Emily May's Reviews > Everything, Everything
Everything, Everything
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This is a book I expected to LOVE.
It's a book many of my GR friends have loved.
It's a book I was kind of liking until the thing happens...
...the thing that just cheapens the entire story.
I have been dying to read Everything, Everything. The reviews were all positive, it received a Kirkus star, it sounded so different... all these reasons added up to one of my most anticipated reads of the year.
And it started quite beautifully-written with diverse characters, including an Afro-Asian narrator called Madeline. Madeline's condition aside - being allergic to the entire world outside her sterile home - it quickly became evident that the book wasn't as unique as I'd anticipated. It follows in the footsteps of the great doomed love cheesefest of our time - The Fault in Our Stars - and other clones like All the Bright Places.
Unlike the aforementioned two, though, I found myself enjoying this book. It was more cheesy than sweet, in my opinion, but I still enjoyed the emphasis on the human need for more. I thought Madeline was incredibly selfish at times, but this offered complexity to her character and her yearning was palpable:
“For the first time in a long time, I want more than I have.”
“Wanting just leads to more wanting. There’s no end to desire.”
I did get a whiff of instalove. It's like Madeline first sets her eyes on Olly and her whole concept of the world changes. But I did like the build of their relationship after this, through miming at the window, chatting online and sharing poems, jokes and philosophical musings with one another. Even if Olly is a classic manic pixie dream boy who exists only to make Madeline want more.
And then... the thing. The twist that turns a story about an unusual, impossible relationship into JUST ANOTHER YA ROMANCE.
If you don't care about being spoiled:
(view spoiler)
It wasn't a great book before, but I was enjoying it. The ending, however, ruined the entire thing.
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It's a book many of my GR friends have loved.
It's a book I was kind of liking until the thing happens...
...the thing that just cheapens the entire story.
I have been dying to read Everything, Everything. The reviews were all positive, it received a Kirkus star, it sounded so different... all these reasons added up to one of my most anticipated reads of the year.
And it started quite beautifully-written with diverse characters, including an Afro-Asian narrator called Madeline. Madeline's condition aside - being allergic to the entire world outside her sterile home - it quickly became evident that the book wasn't as unique as I'd anticipated. It follows in the footsteps of the great doomed love cheesefest of our time - The Fault in Our Stars - and other clones like All the Bright Places.
Unlike the aforementioned two, though, I found myself enjoying this book. It was more cheesy than sweet, in my opinion, but I still enjoyed the emphasis on the human need for more. I thought Madeline was incredibly selfish at times, but this offered complexity to her character and her yearning was palpable:
“For the first time in a long time, I want more than I have.”
“Wanting just leads to more wanting. There’s no end to desire.”
I did get a whiff of instalove. It's like Madeline first sets her eyes on Olly and her whole concept of the world changes. But I did like the build of their relationship after this, through miming at the window, chatting online and sharing poems, jokes and philosophical musings with one another. Even if Olly is a classic manic pixie dream boy who exists only to make Madeline want more.
And then... the thing. The twist that turns a story about an unusual, impossible relationship into JUST ANOTHER YA ROMANCE.
If you don't care about being spoiled:
(view spoiler)
It wasn't a great book before, but I was enjoying it. The ending, however, ruined the entire thing.
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Reading Progress
May 5, 2015
– Shelved
July 2, 2015
–
Started Reading
July 9, 2015
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-50 of 262 (262 new)
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Turkan
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rated it 3 stars
Jul 04, 2015 12:45PM
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I guessed it too, actually, but I was really really hoping I was wrong :(
I can see what you mean. If I was rating completely on my enjoyment of the first 75%, it would be at about 3.5/4 stars for me. But I was so frustrated by that ending, I couldn't let it go :(
Sorry, I haven't read Winger. It's unlikely I will, though, if you want to spoiler tag the ending to me.
I'm good with twists but I think they should be (view spoiler)
Sorry, I haven't read Winger. It's unlikely I will, though, if you want ..."
At the end of Winger (view spoiler) would that be similar to Everything, Everything?
Okay, well I hope your next read is better. :)
I thought I wouldn't like this book based on the synopsis alone (couldn't help thinking it sounds unbelievable and a bit too instalovey too), but all the glowing reviews really made me doubt it...
so I'm so glad you wrote that spoiler down (view spoiler), lol. And kind of relieved to know not everyone loves the story.
Thank you for this review. i hope your next book delivers better.
I still want to try this out though, great points on how the romance isn't always the most loved thing in stories!
I guess I was sort of wanting to read this, but I read the spoiler anyways and man am I glad that I didn't put myself through that.
I requested the ARC for this book on NG and got approved. I'm quite exited to read it and, damn, I really want to see that spoiler, but I musn't.
Not to mention the twist was a huge FU to people actually living with SCID. I can't imagine what people's reactions would be had the same twist been used in a 'cancer' novel. It def would not be getting so much praise though.
Thank you! That sounds both interesting and awful - I'm going to see if my library has it :)
I usually avoid spoilers, but I am glad I read this one so I can avoid this book! If I'd been cheated like that I would've thrown the book across the room in a rage!
Until recently when I discovered such plot twists, this was followed by me marveling the perfect, beautiful parabolic arc of the book, ending in the paper bin.
Then I started using an e-reader, and I must say that the red of the delete button pales in comparison to weightless flight. :)
So, no daughter of John Green - the search goes on.