Everything,Everything,Nicola Yoon-BOOK REVIEW

Hope,tears,happiness & pain-EVERYTHING in just one book and that is “Everything, Everything”, the first novel of Nicola Yoon.

The main character,Madeline Whittier (Maddy) has a rare disease,Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID),also known as “bubble baby disease”.What does that mean? She is allergic to the world.That is the reason why her house is an over protective place and she cannot leave it.She spends most of her time reading in her completely white room,doing homework or talking either to her mom or to her carer,Carla.However,EVERYTHING changes when a new family moves next door and her new neighbour,Olly,comes into her life.He is the one who makes her fascinated about what life has to offer.He is the risk that she wants to take,but the question is already obvious: will she? 

It’s quite clear even from the beginning that Maddy and Olly don’t have much in common.Maddy is,without any doubt,a bookworm who has learnt most of the life lessons from novels.She can be considered to be optimistic,as after all these years,she hasn’t become hopeless,not even for a moment.Despite her disease,she tries to make everyone around her happy and hide any trace of disappointment.The innocence of her soul is revealed by Olly’s comment,as he says: “no one is innocent,except maybe you,Madeline Whittier’’.

Olly is always energetic,full of life (“he’s in constant motion”) and seems to be confident of himself.Despite the appearances,his life is far more complex.He’s facing family problems because of his violent dad and this lets him down every time.He is extremely careful with every detail related to Maddy’s health,which highlights his genuine love.

Reasons to love EVERYTHING about this book

The action in this young adult novel focuses on the aspects that give life a meaning.Unlinke others,Maddy doesn’t have the opportunity to live her life outside the door.Touching the grass,feeling the wind,getting wet by the rain-these are strangers to her.They may seem little things,even insignificant for some.But they make part of our life and we should be aware of their value.We have to be greatful for EVERYTHING that our life involves,because this supposes living it.We earned it in a second,but we have to always cherish it.Be aware of the present,of the things that make you feel alive and give you a meaning.Look around you and be conscient of the beauty that you see,because that is what makes your life great.

If I haven’t conviced you to read it yet,then,take a look at these quotes:

“For the first time in a long time, I want more than I have.”

“Maybe we can't predict everything, 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.”

“If my life were a book and you read it backward, nothing would change. Today is the same as yesterday. Tomorrow will be the same as today.”

“prom·ise (ˈpräməs) n. pl. – es. 1. The lie you want to keep. [2015, Whittier]”

“spoiler alert: Love is worth everything. Everything.”

“Can you reach the end of tears? I wonder.”

“In the beginning there was nothing.And then,there was everything.”

“I've read many more books than you. It doesn't matter how many you've read. I've read more. Believe me.”

“I decide then that love is a terrible, terrible thing. Loving someone as fiercely as my mom loves me must be like wearing your heart outside of your body with no skin, no bones, no nothing to protect it.”

“Here is my secret. It’s quite simple: One sees clearly only with the heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes.”

Have YOU read “Everyhting Everything”? Are you considering to? Let me know in a comment below!

Thank you for reading! Until next time,keep dreaming and…don’t forget to SMILE! :)

-Anne