Review: The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma

I have lots of feelings about this book. Too many, I think. I always knew I would love The Walls Around Us. And I'm so happy that I got accepted to read it via NetGalley. I will be waiting for my hardcover to arrive, because this book is stunning and I need a print copy of it. So that I can read it again and again.

I have no idea how to share all my thoughts about this book. Because I have so many. And they are all over the place. So I'm going to start by saying that I loved this book. I loved it a whole lot. So this is a five star read for me. Despite it breaking my heart most of the time it was such a stunning novel. So good.

I would say that the book is told from the point of view of Amber and Violet. But it isn't, not fully. It is also told from the view of so many girls. It is told is such a beautiful way. It should have confused me. And it did, a little bit, in the beginning. But then I got used to the writing and I loved it. It tells the story is a stunning way. So yes. The writing is amazing. There is so much to learn in this book. So much I wanted to know. And a bunch of things I did not want to know, but I got to know anyway, and it was worth it. Because The Walls Around Us is heartbreaking. It is full of pain and suffering and beauty. It is about 42 girls being locked up in a girls' juvenile detention center. They are locked up for murder, assault and other things. Just about all of them are guilty. Yet I didn't want a single one of them to stay in there. It was awful to read about. Girls are mean creatures. And one of the men working there. Shudders. This was an honest book. Full of horrible truths and yet it was full of beauty too. I couldn't help but loving this book to pieces.

I truly don't want to talk too much about the plot in this book. Because I also want to share everything that happens. Which I will not do. But I will say that this book is beautiful. It is full of heartbreaking moments. So much sadness. Well, at least for me. There is some happiness too. But most of the book is sad. And my heart is still aching of how unfair it all is. Because this is a book about dead girls. And ghosts. Well, it isn't focused much on the ghost part. But it's there. It's done in a small but good way.

We get to know so many girls in this book. First there is Amber. Who has been locked up for murder for the past three years. I had a lot of feelings for her. Most of the time I loved her. But I felt so sorry for her and I just wanted her to find happiness. Sobs. I loved getting to know about her life. But I'm still a bit confused about what she did. Is she guilty or not guilty? But either way, it doesn't matter. Because Amber was an amazing person. And I loved her love for books. I just wish more of the girls had cared.

Then there is Violet. I cannot decide how I felt about her. She was such an awful friend. I didn't like her at all. But at times I felt sorry for her too. And I didn't want her to hurt. But then the next moment I wanted her to suffer. So I'm a bit conflicted. I liked reading about her. But. She had everything, while Ori had nothing. And she didn't do anything about it. I can't forgive her for that. I did like that they both did ballet. It was beautiful to read about and I loved that part of the book. I don't dance, but I enjoyed it.

Sigh. And Ori. I wish I had gotten to read much more about her. Because I adored her. She was always so kind. And my heart broke for her. She lost it all. I wish I had gotten to see more of her and Miles, her boyfriend. They seemed adorable together. I just wish I had gotten to see her life. But I did love what I did learn about her. The story of her mom. Heartbreak. How her dad didn't care. Sniffs. How she was the best friend to Violet. Whom did not seem to care that much. Hmph. I still don't approve of that.

There is so much to read about in this book. So many beautiful moments. So many things that made me sad and upset me. I loved getting to know many of the girls locked up. But what happened to them all.. it wasn't fair. Yet it was also perfect to read about. This book was just all kinds of amazing. So many things in this book. And every moment was amazing to read about. I'm so glad I read this book. I think it will stay with me for a long time. Mostly how unfair everything was. How much my heart is aching.

The ending. I cannot not talk about the ending. But I will not spoil it. Though I want to. I want to talk about that ending so bad. But I will not :D But I will say that it is so good. Done so well. Though I have questions. And I'm so curious about what it means. But I also understood it. It was a bit brutal. And so sad. Yet also the most fitting end. It was justice. In a weird and kind of confusing way. But it was also just so beautiful. It was the ending that needed to be. And I loved it. Sigh. But, I might want a sequel.

I don't know what else to say about this book. Okay, I want to say it all. But I think I have said enough for now. Now I just need you all to read it. The Walls Around Us is such a beautiful book. It is full of guilt, heartbreak and beautiful moments. This story will stay with me for a long time. Especially Amber. And Orianna. Even Violet. Well, maybe. I haven't decided yet how I feel about her. But I do not have any love for her. But the other characters in this book was written so well and I grew to care for them all.

Huge thank you to the publisher, Algonquin Young Readers, for accepting my request to read The Walls Around Us early via NetGalley. <3 I'm so glad I had the chance to read this book now. And I cannot wait to read it again next year after it comes out in March. If you are able to, go request it on NetGalley or on Edelweiss. Because this is a book you all need to read. And I need to know how you all feel about it. To me it was so beautiful and heartbreaking and I loved it so much. I hope with all my heart you all do too.

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