Book Reviewed: Everything, Everything
Author: Nicola Yoon
Book Setting: 2015, Los Angeles, California, America
Genre: YA/Romance
Reviewer: Javelyn Bond
Other Books and Films adapted, of Nicola Yoon: The Sun is also a Star (Book), The Sun is also a Star (Film in 2019), Everything, Everything (Film 2017)
PS: Go watch the film everything everything guys, if you still haven’t seen it! I have yet to see the film (yeah I know I am a delayed train) but the trailer is pretty amazing (despite spoilers, watch out for them) so really, go watch it!
PPS: I might post the movie review as well. I don’t know if I will be able to, but let’s see.
Summary (Official): “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.”
Characters (A Simple Outline):
The Whittier Family:
Madeline: The only child of Mrs Whittier. A girl who is living at home with the disease SCID. She has never gone outside due to fear of dying to be allergic to the outside world. She lives with her mom and her nurse Carla.
Mrs Whittier: Mom to Madeline Whittier. A doctor and a mom, she cares for Madeline and her health and takes care of Madeline alongside the nurse, Carla.
Mr Whittier: Dad of Madeline Whittier. Husband to Mrs Whittier. Died alongside his son in a drunk truck driver’s mistake.
Madeline’s brother: Child of Mr and Mrs Whittier. Dies alongside Mr Whittier due to a drunk truck driver’s mistake.
The Bright Family (Irony at its finest):
Olly (Oliver): Son to Mr and Mrs Bright, brother to Kara Bright. Is the boy who moves next door to the Whittier household. Is a sweet, charming, funny guy (I think he’s also a gymnast since he does crazy moves, oops spoiler…) and also has a troubled life.
Kara: Sister of Olly and daughter to Mr and Mrs Bright. Is often seen to smoke and the more determined one.
Mr Bright: Husband to Mrs Bright, father to Olly and Kara. Is a drunk and abuser, he takes out his anger on his family when life does not go well for him.
Mrs Bright: Wife to Mr Bright. Mother to Olly and Kara. Is a quiet, protective mother and wife, and will do anything to have a proper family, even take the side of her husband.
Other:
Carla: Is the nurse of Madeline Whittier. Has been taking care of Madeline since Madeline was 6 years old. Is often a second mother to Madeline when Madeline’s mom is busy at work.
Zach: Olly’s friend and a talented musician, helping Olly when needed.
Dr Melissa Francis: Was the doctor of Madeline’s when Madeline was in Hawaii and suffered some serious pain and had to go the hospital. Was the doctor to clarify everything for Madeline in the end.
Dr Chase: Is the doctor Madeline goes to after she finds out the truth about her disease, with the help of Carla, the nurse.
Mr Waterman: The architect teacher, who is often seen throughout the book.
My Opinion:
What I Liked: There was everything, everything in the book you could almost wish for when you read a YA novel. There was romance, betrayal, a chance to risk everything in order to gain everything by the harness and love from family and friends, being brave and to risk everything if you want to find the truth and redefine the moments of everything you wished for.
As told through Madeline’s eyes, she is not a usual teenager. But then again, her circumstances don’t make her usual, either. She’s upbeat, cheerful, loveable, and sweet as well, by caring for her mom, her nurse and her overall life. But she does not shy away from a challenge when she first meets Olly who is Outside, whereas she is Inside. She is not afraid to reach out for tiny moments that are unlike her usual life moments, and she is also not afraid to love someone else as well, like Olly. She tries to adjust her life to her sort-of-new circumstances but she also discovers many things in the process, like her disease and what really is everything for her in life. She is not afraid to risk everything in order to gain the truth which makes her a model to people who would in normal circumstances shy away from the truth and of course there’s some loving, because what we all need now and then is loving and supporting people beside us in our tough moments, which we see with Madeline and her mom, Madeline and her nurse Carla, and of course Madeline and Olly.
Truly, she is ready to risk everything in order to gain everything or even a tiny plate, just to live life far from the usual.
And for us, we truly loved seeing a brave heroine like Madeline be an inspiration to us.
What I would have Liked to See: Well there is not a lot of suggesting or preferences I would have seen but a few do exist. Like there was not a lot of talk about what Madeline’s actual disease was and what effects existed. Another thing was explaining why her mom didn’t explain the facts of her brother and dad being dead and her part in being taken away to live for a disease she might not ever had. And I felt like maybe Olly and Madeline’s chemistry in the later chapters was focused on a lot, ignoring other aspects in the book, which was okay at first but then it felt like the entire book was centered on their romance. So maybe a little more explanation on Madeline’s mom and her reasons to keep Madeline from the world, Madeline’s disease to be explained a bit more perhaps, and a little less attention on Olly and Madeline’s chemistry (though I enjoyed it but still), I am only suggesting, that’s all.
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommendation: I would definitely recommend it to people who enjoy YA, a bit of a heart-wrenching, and sappy romances in some cases. But yes, I wholeheartedly recommend as it has everything, everything to be found in a YA book that we all at some point would have loved to see in other YA books.
Thank you all for reading.
-J.B
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