One of my favorite book genres is YA. I haven't been a young adult for some time now, but I still remember those days of confusion and heartache. I don't miss them but how I remember them! I also get to revisit them every time I read a YA novel. I like laughing at writers getting teenagers' voices wrong and weeping when they get it so right that it breaks my damn heart.
I've gone to the movies at least twice recently where they played a trailer for an adaptation of Nicola Yoon's Everything, Everything. Often, when I see that an upcoming movie is based on a book I haven't read, I find that I don't have the patience to wait for the movie to be released and so I read the book to find out what the deal is. That was the case for the Everything, Everything trailer. Side note: the movie stars the very beautiful Amandla Stenberg. Side side note: Is anyone else incredibly glad that she's got a good career going on so far? I was so upset when I read way back when the Hunger Games casting got announced that she received so much vitriol for being cast as the canonically-person of color Rue.
Everything, Everything is the story of Madeline Whittier who for the last 17 years has grown up in a bubble. Afflicted with SCID, an illness that essentially means one is allergic to everything, Madeline has a happy, if not somewhat constrained, life. Spending days with an affectionate nurse named Carla and nights with a overbearing mother/physician, Madeline is content with her life. One day, hearing the reverse beeps of a moving truck, Madeline peers outside her window and sees that a new family has moved in next door. More importantly, a brooding young man with dark clothes and an affinity for parkour is in our brave protagonist's vicinity.
Having read dozens of dozens of YA novels, I could guess fairly quickly where this book was going to take me: sick girl meets healthy boy, sick girl falls in love with healthy boy behind doting mother's back, sick girl runs away with healthy boy and risks her life. However, just because I can guess where a book is going doesn't mean it's not enjoyable.
As a Latina, I have sharply felt the sting that comes with the utter lack of PoCs (protagonists of color) in all the books I read; YA is no exception. If a character's race is not important to the plot of the book, I make a conscious decision to imagine that the character might look like me: dark skin, dark hair, dark eyes. In Everything, Everything, my imagination didn't have to do all the work! Madeline is half Japanese-American and half African-American. While this was wonderful to imagine, I was slightly disappointed that, aside from this mention of her genetic make-up, race really didn't come into play at all. It's safe to assume that the love interest, Olly, is white, however golden his tan may be, and yet the writer did not take the opportunity to address, even lightly, the complications of interracial relationships.
Maddy is a great protagonist. She's intelligent, independent (as much as one can be stuck inside a vacuum-sealed house), and funny. Most of the time, she talks like an actual teenager, which is a major sticking point for me. Throughout the book, we get to see Maddy in varying states of bliss, anger, sadness, and determination. While Olly serves mostly as the vehicle to Maddy's independence, he's also given his own story and some depth.
The book definitely takes liberties. Teenagers are not usually approved for credit cards that will buy them new wardrobes and trips to tropical destinations, nor do they make successful alliances with healthcare professionals that will aid in their secret romances. That said, this book is still grounded and relatable. Who hasn't felt stuck in the confines imposed by the ones who love and care for us?
If you are a teen and love YA, this book is for you. It's funny and poignant and also includes a smattering of clever and witty illustrations and diagrams drawn by Yoon's husband. If you're an adult who enjoys quality YA, you might find yourself rolling your eyes on more than one occasion. It's an enjoyable book to read, but it's not going to blow your mind.
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