loss. And how even though one may never fully recover from such a loss, one can eventually move on and find some normalcy in life again.

[ainjel-3 · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

The problem with this book is that it isn't I'll Give You the Sun. I'll Give You the Sun is my absolute favourite book in the entire world. It's the kind of book that I want to clutch to my chest, spin around, and sigh about. The Sky is Everywhere isn't that, but it still deserves to be read. It's a bit slow to start, but I found myself flipping pages faster and faster as I approached the end. It made me stay up at night, deciding I wasn't going to save the last 100 pages until tomorrow and I was going to binge it now because I felt like I had to. Lennie is a lovely character, full of flaws and heartbreak, yet you still keep rooting for her. She comes off as very young, which, yeah, she is! Her first person voice is very much that of a young teenage girl, which is a nice change from some of the more sophisticated voices you can find in YA sometimes. Her youthfulness makes the story that much more heartbreaking.

I love books about grief, and this does a find job with that. It's about loss and healing, and about losing yourself and finding your voice again. The love story is sweet, and I was surprised by how much I came to like it. But what surprised me most, was that I cried. Lennie's relationship to her family, her grandmother and uncle Big, is definitely the highlight of this novel, and I'd read it one hundred times for that. If there's anything Nelson gets, it's family.

This book may not be a masterpiece, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth reading.

[tahleen · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

Lennon "Lennie" Walker's world is shattered when Bailey, her older sister, best friend, and heart, dies at the young age of 19. Lost in a maelstrom of grief, she, her Gram, and her Uncle Big stumble through the ensuing weeks in a fog. Always the lesser star of the two sisters, Lennie doesn't know what to do with herself without her sister, by whom she was always defined. All she can do is write down bits of poetry on whatever scraps of paper or writing surface she can find, and fall into a tumultuous and grief-fueled relationship with Bailey's boyfriend, Toby, to her own horror and confusion.

And then Joe Fontaine comes into her life. Exuberant, joyful, positive Joe, half French and gorgeous, musical virtuoso. All of a sudden Lennie glimpses what it might feel like to be happy again. But will her reckless actions with Toby and her overwhelming sadness destroy the incredible love she and Joe could have?

This book has been bouncing around the blogosphere for some time now, so I decided to find out what all the fuss is about. And yes, it is excellently written, beautiful poetic prose with heartrending description and simile. I especially loved the poems Lennie writes and leaves wherever she thinks of the words she needs to release. That said, I found it slightly unbelievable that all of her thoughts are that graceful and elegant.

I think my biggest problem was that EVERYONE kept talking about this book's amazingness. I think I prepared myself to dislike it from the start because of all this hype. It just didn't hit me like it did everyone else, though I was struck much more often toward the end by Lennie's pain than in the beginning. If this book does anything, it will most likely make you at least feel.

I was most struck by Lennie's observation that she will never stop mourning for her dead sister. She might lose a little bit of Bailey, but she will always love her and will therefore always grieve.

It is an exquisitely written book and I'm glad I read it. I just think I was prepared to not like it as much as everyone else.

[sianatra · Nota: 5 de 5 estrelas]

When Lennie loses her sister Bailey, everything she's ever known has changed. She's left to deal with her grief silently... but not for long. Before she knows it, two boys stray along her path. There's Bailey's ex-boyfriend Toby, who's longing for the relationship he lost with Bailey, and then there's Joe, a musically talented genius with a smile that makes everything better, if just for a second. Fighting past the haze of sadness that's threatening to rule her life, Lennie must sort out her complex emotions and choose the boy that will help her most.I loved this book. Not only was it beautifully written, but it struck a chord deep in my heart. Everything was described perfectly, and I could feel Lennie's pain as if it was my own.This book was gorgeous, eloquent, and absolutely poignant. It's a haunting story that will stay ingrained in your memory forever should you choose to read it. I would recommend it to anyone, but most especially to avid romantics - it's almost guaranteed to force a few tears out of you. :)

[jonilee73 · Nota: 5 de 5 estrelas]

I won this book from a contest Gayle Forman, author of If I Stay and Where She Went, a while ago. It's signed by Jandy Nelson, which is incredibly cool. The book had been in my TBR list for a while and I was so excited that I won it. And it was amazing, let me tell you.For some reason I seem to be drifting towards books where the main character has someone close to them die. Not sure why but I think that this is a storyline that can be done uniquely every time. This book is just tugs on the heart strings as the reader travels with Lennie through the months after her sister has died. She is trying to not fall apart and hold things together and finally she finds someone who she can share her grief with: Toby, her sister's boyfriend. Toby is just as grief-stricken as Lennie is and when she is with him she can just put down the walls she built around everyone else and just be exactly what she is: sad. But when Toby kisses her Lennie is filled with mixed emotions again. She feels as though she has betrayed her sister but st the same time, she isn't feeling anything at all when she is kissing Toby.And then Lennie meets Joe, a new guy at school who doesn't know her as The Girl Whose Sister Died. With Joe, she has no reminders of her sister and can just go back to living an almost normal life.The cast of characters of this book was so rich, I loved all of them. Lennie's grandmother was so lovable, I wish she was my grandma. And I wish I had an eccentric Uncle Big like Lennie has. Joe was the perfect guy and Toby was so beautifully heart broken. And then there is, of course, Lennie who has so many emotions she leaves scraps of poetry written on receipts, napkins, etc all over town in an attempt to pour her feelings out onto paper. A great read that I recommend to anyone who loves Contemporary YA.

