I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson

I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson 

Release Date - September 16, 2014

Publisher Website - Penguin/Razorbill
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 384 pages
My Rating - 5/5
**received in exchange for an honest review from the publisher**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

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.

There is something truly magical about a book that resonates deeply with you. One that makes you feel every range of emotion. The type of book that can leave your heart in pieces and yet healed at the same time. One whose characters, and plot come together beautifully to create something that is beyond words. Something that lingers with you long after the final page has been turned. I'll Give You The Sun left me with the kind of book hanger that doesn't come along often because it is a perfect blend of everything you could want in a novel.

I often complain that multiple view points in a novel sound too similar. There is no uniqueness to the voices. This is not the case. Jude and Noah's voices are both so fully realized, both so unique, and both so utterly spellbinding. You'll effortlessly fall in love with both of them. Neither are perfect, and that only adds to their character and appeal. They are both so fully formed that you expect them to leap off the page. It feels like you're reading someone's diary instead of a fictional novel.

Having never read a Jandy Nelson novel before I didn't quite know what to expect. I know a lot of people have gushed about her writing and every single thing said is true. The words seem to be precisely chosen and strung together. Each sentence and turn of phrase seems deliberate. She tapped into the character's voices so deeply that it feels like they are the ones telling you their story. Needless to say I've become a certified fangirl, and will read anything she writes next. Her writing sears you with it's emotion and enthralls you with it's beauty.

There is a magical quality to not just the writing but built into the story itself. Noah's lyrical, chaotic voice, and Jude's poetic narration only add to this feeling. From coincidences, fate, and the notion that 'some people are meant to be in the same story' we see how the universe may have things planned for you. Even if getting there isn't quite the route you wanted to take.

I fell in love with the beautiful, flawed, and infuriating Oscar. His delicious British accent, charming demeanour, and bluntness made him an easy book crush. The 'cocky broken beautiful boy' from the above description certainly lives up to his name. The romance is just as crushing, just as exquisite and just as painful as you would expect. This novel feels like a rollercoaster and your emotions are flung all over the place before the story is finished.

The sibling bond is perhaps my favourite part of this story. Extra care was taken to develop this relationship and make it more important than the others. It's the focus of the novel, and even when they are not taking or sharing the same space this relationship looms ever present. It's the driving force of the novel, and you cannot help buy hope they can bridge the gap that has come between them.

No words will be able to justice to this beautifully written, incredibly moving novel. A story of the bonds between people, the decisions that we make, and the impact those choices have. A story of love, jealousy, forgiveness and grief, it's one I won't soon forget.