Review: I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
Reviewer: Rachael Carter
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ill-Give-You-Jandy-Nelson/dp/1406326496/
First published: 2015
Publisher: Walker Books
Genre:
· Young Adult
· LGBTQ+ Romance for Young Adults
· Coming of Age
This New York Times bestseller is a coming-of-age story of twins Noah and Jude who must navigate their teenage years in the wake of a devastating event that takes them from two parts of the same soul to sworn enemies. Both must use their creative side to overcome their troubles, but will they ever find their way back to each other?
The characters in this novel leap off the page. Noah and Jude especially are well-written, believable characters whom I would not be surprised were real. Puberty is a treacherous path for the average teenager, but being gay makes things all the more terrifying and uncertain for Noah. The twins have a very different relationship with their father, and the only disappointment came in the slight lack of “fleshing out” of their father’s character.
Set in a small beachside town in California, this book stays well-rooted in its surroundings with a small number of recurring landmarks such as CSA, the fine arts school, the beach and Devil’s Drop, and the woods, which add to the inclusivity of the community.
Heartbreaking at times, and other times the story makes your heart soar with love. This book takes the reader through an array of emotions. Atmospheric and engaging, especially the descriptions of art and sculpture are utterly absorbing.
While not short of heart, I’ll Give You the Sun is littered with conflict of all kinds. Internal and character vs. character for the most part, but there are other conflicting values such as environmental, sexuality, etc.
Set in two linear timelines, this particular structure helps raise the question of what happened in between that split Noah and Jude up? It keeps you reading right to the end without feeling manufactured. The pacing is quiet, thought-provoking with the odd “thriller” type scene. This isn’t to say the book lacks tension or suspense. Beautifully written to keep the quiet pace while making the reader grip the book that much tighter. Nelson’s prose is astoundingly beautiful and poetic. She keeps this up throughout the entire novel. It feels almost like a short story where every word is scrutinised over its worth. “…then he laughs a laugh so happy it blasts about a billion balloons into the air. This must be the barking mad artist and the scary-ass granite men-monsters across from me must be his barking-mad art. […] After a few minutes, he pivots out of his delirium and I get the first clear shot of his face. His nose is like a capsized ship, his mouth the size of three, his jaw and cheekbones hefty as armour, and his eyes are iridescent. His face is a room overstuffed with massive furniture. I want to draw it immediately…”
The only downside I found to this novel was the ending. It was a little too “twee” for my liking, and felt a bit more bittersweetness would have been more satisfying. For this reason alone (I really hate to have to do this because I loved this book), I must retract a star from its rating.
A story told with compassion, incredible insight and sensitivity. Although shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, I would recommend this to teenagers and adults alike. An absolute gem of a story.
