Review: I'll Give You the Sun

I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
Publication date: September 16, 2014
Publisher: Dial

I'LL GIVE YOU THE SUN is the emotional journey of two twins who grow apart and find their way back together. Jude and her brother Noah are completely different, but still share an incredibly strong bond as children. Jude is an extroverted social butterfly and Noah is a reclusive artist, but they are inseparable as children. A few years later they have completely switched places and they rarely talk to each other. Neither feels whole without the support of a twin, but family tragedy, jealousy, secrets, and unfinished stories keep them from healing and forgiving. After struggling through the issues that keep them apart, the twins finally get the courage to accept both each other and themselves.

I found this book incredibly poetic and beautifully written. The plot alternates between present day and flashbacks to weave an intricate story with twists and turns I didn't see coming. The author does a good job of making sure the transitions between past and present tense are clear and not confusing. I also liked the character development throughout the book and the author did a very good job distinguishing between the different voices of the twins, who alternate in telling the story. I do think that the internal monologues of the characters could have been condensed because they made the book feel overly long and sometimes the plot dragged. There is some content regarding sexuality and I would recommend this book for 15+ readers.