this is lennon's story (lennie to most people). her older sister bailey has recently died unexpectedly from a fatal arrhythmia and the book explores her grieving process and her relationships with her gram (who has looked after her and bailey since their mother took off exploring), her uncle big, her friends and two different boys. toby is bailey's boyfriend - equally as adrift and devastated as lennie and the two fall - horribly - into each other's arms for comfort. joe fontaine is the new boy, a total dream, and it is with him lennie (or john lennon, as he calls her) feels like she can play music once more.i found that the sky is everywhere actually had some similarities to secret scribbled notebooks - very lush surroundings, lavish emotions, an elderly guardian, sisterly connections, intriguing boys. it made me imagine how bereft kate would have been if sophie had died. but ssn wins because of its deliberate, perfectly-chosen, prose with not a word too many...
this book is full of blowsy overblown language. however, i didn't mind. lennie was such a ridiculous romantic, complete with a wuthering heights obsession. it worked, i think.
i didn't like the blue font though, it was vair distracting and sore on the old eyes. and though i liked that the book felt a little like a diary with the elastic strap thing, i think this very moving story could have used a more sophisticated jacket.
my favourite part? when lennie becomes acutely aware of sex and her body and goes around kissing the furniture. wonderful!
