ARC Review: Everything, Everything

Everything, Everything: Nicola Yoon
Publication Date: September 1st, 2015

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.

This book is really hard to review. For some of the book, I was kind of apprehensive because it just seemed like a generic love story kind of thing with a twist on the disease. Boy, was I wrong. Everything, Everything was one of the most beautifully written and heartfelt stories I've read. It had so many different elements that make you think about and value life. 

“Maybe growing up means disappointing the people we love.” 

I have felt extremely sorry for Madeline in the beginning with her mom and her nurse being her only friends. Not being allowed out of the house due to her disease, she basically cannot have contact with anything from the outside world. Even though Madeline hasn't experienced a lot, she really has an old soul. She reads a lot of books and she knows what she is missing on the outside but she doesn't feel it inside until Olly moves in next door.

Olly is fiercely protective of everything he loves and while the book did turn out to be a lot of insta-love, I never mind that kind of thing ;). And I think that you'll maybe even if you aren't a fan you'd excuse it in this situation. Olly has problems of his own and he tries to hide them far away from Madeline in order to protect her and himself. Olly ends up loving Madeline in the only way he knows how, which is all new to him.  

“The only thing I know for sure is that this, being here with Olly, being able

 to love him and be loved by him, is everything.” 

I have seen reviews of people saying they would be crying if they weren't in public and I mean I wouldn't go that far about the emotion of the book. Then again, I've been a graduate student in the medical field and I've seen some pretty messed up stuff so it does take a lot to make me cry. I recommend this book to all of you reading this review! I know you'll adore it! Madeline and Olly won't just tug at your heart strings, they'll snap them! This is a powerful story about life, love, and growing up that you will never forget!

- Jocelyn