BOOK REVIEW: Everything, Everything – by Nicola Yoon

Title: Everything, Everything
Author: Nicola Yoon
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance
First published: September 1st 2015
Publisher: Delacorte
Finished reading: July 9th 2016
Pages: 320

“Sometimes I reread my favorite books from back to front. I start with the last chapter and read backward until I get to the beginning. When you read this way, characters go from hope to despair, from self-knowledge to doubt. In love stories, couples start out as lovers and end as strangers. Coming-of-age books become stories of losing your way. Your favorite characters come back to life.”

This book by Nicola Yoon was on my 2015 most-anticipated-releases list and has been recommended to me numerous times in the past, so I’m glad I finally found time to read it. I can definitely understand why so many people seem to love Everything, Everything, because it’s without doubt a ‘cute’ and entertaining read. And the fact that the two main characters are so adorable together is probably why I have given this book a high rating, because I did have some serious issues with the credibility of the plot. I mean, Maddie is supposed to get really sick the minute she steps outside, so doing what she did would be mostly insanely stupid and not adventurous like the story wants to portray. Because people with SCID wouldn’t have that option in the first place… And since SCID plays such a big role in both Maddie’s life and the plot, I’m not sure a detail that big can be overlooked. That said, I loved LOVED the prose and illustrations and I literally flew through the pages. I really liked the characters as well; especially Olly was adorable (although like I said before how he handles the whole SCID situation is not that credible). But credibility aside, Everything, Everything is basically a very cute and fluffy YA contemporary romance story that fans of the genre will most likely love.

Madeline Whittier has SCID, and has basically been living inside a bubble for the last seventeen years since she is allergic to just about everything. Even the smallest contact might kill her, so she never left the house since she was a baby. But when Olly moves in next door and wants to talk to her, Maddie is not so sure she can accept her monotone life anymore. Her mother doesn’t want to do anything to do with a possible meeting, but the two soon start talking anyway after Olly writes his IM address on a piece of paper and shows it to her at her window. They start talking, and soon Maddie feels the need to meet him in person. But will her mother let her? And what would be the consequences?

The credibility of the plot (especially the part involving SCID) was probably the only issue I had with this story, because otherwise I really enjoyed reading Everything, Everything. It’s a well written, fast-paced and adorable contemporary romance story that will manage to both make you cry and bring a smile to your face. Recommended to everyone who enjoys reading the genre.