Living is Worth Everything
I've been a busy bee lately, but I devoured my most recent read in less than 7 hours. Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon is one of my favorite books of the year so far.
PSA: I only picked up this book because I heard it's going to be a movie starring Amandla Stenberg (Rue from The Hunger Games) and Nick Robinson (from The 5th Wave). Now that I've read it, I totally agree with their casting.
Madeline Whittier is our main character. Since she was a baby, she has been living with an autoimmune disease that prevents her from going outside, because any little thing could cause an allergic reaction and kill her. So she has lived in her white room and white house for 18 years, with her mother as her constant companion, as well as her nurse, Carla. They're pretty much the only people she knows, aside from the teachers that she talks to on Skype. She reads books and plays games with her mom after dinner, and lives a very calm life. Then, out of the blue, a new family moves in next door. And with that family comes Olly. He wears all black and does parkour and never stops moving. When he and Madeline collide, nothing in their lives is ever the same again.
As I said in my intro, I adored this book. It's not a traditional read- it's written using short, diary-like entries, charts, emails, drawings, and even ticket stubs. I loved this style. It gave the book a sense like you were going through a scrapbook or someone's personal copy of a favorite novel. I was fully immersed in the story from beginning to end. Madeline is relatable even in her unique condition, and Olly is delightful. Yoon's descriptions made the settings and characters leap off of the page and into my head. I could see everything right before my eyes, like I was experiencing life right alongside Olly and Madeline. Yes, their story is a bit predictable, but there are still surprises. One plot twist left me totally aghast and I actually exclaimed out loud. It's the perfect mixture of a predictable love story and a new way of looking at the world.
I 100% recommend this book. It's a quick read that sucks you in and doesn't let you go until the last page. You fall in love with the characters and go on their journey with them. It's fantastic.
Plot: A+
Characters: A
Book Overall: A
PSA: I only picked up this book because I heard it's going to be a movie starring Amandla Stenberg (Rue from The Hunger Games) and Nick Robinson (from The 5th Wave). Now that I've read it, I totally agree with their casting.
Madeline Whittier is our main character. Since she was a baby, she has been living with an autoimmune disease that prevents her from going outside, because any little thing could cause an allergic reaction and kill her. So she has lived in her white room and white house for 18 years, with her mother as her constant companion, as well as her nurse, Carla. They're pretty much the only people she knows, aside from the teachers that she talks to on Skype. She reads books and plays games with her mom after dinner, and lives a very calm life. Then, out of the blue, a new family moves in next door. And with that family comes Olly. He wears all black and does parkour and never stops moving. When he and Madeline collide, nothing in their lives is ever the same again.
As I said in my intro, I adored this book. It's not a traditional read- it's written using short, diary-like entries, charts, emails, drawings, and even ticket stubs. I loved this style. It gave the book a sense like you were going through a scrapbook or someone's personal copy of a favorite novel. I was fully immersed in the story from beginning to end. Madeline is relatable even in her unique condition, and Olly is delightful. Yoon's descriptions made the settings and characters leap off of the page and into my head. I could see everything right before my eyes, like I was experiencing life right alongside Olly and Madeline. Yes, their story is a bit predictable, but there are still surprises. One plot twist left me totally aghast and I actually exclaimed out loud. It's the perfect mixture of a predictable love story and a new way of looking at the world.
I 100% recommend this book. It's a quick read that sucks you in and doesn't let you go until the last page. You fall in love with the characters and go on their journey with them. It's fantastic.
Plot: A+
Characters: A
Book Overall: A
(picture courtesy of goodreads.com)
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