Everything That Makes You

by Moriah McStay

• ISBN10: 0062295500
• ISBN13: 9780062295507
• Publish Date: 17 March 2015
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Imprint: Collins
• Format: eBook
• Pages: 352
• Language: English

Reviews

[Kelsenator]

3.5/5 rating

[shannonmiz]

3.5*

This has been one of my most anticipated debuts of 2015 for a long time. Because really, who among us hasn't wondered what our lives would be like if we had taken another road, made an alternative choice, done something just a little bit differently? I pretty much ask myself this every day, so the topic of this book was appealing to me from the start.

Some things worked, and a few didn't. Overall, I liked the book, and I really only had one actual issue with it.

The Good:

• I enjoyed the different viewpoints of Fiona and Fi. Neither was always likable, but I mean, neither is anyone else. Both Fionas had a habit of feeling bad for themselves and wallowing a bit, but no one is perfect, and I probably would have felt sorry for myself too. But apart from that, they were quite different people, though they shared some similar characteristics. It kind of brought up the nature versus nurture debate, and whether our experiences define us.


• The secondary characters were intriguing too, since a lot of them overlapped in both Fionas' lives. But as she was different, so were they. I then started questioning the impact and influence of those around us on our personalities.


• The plot was (predictably) character driven, since the point was exploring what would happen if Fiona hadn't had the accident. I liked that it spanned a pretty long period of time, because I think it gave more insight into both girls' characters. There was a lot of focus not just on romantic relationships, but friendships and family relationships as well (quite possibly more of a focus on the latter two than the first).


• Basically, this book made me think a lot, which I appreciate in a book. It made me consider the importance events have in our lives, the importance other people's interactions and reactions to us have in our lives... pretty much it made me question how every single experience brought me to where I am. That's heavy stuff!

The Not As Good:

• I really only have one complaint, but it is a kind of big one: I don't think it is a spoiler, per se, but I will mark it as such just in case. The book didn't actually connect the "what if" part to "real" life as I'd hoped it would. I mean, yes, it did answer the question about what would have happened if Fiona hadn't had the accident, and what Fi's life would have been like, etc., but I had been hoping for a bit more cohesion, and I didn't get it. Perhaps this is my problem for assuming Fiona as the "real" character, maybe I am looking at it incorrectly, but either way, I wanted Fi's story to reach her.

Bottom Line: I enjoyed the book while reading it, and I definitely had feels on more than one occasion. I think that the separate lives of Fiona and Fi were handled quite well, and the way things played out was incredibly plausible. If the "real world" application piece had been there, this probably would have been a home run for me, but it was still worth reading for sure!
This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight

Copy provided for review.

[Ashley]

This was a pretty good book but I feel like it was lacking direction. After the initial "this story is cool" feeling wore off, I found myself constantly wondering where the story was headed. I just couldn't see a clear direction/purpose/overarching plot. I felt like I was just aimlessly wandering around in these peoples' lives without a reason.

It was still a good read and the two different versions of Fiona's life felt very Pivot Point-esque. I liked seeing how some parts overlapped and some parts differed quite a bit. But I think the story would have been a lot better if I had a better sense of where it was going.