Review: The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

Title: The Sky Is Everywhere
Author: Jandy Nelson
Series: None
Pages: 272 (Hardcover)
(Goodreads)

Release Date: June 17th 2010
Published by: Walker Books

SUMMARY:

Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey's boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie's own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they're the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can't collide without the whole wide world exploding.


This remarkable debut is perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Francesca Lia Block. Just as much a celebration of love as it is a portrait of loss, Lennie's struggle to sort her own melody out of the noise around her is always honest, often hilarious, and ultimately unforgettable.

Review:

I consider this book a cloud of contemporary fluff. The summary promises drama and love triangle, but really, there is no love triangle here; only minor drama that is scattered all throughout the book. I can say I’m grateful that the summary didn’t give justice to the story’s plot. I’m tired of major dramas in contemporary YA, so reading The Sky Is Everywhere was like a breath of fresh air. It didn’t make me bawl my eyes out, but it still moved me close to tears. There’s also this big, big, big possibility that this book will make you swoon and laugh your heart out.

I thoroughly enjoyed Lennie’s voice. She was full of humor even at the beginning of the story that at first, I found it hard to believe that this was that book about the girl who was supposed to be mourning for the death of her older sister. There were traces of sadness, but still, the idea seemed a little off because her voice sounded all happy, fun and witty. And then there comes Joe Fontaine – excuse me while I swoon. : ))) The parts where he was in was all so blissful, you’d feel like swooning over him (or become ‘Joelirious’, according to Lennie). Even two weeks after reading the book, I still feel like melting when I think about him. Oh, gosh. Anyway. There’s also Toby Shaw – the supposed-to-be third corner of the triangle. The parts where he was in was all so full of sadness, you’d feel like chucking a handful of sunshine at him. Every time. What he did to Lennie annoyed me a lot – it wasn’t something anyone would approve of, but I think anybody would be able to see where he's coming from as the story progresses..

And then there’s Joe Unfreakingbelievable Fontaine again. Gosh. I’m sorry if this isn’t one of my intellectual reviews (if I actually have one), but I really like that guy. I am so JOELIRIOUS for JOE FONTAINE!! He’s sooo cute, funny, and sweet and he has a 10,000-megawatt smile! He makes me want to scream: ZOMG! JOE FONTAINE IS UNFREAKINGBELIEVABLY HOTNEZZ!! JOELICIOUSLY HOT!! I AM JOELIRIOUS FOR JOE FONTAINE!! *swoons all over again* I’m so cheesy I'm so embarrassed with myself now… *dies*

Moving on. The other characters were extremely fun and likable too: Gram, Big and Sarah. They are a bunch of odd people, but they only added up to how cute and awesome this book is. And by the way, it was Sarah who used the word Unfreakingbelievable when referring to Joe. She also says “Holy yellow horses” and a bunch of other colorful animals as expression. Weird girl.

I totally recommend The Sky Is Everywhere to all young adults. This quick read of a book will leave you feeling fluffy and craving for more Joe Fontaine.

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The Sky Is Everywhere Trailer:

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About the Author:

Jandy Nelson received a BA from Cornell, an MFA from Brown in poetry, and another MFA from Vermont College in writing for children and young adults. A literary agent for many years, she is also a published poet. The Sky Is Everywhere is her first novel. Jandy lives in San Francisco.





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~Mithee

Review: The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson