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easyvisionary's review
5.0
I love Danielle’s writing so much! How bloody brilliant!
This was a really tough read. I have avoided a lot of media about suicide. It’s always been so tough. This was written with so much care and thought.
The reveal was absolutely horrific but I appreciate it was needed for the story and it’s awareness. I don’t have the words to real dissect it.
I love Saul! I said this throughout my reading progress! What a gorgeous and caring man. A beautifully written father figure. The way he was harsh but supportive with Nate! Got me good! I adore him so so much! Give me a prequel from Saul’s perspective please!
Megs is just fantastic! The exhibition was unbelievably thoughtful and just stunning. The approach to having the dead live on and be remembered. It’s just the most incredible thing! I loved it so much I wish the scene was longer or that we had visuals! Ugh! Gorgeous!
Thank you Ms Jawando, I adore all your stories. Please do more.
This was a really tough read. I have avoided a lot of media about suicide. It’s always been so tough. This was written with so much care and thought.
The reveal was absolutely horrific but I appreciate it was needed for the story and it’s awareness. I don’t have the words to real dissect it.
I love Saul! I said this throughout my reading progress! What a gorgeous and caring man. A beautifully written father figure. The way he was harsh but supportive with Nate! Got me good! I adore him so so much! Give me a prequel from Saul’s perspective please!
Megs is just fantastic! The exhibition was unbelievably thoughtful and just stunning. The approach to having the dead live on and be remembered. It’s just the most incredible thing! I loved it so much I wish the scene was longer or that we had visuals! Ugh! Gorgeous!
Thank you Ms Jawando, I adore all your stories. Please do more.
katykelly's review against another edition
5.0
Painful and oh-too-relevant teen suicide tale. Hard to forget.
Two narrators lift the curtain on one teenager's life and death. Nathan is still reeling and angry after discovering his older brother, talented artist Al, has killed himself. There's no note, he feels guilt, he just wants to understand what happened. Megan, classmate of Al and fellow artist, knew him. She meets Nathan as he tries to investigate Al's life, and, struggling herself with friends caught up in social media worlds, feels that maybe she could do something to help, to honour the misfit friend she barely acknowledged in public.
Snippets from Al's diary, his thoughts for his little brother and his friend, give us insight into an enquiring and optimistic mind. His unexpected death has affected his family badly, though Nathan is the only one asking questions (which I found hard to believe).
There seem to be no reasons for his suicide. Though things are clearly not right, the students at Al's school are all the same as anywhere else - obsessed with the number likes on their photos, sharing videos, trolling each other online. It's a familiar and depressing adolescent world. One that both Nathan and Megan are caught up in, in different ways.
I found this a hard read, the further I got into it, as more and more was uncovered. Both Nathan and Megan undergo some transformative discoveries, and the reader is shown in some fairly graphic detail exactly what did happen to Al. It's fairly upsetting, and unfortunately all too possible.
Very very powerful. Very very sad. Every secondary school needs copies, teachers will want to try and include this in various subjects, with its highly relevant social themes.
For ages 14 and above, some graphic and upsetting content.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing an advance reading copy.
Two narrators lift the curtain on one teenager's life and death. Nathan is still reeling and angry after discovering his older brother, talented artist Al, has killed himself. There's no note, he feels guilt, he just wants to understand what happened. Megan, classmate of Al and fellow artist, knew him. She meets Nathan as he tries to investigate Al's life, and, struggling herself with friends caught up in social media worlds, feels that maybe she could do something to help, to honour the misfit friend she barely acknowledged in public.
Snippets from Al's diary, his thoughts for his little brother and his friend, give us insight into an enquiring and optimistic mind. His unexpected death has affected his family badly, though Nathan is the only one asking questions (which I found hard to believe).
There seem to be no reasons for his suicide. Though things are clearly not right, the students at Al's school are all the same as anywhere else - obsessed with the number likes on their photos, sharing videos, trolling each other online. It's a familiar and depressing adolescent world. One that both Nathan and Megan are caught up in, in different ways.
I found this a hard read, the further I got into it, as more and more was uncovered. Both Nathan and Megan undergo some transformative discoveries, and the reader is shown in some fairly graphic detail exactly what did happen to Al. It's fairly upsetting, and unfortunately all too possible.
Very very powerful. Very very sad. Every secondary school needs copies, teachers will want to try and include this in various subjects, with its highly relevant social themes.
For ages 14 and above, some graphic and upsetting content.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing an advance reading copy.
annettebooksofhopeanddreams's review against another edition
5.0
And this, this is the reason I have the Book Box Club and refuse to let go of it. The books they include are always outside my comfort zone and are nothing like the books I usually pick, but the girls have great taste. I got this as one of the possible 10 ARCs we could get and I couldn't be happier that this one crossed my path. It was an amazing, impressive, heavy and lovely read.
The story is as heavy as the blurb makes it sound. The theme is far from easy and watching the characters deal with all their emotions and worries and doubts and questions is heartbreaking. Especially because the better we get to know the characters, the more we start to care about them and the more we feel and understand their pain.
The characters are flawed in many ways. They make mistakes and wrong choices. They hurt people, mostly on accident, but still. They don't always know how to talk about what's going through their mind. But the moment they open up, the moment they share their grief and pain, something magical happens. The characters heal, only a little, but still, and we heal with them.
What made the characters all the more real is the fact that the book is written in a language that fits them. It's not clean English, it's not always proper or high class and it's not the English I've been taught in high school. But it's real. The way they talk and interact, the way thoughts run through their heads, the way they out themselves on social media. It's all so real.
And so is this story. Because maybe these characters are fictional, but their story isn't. Their struggles, what happens to them, it's real and it's happening. The internet can be a wonderful place, but it can also make lives literal hells without a way to escape. And a little teasing can have huge consequences, especially when it piles up. It's an important, raw book and I cried myself through the end of it.
This book deserves to be read. This book has to be read. Read this book.
The story is as heavy as the blurb makes it sound. The theme is far from easy and watching the characters deal with all their emotions and worries and doubts and questions is heartbreaking. Especially because the better we get to know the characters, the more we start to care about them and the more we feel and understand their pain.
The characters are flawed in many ways. They make mistakes and wrong choices. They hurt people, mostly on accident, but still. They don't always know how to talk about what's going through their mind. But the moment they open up, the moment they share their grief and pain, something magical happens. The characters heal, only a little, but still, and we heal with them.
What made the characters all the more real is the fact that the book is written in a language that fits them. It's not clean English, it's not always proper or high class and it's not the English I've been taught in high school. But it's real. The way they talk and interact, the way thoughts run through their heads, the way they out themselves on social media. It's all so real.
And so is this story. Because maybe these characters are fictional, but their story isn't. Their struggles, what happens to them, it's real and it's happening. The internet can be a wonderful place, but it can also make lives literal hells without a way to escape. And a little teasing can have huge consequences, especially when it piles up. It's an important, raw book and I cried myself through the end of it.
This book deserves to be read. This book has to be read. Read this book.
bookwormclare01's review
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
19becky97's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
kitty_may12's review against another edition
this book is just so sad, it honestly took my breath away at times
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Grief, Child death, Bullying, Mental illness, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Racism, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Abandonment and Classism
girlglitch's review against another edition
5.0
Oh wow, what a beautiful book.
Burn Bright is one of those rare books that is profound and accessible in equal measures. Jawando addresses some important and hard-hitting issues with heartbreaking honesty - you can practically feel the emotion bleeding off the pages. There is no romanticising or overly poetic prose here - you can tell that Jawando is writing straight from the heart.
Nate and Megan are very different protagonists, but they are both likeable in their own way. Jawando has a real knack for authentic dialogue, and her use of dual narratives really brings the storytelling to life. Al's words, interwoven throughout, act as a poignant hinge for each new chapter.
Devastating and brilliant, Burn Bright is a must-read UKYA for 2020.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*
Burn Bright is one of those rare books that is profound and accessible in equal measures. Jawando addresses some important and hard-hitting issues with heartbreaking honesty - you can practically feel the emotion bleeding off the pages. There is no romanticising or overly poetic prose here - you can tell that Jawando is writing straight from the heart.
Nate and Megan are very different protagonists, but they are both likeable in their own way. Jawando has a real knack for authentic dialogue, and her use of dual narratives really brings the storytelling to life. Al's words, interwoven throughout, act as a poignant hinge for each new chapter.
Devastating and brilliant, Burn Bright is a must-read UKYA for 2020.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*
joe_thomas25's review against another edition
4.0
Based on how many books I read a year, I’d say I’ve probably read more than 1000 books in my lifetime. A lot of books, right?
Less than 10 of those books have made me cry and it’s been a while since my last bookish weep. That was, until I read And The Stars Were Burning Brightly, a beautifully moving exploration of grief from debut YA author Danielle Jawando.
I was lucky enough to hear Danielle talk about the book at Simon & Schuster’s #BigBookBrunch in December, and between the power of her writing and the heart-wrenching personal story behind the book, I immediately knew it was something I needed to read.
As mentioned in the author’s note, the book is inspired by events in Danielle’s own life, where she was bullied relentless throughout high school, culminating in a website being created and shared around her school year that was specifically designed to target her. This led to Danielle attempting suicide. Thankfully, she survived, and has channelled her own experiences into the book in the hopes that it might help someone else in a similar situation.
The book follows Nathan, a 15-year-old boy in Wythenshawe near Manchester, one of Europe’s largest council estates, as he recovers from his older brother, Al, committing suicide. Nathan was the one to find his brother, alongside a drawing of Al surrounded by faceless figures adorned only with the words ‘help me.’ Determined to find out what happened to his brother at all costs, Nathan retraces Al’s last steps and connects with Megan, Al’s closest friend, to try and get to the bottom of it.
Megan, however, is still struggling with the grief of losing her Father in a freak car accident, and losing Al brings her worst difficulties back to life. She’s also facing crisis point with her best friend, Tara, who she has known her whole life but who is starting to become a more manipulative and cruel influence on her life. Megan’s deepest source of shame comes from her relationship with Al – she felt like the time she spent with him was her only safe space, but she refused to acknowledge their friendship outside of their art classroom, even stepping aside as her friends bullied Al on several occasions.
Both characters are incredibly likeable, despite their flaws, and watching their individually journeys and the development of their relationships, is a joy, if painful at times. I found myself rooting for them the entire way through, even when I disagreed with their actions, and it’s a cathartic experience to watch them grow through the novel.
Each chapter opens with a short paragraph from Al, addressed at either Nathan or Megan, and this serves to really bring his character to life. Though he’s passed away before the book even begins, he feels like a fully fledged character and this only amplifies the sadness I felt at his loss.
The plot is well paced, nicely scattering character development and plot revelations to keep it moving along without ever feeling rushed or slow. It’s unflinching but searing in it’s portrayal of bullying, and to a large extent feels like it could be non-fiction, which is horrifying but also a rallying call to arms for all readers. I think it’s the kind of book that could really help some readers who might be struggling with similar situations of their own.
Overall, this is a fantastic addition to contemporary British YA from a very promising voice in the genre. It combines an honest look at bullying with a working class setting that just isn’t portrayed in fiction that often, and tugs at the heartstrings in its sheer sincerity and heart. I would definitely advise caution for some readers as it tackles heavily themes of bullying and suicide, but I would wholeheartedly recommend!
Less than 10 of those books have made me cry and it’s been a while since my last bookish weep. That was, until I read And The Stars Were Burning Brightly, a beautifully moving exploration of grief from debut YA author Danielle Jawando.
I was lucky enough to hear Danielle talk about the book at Simon & Schuster’s #BigBookBrunch in December, and between the power of her writing and the heart-wrenching personal story behind the book, I immediately knew it was something I needed to read.
As mentioned in the author’s note, the book is inspired by events in Danielle’s own life, where she was bullied relentless throughout high school, culminating in a website being created and shared around her school year that was specifically designed to target her. This led to Danielle attempting suicide. Thankfully, she survived, and has channelled her own experiences into the book in the hopes that it might help someone else in a similar situation.
The book follows Nathan, a 15-year-old boy in Wythenshawe near Manchester, one of Europe’s largest council estates, as he recovers from his older brother, Al, committing suicide. Nathan was the one to find his brother, alongside a drawing of Al surrounded by faceless figures adorned only with the words ‘help me.’ Determined to find out what happened to his brother at all costs, Nathan retraces Al’s last steps and connects with Megan, Al’s closest friend, to try and get to the bottom of it.
Megan, however, is still struggling with the grief of losing her Father in a freak car accident, and losing Al brings her worst difficulties back to life. She’s also facing crisis point with her best friend, Tara, who she has known her whole life but who is starting to become a more manipulative and cruel influence on her life. Megan’s deepest source of shame comes from her relationship with Al – she felt like the time she spent with him was her only safe space, but she refused to acknowledge their friendship outside of their art classroom, even stepping aside as her friends bullied Al on several occasions.
Both characters are incredibly likeable, despite their flaws, and watching their individually journeys and the development of their relationships, is a joy, if painful at times. I found myself rooting for them the entire way through, even when I disagreed with their actions, and it’s a cathartic experience to watch them grow through the novel.
Each chapter opens with a short paragraph from Al, addressed at either Nathan or Megan, and this serves to really bring his character to life. Though he’s passed away before the book even begins, he feels like a fully fledged character and this only amplifies the sadness I felt at his loss.
The plot is well paced, nicely scattering character development and plot revelations to keep it moving along without ever feeling rushed or slow. It’s unflinching but searing in it’s portrayal of bullying, and to a large extent feels like it could be non-fiction, which is horrifying but also a rallying call to arms for all readers. I think it’s the kind of book that could really help some readers who might be struggling with similar situations of their own.
Overall, this is a fantastic addition to contemporary British YA from a very promising voice in the genre. It combines an honest look at bullying with a working class setting that just isn’t portrayed in fiction that often, and tugs at the heartstrings in its sheer sincerity and heart. I would definitely advise caution for some readers as it tackles heavily themes of bullying and suicide, but I would wholeheartedly recommend!
steel_city_peach's review
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Heartbreaking
This was a very emotional read. It really touched a nerve for me because it hit so close to home. I lost my brother in the same manner and method. Witnessing Nate process his emotions cut so deep. It was realistic, but so painful. The journey to find out what pushed Al to the edge revealed such a sweet, lovable boy. I wished someone could’ve saved him. The kids that taunted him were so cruel. When their actions were fully revealed, it turned my stomach. I felt such intense anger towards them. There was no way to have a happy ending with a story like this. It left me feeling gutted through the very end.