Publisher: Penguin Corgi
Pages: 310
Source: Library *I have since bought a copy*
Violence | Sexual Content | Profanity
Book Tunes
My Rating
 |
| 4.5/5 stars |
My thoughts
I read Everything, Everything back in February 2017. I remember summer. I miss summer. But anyway, reading this book was such a blur for me, it was so fast-paced and lovely and I just devoured it, and it already seems like this review is going to be a messy and disorganised one, so I shall apologise in advance!
Everything, Everything is about 17-year-old girl Maddy who has never left her home, ever since she was diagnosed with SCID (Severe Combined Immune Deficiency) as a baby. According to the experts, she is essentially allergic to the world. Destined to only see life flicker past in the safety of her bedroom as she looks out the window, Maddy tries to make the most of her situation. Until the cute boy next door starts to notice her, and she realises that the thing she wants the most - love - might very well be the thing that kills her.
I thought that this book was so adorable! Maddy is such a cute character, and her interactions with others and the scenarios in which she is placed was just so entertaining to watch unfold! This book also includes many of Maddy's observations, scribblings, schedules, statistics and other thoughts, and I thought that it was clever and fun and innovative to have them included within the story.
The story moves along quickly and it became one of those books that was hard to put down. I remember reading this book any chance that I got! I think one of the reasons why it was so easy and quick to read was because of the short chapters and the overall writing style.
The romance was so cute and gave me all the fuzzy feelings inside! <3 I like how persistent Olly is, and how understanding he seems to be of her and the whole situation. I like how they start off really carefully, and the sexual tension is so intense and real, I was able to feel it buzzing through the page. I don't recall if Olly is a particularly well-fleshed out character, but I do remember liking him and how he handles her, he was always so concerned for her health and caring in general, it was really sweet!
The mother is also heavily involved in Maddy's life, as you can expect considering her condition. I liked seeing how the dynamics of their relationship changed throughout the story as Maddy starts to question everything in her life.
I do have to mention, however, that this book has been marked as harmful and an insult to those who may be afflicted with the disease itself. Apparently it is a long process to diagnose SCID, often involving surgery and more frequent medical treatment than was mentioned in Everything, Everything. Also, the ending, which I can understand might hurt those with disabilities. Message: YOU MATTER and you are NOT any lesser because of your disability! I don't want to spoil anything, because the big reveal is a massive game changer and if I were you and I hadn't read the book for myself yet I would be furious that someone had spoiled the ending for me. Bottom line is, you'll have to read it for yourself to find out where you stand! Despite ALL THIS, I still loved this book, and I'll tell you why. It was entertaining. It was fun. It made me feel! It also still had many good messages, particularly about living your life to the fullest.
Everything, Everything is one of the sweetest books I have ever read! Follow Maddy's story as she discovers first love and struggles with the limitations of her rare condition.
Also by Nicola Yoon...
The Sun is Also a Star {review}
