And the Stars Were Burning Brightly

Product Information

Written mainly from the perspective of Nate but with paragraphs from Al at the beginning of each chapter he book delves deep into both the feelings of Al and also those he left behind. As the truth reveals itself the full horror of "social" media bullying is brought to the forefront When fifteen-year-old Nathan discovers that his older brother Al, has taken his own life, his whole world is torn apart. Al was special. Danielle Jawando begins And the Stars Were Burning Brightly by introducing us to Al Bryant, a 17-year-old boy who kills himself. And I am so glad I did give it a shot. I read it few months before it's publication, but because of technical difficulties I wasn't able to review it before (aka I postponed it because my computer broke). And The Stars Were Burning Brightly is a powerful book about grief. It follows Nate, who is determined to find the reason for his brother Al's suicide. He's convinced that finding answers to all his questions is going to help him deal with his grief. The other main character in the novel is Megan, who is also dealing with grief after Al - her friend's - suicide. Convinced that she didn't do enough to appreciate Al while he was alive, Megan is determined to be a better friend to him now, and to keep his memory alive through the passion for art that they both shared.

The book is about 15 year old Nathan whose 17 year old brother Al took his own life. Al was going places, he was a talented artist who was soon to be studying at Cambridge University. I would advise that if you are in a fragile state of mind at the moment, not to read this yet as it may trigger you. Otherwise this is a must read for everyone no matter what age.The more research I did, the more I felt like that this was an important story to tell. There are so many people out there (young and old), who have a similar story to me and Al. I also felt that there needed to be more discussion when it comes to the weaponing of words, and just how much damage they can actually do. AND THE STARS WERE BURNING BRIGHTLY is the kind of book you do need a snapshot of insight into before you enter, in this case I do recommend reading the blurb. This is a story about suicide, grief, bullying and social media. It is powerful and painful, chilling and stunning. I think it’s a really important book and it’s 100% worth the emotional investment. Yet somehow, despite this incredibly heavy subject matter, Jawando still manages to retain messages of hope, redemption and fresh starts. Nathan, 15 year old boy lost his older brother and didn't know why his brother had to kill himself. The family is in grief, especially because Al was a favorite child. The way the author described the feeling of a mother who lost her child really moved me. I liked the issues about broken family and divorce. It i because children who are in this situation cope differently than others. How do I begin to describe how much I loved this book! It is such a beautiful, heartbreaking story that really has left me with tears rolling down my cheeks.

And the Stars Were Burning Bright is such a wonderful, heart wrenching story with important topic (bullying) more people should talk about. Nathan, his brother Saul, his mum and his sister Phoebe are all struggling to cope with Al's death. Saul, the eldest, has taken it upon himself to be the provider since their father left and so shows a tough exterior but underneath he is struggling to come to terms with Al's death just as much as everyone else. I found the relationship between the family heart-warming, the way both Nathan and Saul treated their younger sister Phoebe was both touching and poignant.Bullies have always existed but at least in my day they could only bully you in person...the advent of a myriad of ways to target young people via the use of media is horrifying as are the consequences. Night Mayor Franklefink has vanished from the Transylvanian Express - and it's up to you to solve the case! Part of the Solve Your Own Mystery seri... Beyond the investigation and processing of Al’s death, Nathan and Megan have to continue to face everything a teenager does. Nathan butts heads with his older brother, has to deal with school bullies, familial expectations and opening up. Megan struggles with her supposed best friend changing into someone who is cruel to her; she reflects on who she is as a person, how her social media presence reflects that and why the teenagers around her buy into the version of self that is forced upon them by adult beauty brands and celebrity influencers online. The book also starts with a message from the author who explains that she was Al once and couldn't see a way out which makes the book all the more hard hitting. It is written from both Megan and Nates points of view with a short section at the start of each chapter from Al which really helps you to understand all the characters.

There’s no doubt this story just as I’ve recounted it would have made for a tough read. However, as Megan and Nathan become friends and start to unravel some of the mysteries surrounding Al’s last moments things move up a gear. The writing here was very average and most of it felt very inconsistent. We had characters randomly saying some words in an abbreviated and almost slang-like manner, but most of their dialect was written normally. I understand writing teenagers who use slang and their own dialect, but at least make it a common theme throughout the book and include more of it rather than two words (wot and summat being the only two I can think that were repeated. It also con This is an appalling story. Because although it is fiction, it is a fictionalized version of truth. A truth that the talented young author of this novel went through herself. This book is honestly one of the most heartbreaking stories I have read and is so deeply honest and raw. Danielle Jawando has managed to portray so many serious topics with such grace and power, allowing the reader to really connect with the story and characters. I’d also like to mention that the novel is very much inspired by the authors own life and experiences as a young person going through a very difficult time. I think it’s so admirable that she has chosen to put this experience into her novel and has the courage to do so. I’m certain this will help others who might be in a dark place and show them that there is still hope and light at the end of the tunnel so to speak. I really loved that there were mental health resources listed at the end as well.

In summary

An extraordinary novel about loss, understanding and the importance of speaking up when all you want to do is shut down, from an incredible new talent, perfect for fans of Angie Thomas, Gayle Foreman, Jennifer Niven and Nikesh Shukla. About This Edition ISBN: An extraordinary novel about loss, understanding and the importance of speaking up when all you want to do is shut down. From a multi-award-winning author, perfect for fans of Angie Thomas, Gayle Foreman, Jennifer Niven and Nikesh Shukla. I like how Danielle Jawando explored difficult topics that are very important today and shows how hard it would be for family and friends to cope after someone died by suicide, and how bullying can cause someone to feel alone and scared, and could potentially lead them to suicide. I enjoyed how the story switched between the perspective of Nate and Megan, and through the story you got to see some of Al’s thoughts that led him to suicide while Nate tries to figure out what happened for himself.

I think this story will definitely open a lot of eyes and I think this needs to be read by every young person. Al's story is not only important but something that happens to a lot of people. This book made me so angry and sad but I'm so happy that I read it because it just further reinstates the notion that books like this one need to exist. I couldn't imagine how people with mental illness cope with their lives. I respect them. I don't really understand why people are so mean to others just because they have disabilities. This book was intense.

LoveReading4Kids Says

Megan’s having a hard time with Al’s suicide for a different reason. Her other friends never knew that she was close to Al, and, as the story unfolds, we see that they’re not all that supportive of Megan in general. She’s coping with the loss of, she is now realising, possibly her only real friend. As well as coming to understand just how terrible her usual friendship group is. Nathan’s brother Al has committed suicide. There was no warning and the only note, if you can call it that, was a drawing of Al surrounded by ominous, threatening figures while he desperately cries for help. For Al was everything to those who knew him: a talented artist, an older brother, a kind friend and a fascinated star-gazer who could tell you any one of a million factoids about space and the universe. Convinced that his brother was in trouble, Nathan decides to retrace Al's footsteps. As he does, he meets Megan, Als former classmate, who is as determined as Nathan to keep Als memory alive. Together they start seeking answers, but will either of them be able to handle the truth about Al's death when they eventually discover what happened? #BurnBright Nathan was the brother, grieving his older sibling and questioning everything; he needed the why to these events, some reason and he was determined. Alongside Nathan were family, other siblings, his mother, his friend, Al’s friend Megan and some nasty characters. This was a intricately woven story, where as the reader you were alongside Nathan, searching for answers.