Monday, September 07, 2015

Review: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

From Goodreads: My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla. But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black - black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly. Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

My Rating: 4 hearts for the first 1/2 of the book; 2 hearts for the second 1/2

Thoughts on the Novel: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon was a book that I had very mixed feelings about. So, I decided that a pros and cons list would probably be the best way to review Everything, Everything. 

Pros: 
  • I loved that Madeline maintains a positive attitude about growing up with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID).
  • I also appreciated that Madeline was an Afro-Asian protagonist. We definitely need more diverse characters in YA! 
  • The burgeoning friendship between Madeline and Olly was super cute, and put a smile on my face. 
  • I really enjoyed the additional elements in this book like the illustrations, Madeline’s Life is Short spoiler reviews, excerpts from Madeline’s diary, etc. 
Cons: 
  • Since Madeline has SCID, I thought we’d learn some information about this genetic disorder. Unfortunately, we don’t. 
  • I didn’t really buy the romance between Madeline and Olly because it transitioned so quickly from friendship to romance. It just made me feel like Madeline was trying to act like a normal teenager and experience as much as possible before it became impossible for her to do so. 
  • The plot twist at the end made me so mad! I would have rather had Madeline and Olly break up (because let’s be honest, that’s what would happen most likely in real life) than have the author do what she did – give them a happy ending by taking the easy way out and eliminating the problem entirely! 
Everything, Everything was released by Delacorte Books for Young Readers on September 1, 2015.

Comments About the Cover: I like the colourfulness of the cover. 

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the publisher (Random House) for free via NetGalley.

5 comments:

  1. Why give a character a disease and not explain the first thing about it? i find that very odd. I've heard great things about this book, but I'm sorry to hear that the second half is disappointing. I obviously haven't read the spoiler, but an infuriating ending... I think I'll pass.

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  2. I've seen EVERYTHING EVERYTHING pop up on a few blogs but haven't really taken the time to learn more about the plot or its characters. I agree that there should be more diversity in YA, but am bummed about the weak second half of this book.Great review, it's very helpful.Thank you!! :)

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  3. I want to read this book. I need it in my life. I am not super excited about the insta-love that people keep talking about. But the thought of living such an isolated life intrigues me. I shall go into this one with an open mind.

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  4. It seems like a lot of people were put off by the twist at the end and the fact that it sort of took the easy way out of whatever the problem is, and I think that would be frustrating for me as well. Still, I'm glad the first half worked so well for you Z!

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  5. Aw, it's such a shame that the relationship moved forward so quickly, that's a huge peeve of mine. I also like the concept behind this one (and diversity YES) but if it really isn't explained? Boo. Anyways, great review!

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