[sgrame_1 · Nota: 3 de 5 estrelas]

17-year-old Lennie (short for John Lennon) is in shock after her older sister's sudden death. She has always been Bailey's companion pony; as Bailey lived life to the fullest, Lennie preferred to read Wuthering Heights 23 times, not try out for first chair even though she knew she could win it, and make-believe romantic scenarios about her mother who deserted the girls 16 years ago. Now lost without her sister, she suddenly finds herself lost in a love triangle with Bailey's fiance and a cute, fun new boy in band who not only plays every instrument on earth, but is very good looking and likes Lennie. The only way to try to make sense of things is to write poems about Bailey and toss them to the wind, bury them or hide them. Filled with teenage angst and interspersed with poetry, Nelson does a good job of portraying the complexities of teenage life. High school girls who love a good love story and don't mind heartbreak along the way will enjoy this book. Some sex and underage drinking come up. This 275 page book is currently on the list of the 25 nominees for the 2011 Teen's Top Ten list.

[asgwilli · Nota: 5 de 5 estrelas]

Très Magnifique!!!!

My heart is so swollen, broken and mended; my throat is constricted. This book was abso-freakin-lutely amazing! I swooned, I laughed, I cried (sobbed is more like it), I was happy yet disparagingly sad. Nelson's writing is hauntingly beautiful and poetic. One thing about this book that I really liked was the fact that, even at Lennie's lowest point she never thought about leaving this world. I would think that most young people in her position would just give up.. but she didn't. Which makes me love her strength even when everything just hurts and you want to give up.

I listened to the audio version of this book, and cannot write the review this book deserves without actually reading it. But this has to be my #2 book of the year.

[bonnie_ferrante · Nota: 5 de 5 estrelas]

A beautiful story of romance, recovery, and self-discovery that examines the complicated bonds of sisterhood and the after-effects of young death.

[katie1802 · Nota: 5 de 5 estrelas]

Where to start with this beautiful story? How about the amazing poems sprinkled throughout? Or the Fontaine boy's mega-watt smiles? Or Lennie's heart-breaking journey of discovering how to be whole again when a part of you dies? How about I start with Ms. Nelson's incredible writing. I cannot even put into words how great the writing is, its insanely good. It's just how she executes her story so much better than just about every author you could mention.

Buy it, borrow it, whatever, get it, and read it now.

[grytajme · Nota: 5 de 5 estrelas]

“A poor woman who since childhood had been counting her heartbeats and had run out of numbers...” (A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings: A Tale For Children by Gabriel García Márquez.)

Four or five years ago I babysat a pair of sisters every week. The younger one died two and a half weeks ago, of a heart defect that wasn't supposed to be causing trouble. She was twelve. I won't pretend we've kept in touch the past few years, but I would still see her now and then. Her death is quite possibly the reason I found this book so heartbreaking.

It's about Lennie, whose older sister Bailey--to whom she was closer than to anyone else--just died of a random heart defect. Lennie had always lived happily in Bailey's shadow, and now she needs to figure out how to be her own person. Other things happen too, less pertinent to my point--they have a grandmother, an uncle and a lack of a mom, a boyfriend (ex?), a best friend and a new friend. Bailey acted. Lennie plays clarinet (or avoids it) and writes poems about loss and then buries them, or drops them, or leaves them behind.

Second book ever to make me cry.

[summer_missfictional · Nota: 5 de 5 estrelas]

"You can tell your story any way you damn well please.
It’s your solo.”
Actual rating: 4.5 stars

Personal story time!

I have a little sister, who’s five years old, and was diagnosed with mild autism. Despite the 10-year age difference, I do consider her my best friend and am fiercely protective of her. If anything were to ever happen to her, I know I’d go batshit crazy.

A few years ago, we were at my cousin’s house, and in their backyard was a pool. Not the best place for an autistic kid with little sense of self-preservation or safety. Anyway, I turn my back on her for a few seconds, and turn around to find her right on the edge of the deep end of the pool, just about to jump in. I screech, and run like a freaking madwoman and grab her just as she puts her foot in the water. This incident was traumatizing, to say the least. I had almost lost my baby sister, and over the years, she did repeatedly and willfully put herself in danger, even as a four-year old. Until this day, I am still paranoid and watch her at all times.

