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Author: Nicola Yoon
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction
Published: 2015 by Delacorte Books
Length: 310 pages
More info on Goodreads
Available on Amazon
"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
It's really hard for me to rate this book, so I'll start with my overall sentiment: this book is basically The Fault in Our Stars.
BUT- I really LOVED The Fault in Our Stars so I guess maybe that's not entirely a bad thing...
Everything, Everything wasn't boring or uninteresting, it just felt very familiar. A sick girl falls in love with a boy, teenage romance and angst all over, you know the drill. For the most part, I really love John Green books... but this isn't a post about him or his books! I'm already off topic which probably reveals a lot about Nicola Yoon's debut novel.
Anyway, Maddie is a girl I can really connect to. She loves to read (as do I), she enjoys her schoolwork (most of the time), and has a great relationship with her nurse (I envy how little conversation they have to have in order to be friends). The teenage love at first sight deal is usually fun and tragic at the same time so this book pretty much lived up to my expectations (typical scenario, this time with more diverse characters, keeping me on my toes).
I plodded along at a semi-steady pace and finished this book in two days which is pretty good seeing as my yearly goal is only 24 (!!) and I'm already behind. The thing that stuck with me most is how much Maddie expresses her need for more. I get that. I've been there and I think we all have.
What I was most looking forward to was the cuteness of the main character and her unique situation, which is what I expected would make this book stand out from it's peers. It turns out that really wasn't important and I'm not yet sure how to feel about that. The best part wasn't Maddie-as-a-person or her situation but it was actually the weirdness that happens in the end. Unlike many other Goodreads members who said Yoon uses a "cop out" ending, I rather enjoyed it. I mean, it probably was anticipated but I wasn't entirely sure that it would happen. BUT THEN IT HAPPENED. I know many will disagree with me, but the fact that the ending is a little strange, a little predictable, and a lot rushed, kind of left me wanting more... but in a good way, you know? It kept me thinking. I tried to strike up a conversation about it with my husband (who would never chose to read this book on his own) and I like when a book lingers in my mind.
If you like realistic YA fiction, this book is totally for you! It's cute, has some funny dialogue, and charming graphics/visuals to boot.
Overall, Everything, Everything gets a solid four-star rating from me. Worth the read.
Get your copy here and check out some of Nicola Yoon's other books!
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