Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon.
Warning: I WILL spoil it for you, so if you intend to read the book or watch the movie, don’t finish reading this blog post! (That’s not true… I tried for you – finish reading!)
I saw the movie trailer on my Facebook timeline on Wednesday. I loved it. I saw it again on Thursday, and I realized I had to get the book and read it. There’s no way I was waiting till May 11th to know the details of that story. By Thursday evening, I had obtained the book through a friend (God bless you, Daniel Obiri) and I had started reading it. On Friday, I got distracted at work and couldn’t get through the entire book. But by 12 today, I was done reading. I loved it.
What. A. Story!
I NEVER imagined the storyline would turnout the way it did, and I was thrilled by it. I don’t know what’s wrong with these writers that always get us wishing we were living IN the book, but love them for it, and I hate that I do!
MY GOODNESS… SUCH a story!
First of all, Everything, Everything has pulled very hard on my heart strings because it’s a depiction of what I thought my life was – but maybe the very extreme case. Madeline (the main character) is diagnosed with a disease that makes her allergic to the world, and has NEVER been outside in her life (as far back as she can remember). Her disease is a form of Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID), and her mother is a doctor, so she’s pretty knowledgeable about what is good for her daughter and what’s not. So, she’s kept Madeline indoors all her life, in a home that has air filters and basically a lot of mechanisms that make the environment germ-free for Madeline.
This story is a love story. Maybe I’m in love with this book because of the hopeless romantic I am, but I enjoyed every minute of it. It breaks my heart to have to spoil it for you, (and trust me, I’m trying to figure out a way to write this review without actually spoiling it for you) but it seems I just have to do it.
The first thing I love about this book is, it suggests answers to a lot of questions I’ve had in my mind about life in general. The second thing is how readable the book is, almost lighthearted (if the content wasn’t a little morbid). Inasmuch as I’m convinced that I’m obsessed with this book, there were a couple of parts that didn’t add up. Especially in the last few chapters of the book.
Here’s the part of the storyline that is basic:
Madeline meets boy- Olly.
Madeline and Olly fall in love.
But…
Madeline and Olly can never be together,
because Madeline can never leave her house,
and not just anyone can come in to visit her.
But there’s a twist to it – you can find out for yourself.
One underlying idea in the book is: the cause and effect of things. In the story, Madeline is basically the love of her mother’s life – and all she (her mother) wants is to protect Madeline and keep her safe. Madeline’s solitary lifestyle afforded her the opportunity to read so much, and think so much, and have so many questions about life, that she discusses with Olly. They have very interesting viewpoints that I enjoyed reading about.
For the most part, I think Madeline has a death-wish and a mind clouded by hormones. Eventually, I realize that the troublesome thing called hope – and an even more unpredictable thing called love is something no filter/cage/barrier can hinder.
When I got to the last page of the book, I found myself screaming, “Noooo!” I have so many questions, very few answers! I would really love to know what happened to them, and whether or not it was a heartbreak situation or a happy ever after kind of thing.
Some of the questions I have:
How guaranteed are protective bubbles?
Are all parents terrified of what the world can do to their children?
Do all parents really NOT have the parenting thing figured out?
Would I have turned out different, if my parent’s had made certain choices in the past?
Will I be tragically redirecting the lives of my children with the choices I make?
How much do I allow love to affect my decisions?
Do parents sometimes over-do because of immense love for their children?
Will these questions ever get answers?
You should get the book and read it too. You may not like how it ended, (I didn’t) but oh well.
There A LOT more to this post than I am at liberty to share, but when the movie comes out, hopefully my thoughts will be more structured and cohesive.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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