As displayed by this story, I know I would completely lose it if any danger ever befalls my little sis, similar to Lennie in The Sky is Everywhere.

Lennie Walker has just lost her older sister and her only true friend. She struggles with life, and is horribly unable to cope with the grief. Many may find her an utterly selfish, stupid, and reckless human being. I mean, she almost has sex with her dead sister’s boyfriend. But I can excuse her for being such an imbecile; she has pretty much lost the closest person to her, the only person with whom she can truly connect with.

Regarding the whole having-sex-with-dead-sister’s-boyfriend bit, people handle grief in different ways, I guess.

”He leaves the room, which gives me a chance to recover, and unfortunately, to think about what happened with Toby earlier. How scary and out of control it was today, like we were to break each other apart. But why? To find Bailey[her sister]? To wrench her from the other’s heart?”

For once, the romance in this book was one of my favorite parts. I won't deny that Lennie has to “choose” between two guys, technically making it a love triangle, but it was just so obvious who she would choose and it didn't get so out of hand that that was what occupied most of her thoughts. Surprisingly, the almost-love-triangle was bearable, and did not make me want to rip the book in frustration.

However, although both guys were developed quite thoroughly, I can't bring myself to love either of them. Yeah, I'll admit Joe was pretty swoon-worthy, but would he make it on my top 10 book guys list? Probably not. To be honest, I found him a bit pretentious at times.

I loved the little snippets of notes scattered throughout the novel. Those, I think, were the most powerful and most effective way of displaying Lennie’s inner turmoil. They felt so raw, so real, and while not bits of literary masterpieces, still incredibly heartbreaking and touching.

Try not to well up in tears while reading this:
”There once was a girl who found herself dead.
She peered over the ledge of heaven
and saw that back on earth
her sister missed her too much,
was way too sad,
so she crossed some paths
that would not have crossed,
took some moments in her hand
shook them up
and spilled them like dice
over the living world.
It worked.
The boy with the guitar collided
with her sister.
“There you go, Len,” she whispered. “The rest is up to you.”

The writing itself was beautiful as well. This is Jandy Nelson’s debut novel, and boy, does she succeed in delivering.

I’m unable to pinpoint what exactly makes this book stand out and distinguishable from other coming-of-age novels, but believe me, you will be captivated and unable to put this book down.

With its perfectly imperfect characters, raw emotion, and a romance that is easy to root for, this book has effortlessly changed my opinion of the realistic fiction genre. I am blown away and utterly besotted with this emotionally powerful book and its author.

[lyricaltwin · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

This is a sad, touching novel, written in prose that speaks of a girl's grief over the death of her sister and the process of learning to love again without the fear of being hurt. I loved this book and it touched me; I stayed up late into the night simply stunned by this novel and thinking about the powerful words winding through its pages.

[librarylhr · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

The sudden death of her sister leaves Lennie an emotional mess. The Sky is Everywhere is the story of how one 17-year-old copes with the overwhelming weight of her grief. Author Jandy Nelson did an amazing job capturing the conflicting feelings in the grief of a sibling, making it very easy to sympathize with Lennie in spite of her moody teenage ways.

[xtastethesky · Nota: 5 de 5 estrelas]

When I finished this book I was unable to read another for a few days. It was one of those books where I loved it so much and found myself having to digest everything that I had just read. This doesn't happen all the time for me, when it does I call it a "book coma". It's probably one of the sincerest forms of flattery I can give a novel.This novel follows Lennie. She's a talented musician, and has a great family (though a bit abnormal since she lives with her grandmother due to the fact her mom disappeared when she was younger) - overall her life is pretty status quo. Then her sister dies suddenly from a heart defect. Lennie's life starts to spiral down. Before she was comfortable being second, staying out of the center of attention, and now she's thrust into the spotlight because her sister passed away. In addition she finds herself torn between two boys - her sister's boyfriend and the new guy at school.The Sky is Everywhere is another novel that makes me really excited about young adult fiction. When novels take on tough subjects and situations I really love seeing how the characters deal with the situations. In this case it's grieving. I think I have a personal fascination with grieving just because I lost grandparents in high school. Obviously it's not the same as losing a sister, but just the grieving process in general is sort of fascinating for me because people tend to deal with the loss and go through the process in different ways.Lennie's process is hard to describe because in a way she closes herself off, while opening herself up and coming in to her own at the same time. She's a very interesting character. When it comes to dealing with her sister's death she closes herself off from her family, and finds comfort (and pain) with her sister's boyfriend. They seem to understand one another in a way that she can't find with anyone else. And then there's Joe. He'll get his own paragraph in a second. Joe makes Lennie open up in a different way. Where she hurts silently with Toby, Joe makes her "forget" - he helps her live again, he helps make her music come alive.Joe is a fantastic character. He's that boy that is very free - very "hippie" I guess. Joe is just that guy that has his insecurities, but confident as well. He plays multiple instruments, and he loves hard. In the end he really loves Lennie - a lot. The arc with their relationship is very interesting. Since the novel is from Lennie's head you can feel her confusion when it comes to this boy. But once they're going they just fit. They're "perfect" - they just work.This story was very beautiful. I loved how the story was told, and how each chapter contained a piece of Lennie's heart. She would write poetry on wrappers, napkins, scraps of paper, and burry them or let the wind take them. It gave the reader more insight to what she was feeling - it gave Lennie the ability to release her feelings. There were also some twists and surprises that I honestly didn't expect, and they make the story that much more real. Overall this was one of the best realistic fiction novels I've read, and I'd absolutely recommend this to anyone.

