Everything, Everything

by Nicola Yoon

[jnikkir]

This review can also be found at my blog, There were books involved...

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When I picked up Everything, Everything, it was during a time when most books were taking me about a week to read, no matter the page-number or genre. It wasn't that I was overly busy, or in a real book slump; but for whatever reason, I couldn't gain the momentum to make significant progress in any book. But as soon as I started Everything, Everything, I knew that was going to change -- I read this book in two days.

If that doesn't tell you how much I adored and couldn't put down this novel, nothing will.

On the outside, Everything, Everything seems like it might be a little bit contrived -- a girl who cannot leave her house falls in love with a boy who lives across the street. But the characters are what make this book so extraordinarily wonderful. The girl is Madeline, who was diagnosed with a disease called SCID (Severe Combined Immunodeficiency) -- which basically means that anything could potentially make her deathly sick. She has lived in one home her entire life -- a home that is temperature-regulated and totally sealed off from the outside world. (Seriously, there is an airlock on the front door and everything.) The boy is Olly, whose family moves into the house across the street from Madeline's. While they're moving in, the two share a look -- window to driveway, driveway to window -- and both of their lives are changed forever.

More than anything else, Madeline and Olly made this book, for me. I adored these two. Both of them are, to an extent, trapped in their own lives. Madeline is, obviously, trapped in the house she can't leave, almost literally on pain of death. She's idealistic and a little bit naive and obviously sheltered; but she's very smart, very well-read, and she's got a streak of independence that I loved. And Olly is trapped in his troubled family, with a parent unable to take the steps necessary to get Olly and his sister out of a bad situation. But despite it all, he's got a fantastic sense of humor, and such a good heart. When Olly and Madeline see each other, and then finally begin corresponding via emails and IM's, they form a connection that neither has experienced before. And let me tell you, they are adorable.

These two are smile-till-your-cheeks-hurt cute. Ugh. Disgustingly cute -- and I say that with the utmost adoration. Their relationship might be a bit insta-love-ish, but honestly, I couldn't care less, because I believed it. The two of them just clicked, and I could not get enough of them. Them being adorable while instant-messaging, having late-night conversations through their windows (a mix of pantomiming and writing-on-windows, since Madeline's window doesn't open)... and in the very beginning, there's a hilarious scenario involving an indestructible Bundt cake (you just have to read it). Ugh! They were ridiculously cute.

But it wasn't just their cuteness that I loved (though that was a perk). Their relationship struck me as incredibly honest, and so refreshing. Their lives are so complicated, but their relationship at its core is just so simply wonderful, and I just loved that.

Another great thing about Everything, Everything is the way it's written. Not only is the writing engaging, often beautiful, and totally believable for Madeline's first-person narration; but it's written in a mix of short narrative chapters, instant message conversations, emails, lists, diagrams that Madeline draws... The mediums vary, and it all adds up to a really awesome mix of chapters that are fun to read, heartfelt, adorable, and incredibly meaningful.

I did have one small quibble with something that happened at the end of the book -- it wasn't so much that I actively disliked this element, but, while not being predictable, it was sort of an odd twist, and I can't really say whether I liked it or not. It was... interesting. But other than that, not a single complaint about this book. It was so much fun, full of sweetness and heart, and I loved every minute of it.

 
In conclusion...

I feel like this review is sparse on details, for which I apologize -- but I'm also not sorry, because I do not want to be responsible for spoiling anything about this book for you. It's just something you have to experience for yourself, and I think it's best to go in knowing as little as possible.

Actually, I almost missed out on this book -- I picked it up at ALA on a whim because I'd heard so many good things, but I am super picky about contemporaries, so I didn't really expect much. I was so, so pleasantly surprised. This book is adorable (have I said that enough?), the romance is so sweet, and it is filled with so many beautiful moments. If that sounds like something you're in the mood for, don't hesitate like I did. Pick up Everything, Everything immediately.

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There were books involved...