ARC Review: I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson

I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson
Released: 1st June 2015 (AU)
Published by: Walker Books
Genre: YA Contemporary
Source: Publisher
Pages: 416
My Rating: 5 of 5 stars
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From the author of The Sky Is Every­where, a radiant novel that will leave you laughing and crying - all at once. For fans of John Green, Gayle Forman and Lauren Oliver. Jude and her twin Noah were incredibly close - until a tragedy drove them apart, and now they are barely speaking. Then Jude meets a cocky, broken, beautiful boy as well as a captivating new mentor, both of whom may just need her as much as she needs them. What the twins don't realize is that each of them has only half the story and if they can just find their way back to one another, they have a chance to remake their world.

Thank you to Walker Books Australia for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

A painting is both exactly the same and entirely different every time you look at it. That's the way it is between Jude and me now.

I'll Give You The Sun was a book that I had known was a big hit in the contemporary YA world since its first release. Yet, little did I know just how much I would end up loving it. This is a story which profoundly explores some of the many relationships which exist in this world: mentor to student, parent to child, lovers and of course the inexplicable connection between twins. Through the euphoric highs and crushing lows, this book is not only beautifully written but one that will resonate with all of us readers in some way.

Listen to me. It takes a lot of courage to be true to yourself, true to your heart. You always have been very brave that way and I pray you always will be. It's your responsibility, Noah. Remember that.

The very essence of this story and its impact lies partly in its aptly chosen structure - the alternating POV's between Noah and Jude, with a time difference as well. While in some books this can potentially be jarring, in I'll Give You The Sun it makes the story flow even better than it ever could. The sections are quite long, so you aren't left with a sudden change right when you were getting to know one of the characters. In this case, both Noah and Jude, their connection, their arguments and their reconciliation is so touching. In the face of immense grief and their worlds at times seemingly crumbling, it was inspiring to see how they both had their own unique personalities and growing as people as their experiences shaped them into what they finally became.

I'm over being a coward. I'm sick of being on pause, of being buried and hidden, of being petrified, in both senses of the word. 

Aside from the wonderful character development, what makes this novel stand out for me is the balance between romance and family life, and all the eccentricities in between. From Jude finding those little excerpts from her grandma's homemade 'bible' to the stunning art references, it's these little things which add to the grand, beautifully woven fabric of a story like this. Jude's boy-boycott which may just have to be broken when she meets someone equally struggling to accept the tragedy of his past, and Noah must come to terms with his identity and be ready to share it with those closest to him. By the end of this book it felt so satisfying to see how each piece fit together, each and every character had their place.

Love does as it undoes. It goes after, with equal tenacity: joy and heartbreak. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

I'll Give You The Sun has taken my top spot as my favourite YA contemporary novel of the year, and it deserves each one of the five stars I'm awarding it. It's a tale of finding love, comfort and hope. It gives the message that as life goes on, it is possible to be happy if we're willing to take the risk to live, not just exist.