Book Review: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Title: Everything, Everything

Author: Nicola Yoon

Publisher: Delacorte

Pages: 320

Format: E-book

Published: September, 2015

Price: $9.99 -> Rp133.147 (Amazon)

Rating: 4½ / 5 stars

Date started: February 16, 2017 - Date finished: February 16, 2017

Synopsis:

Madeline Whittier is allergic to the outside world. So allergic, in fact, that she has never left the house in all of her seventeen years. But when Olly moves in next door, and wants to talk to Maddie, tiny holes start to appear in the protective bubble her mother has built around her. Olly writes his IM address on a piece of paper, shows it at her window, and suddenly, a door opens. But does Maddie dare to step outside her comfort zone?

Everything, Everything is about the thrill and heartbreak that happens when we break out of our shell to do crazy, sometimes death-defying things for love.

Review:

Madeline Whittier spends her life in her house 24/7 and cannot go out at all. The reason for that is because she's been diagnosed with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), which basically means she has a really weak immune system and any unpredictable triggers from the outside world can get her really really sick. Her usual life revolves around tutoring during the day from her online teachers, read books during her spare time, spends nights with her mother playing games and constant around the clock care and check-up.

One day, a new family moves in next door and Maddie takes an interest in the new boy next door, Olly. Since Maddie can't meet anyone they communicated through IMs and emails. Day by day, they become close. Unfortunately for Maddie, their online communications is not enough, she wants to meet Olly face-to-face but with the condition she has it means risking her life.

“Just because you can’t experience everything doesn’t mean you shouldn’t experience anything.”

I've been wanting to read this book ever since it was first released because the premise was intriguing and it has a lot of positive reviews. I knew that this book was being made into a movie and the trailer was just released a few days ago so of course I watched it. I actually really liked its trailer, I watched it like three times and in the next day I read the book. I really really enjoyed this book and I cannot wait to watch this movie when it comes out.

“Sometimes I reread my favorite books from back to front. I start with the last chapter and read backward until I get to the beginning. When you read this way, characters go from hope to despair, from self-knowledge to doubt. In love stories, couples start out as lovers and end as strangers. Coming-of-age books become stories of losing your way. Your favorite characters come back to life.”

This book is quite unique because it has mixed media embedded throughout it from IM correspondences, emails, illustrations, etc. These things made my reading experience that much enjoyable. This book actually reminded me a lot of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli. To me, it has the same feels to it probably because it first started as an online relationship turned into something else but besides that it also has that cute-lovey-dovey feel to it that Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda had, but compared to it, I liked Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda better.

“Spoiler alert: Love is worth everything. Everything.”

“Sometimes you do things for the right reasons and sometimes for the wrong ones and sometimes it’s impossible to tell the difference.” 

The book is written in the perspective of Maddie and I cannot for the life of me imagine living the way she is in this book. Nicola Yoon's writing is very easy to follow and digest but it is also beautiful and a LOT of what she wrote in this book were quotable af. I also loved how this book was super nerdy because Maddie is such a bookworm (although I haven't read much of what Maddie has read). In addition to that I also liked Nicola Yoon's writing when it comes to describing events and settings, it is very easy to visualize in my mind.

I can say that this is probably my first diverse book and I really want to try to read more diversely (as many others are trying to do as well). I cannot speak to the representation in this book regarding its racial aspects, domestic abuse, etc. as I'm not well versed in those kinds of topics and I don't want to give out false information on them. I know there was a problem with this book, specifically in how the author wraps up the book. Some people are okay with it and some people didn't like it. I myself am okay with it, hence the high rating I gave for it. To me, it was what happened was justified, I can understand why it happened and where it came from.

Would definitely encourage everyone this book and if you can read it before watching the movie!

Watch the trailer for it if you haven't!

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That's all for now!