[lit_chick_2 · Nota: 3 de 5 estrelas]

Lennie Walker, younger sister of Bailey, is comfortable playing clarinet, reading Wuthering Heights for the twenty-third time, and living in her fiery sister’s shadow. When Bailey dies suddenly, Lennie is launched into unimaginable grief, genuinely unable to let even her closest friend, Sarah, reach her: “I’m somewhere she can’t find, and I don’t have the map to give her that leads to me.” (26) It’s interesting, even humourous at times, to observe how each of the story’s characters comes to terms with loss and grief: Gram is a gardener, Lennie is a musician and writer, and Uncle Big is a serial-groom. Toby, Bailey’s fiancé, and Joe, new boy in town, are part of Lennie’s life, too; and the plot thickens.I enjoyed Nelson’s integral references to music, art, literature, and Juilliard. Ultimately, the fine arts play an important role in Lennie’s self-discovery. In addition, the arts have in some ways helped to shape who the sisters are. Lennie observes, “Each time someone dies, a library burns. I’m watching it burn to the ground.” (152) The Sky is Everywhere is a must-read for young adult audiences. I am not that audience, and was not aware of the intended audience when I picked up the book. I continued to read because the story is about sisters, how one simply does not know how she will continue to breathe without the other. I get that. I know that gift. “Maybe that was the color of her extraordinary.” (187)

[dasuzuki · Nota: 5 de 5 estrelas]

This was another one of those books that everyone told me I had to read but I just never got to. Fortunately I won it in a giveaway and someone in my book club just happened to be raving about it the day it arrived in my mailbox. I did not think it would live up to the hype but it was an unbelievably moving story. Lennie's grief was so crippling that it was painful to read about and yet I was sucked into the maelstrom of feelings swirling around inside her and could not put the book down. After suffering the loss of the sister whom she thought had no secrets from her one surprising revelation after another come to light and leaves Lennie staggering wondering what other secrets her sister had been hiding.Enter in Joe. It's funny he is described as having one of those smiles and presence that makes everyone around him smile and I found myself smiling and laughing despite the sorrow you feel for Lennie. I could feel the joy coming off the pages whenever he was around. I absolutely adored him and his brothers. I had a harder time processing and understanding Lennie's relationship with Toby. At first I couldn't understand what was driving the two of them together until I really tried to put myself into her shoes and imagine the depth of grief and craving for comfort she must be feeling.This entire story was just amazing and touched my heart. It is one of the few books I have read and decided to add to my keeper shelf. Thanks to everyone who suggested I read this story and if you haven't definitely go check it out!

[dgoo_6 · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

This was a beautiful novel. Beautiful story, beautiful characters, beautiful ideas, beautiful language and dialogue. I identified with the protagonist, Lenny, as she stumbles through her young life, coming of age (aren't we always, at least a little), and her uncertainties about herself, who she is and what she wants--who she is without others without her sister, Bailey. Though I could only have hoped for a romance like hers at the time and have never experienced the loss of a very close sister, I have come close enough. I just loved the expressions and the fresh realism of Lenny's thoughts and the way she especially and her friend spoke. It made them different, offbeat, fun, silly, creative and down to earth at the same time. I also thought the use of music (Lenny and her friend Sarah, love interest Joe and other characters are in the high school band) and it's beauty, complexity, melody, twists, turns, surprises was a nice analogy for the same, and also struggles and striving, in life. This was just a beautiful novel for me, yes there's that word again, and I look forward to more from Jandy Nelson.

[katrinasoper · Nota: 5 de 5 estrelas]

WOW. this book blew me away. It was soooo good! Now one of my favorites! Lennie, (such a cool name) is an amazing character. Joe was awesome (total book crush) and all the other people brought something. This writer is amazing. She put grief, betrayal, and growing up all into the best love story i have ever read. I recommend this book to everyone, it now has a special place in my heart.And.... i want a joe for myself.