Book Raves Pt. 1: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

It was January 1st, 2018

when I purchased this book in Waterstone's-slash-Costa during London's New Year's parade (I bought a hot chocolate just before making this decision that changed my life forever - I'm exaggerating haha).

Confession: I did watch the film first before reading the book. And yes, I do know that by doing that I've committed the biggest sin that every avid reader and bookworm (I think that means the same thing...) is aware of in the Rules of Book Reading. I'm ashamed. I literally felt so attacked when I read the red sticker/stamp on the book.

*shakes head in an attempt to trigger sympathy*

But, whatever, at least I ended up reading the book anyway and let me just say that never before have I goofily smiled and squealed at the same time in all my life. That only occurred whenever I'd watch a romantic anime or a Korean drama, and 'Everything, Everything' could definitely be a romantic anime or a Korean drama no doubt.

First of all, as you can probably guess, I'm a hopeless romantic and what else could melt the heart of a hopeless romantic other than a love story of a girl who is so very sick and cannot leave her humble abode, and a boy who notices her presence from the outside?

Maddy has SCID, Severe Combined Immunodeficiency, which, I quote, means that she's "allergic to the world." She spends most of her days reading, writing book reviews and sometimes working on her architectural projects for her architecture class that she takes online. Olly is her new neighbour, an individual interested in parkour, who wears nothing but black (relatable). This whole story not only contains romance, but also touches upon the theme of family and unfulfilled dreams.

Without revealing or spoiling too much, I envy Maddy and her courage to act against what she's known all her life in order to, as cliché as it sounds, find the meaning of why she's living the life she's living. Sometimes most of us repeat our mundane schedule (assuming that your life is mundane)... tired of the same old, same old, but Maddy, a girl who has never left her house for 18 years, reminded me that it's never too late to break free from the norm and experience something else... something new that could give our lives meaning (deep, I know).

SPOILER ALERT. I mean the girl goes off to Hawaii without a parent and that sounds scary to me. How is it that a girl who's been stuck in her house for 18 years can travel with ease when the thought of me travelling without guidance, scares the daylights out of me? And I'm supposed to have more experience than a character in a book... LIES.

Not only is this a romance, but it emphasises interracial relationships, and to me, that's beautiful. I feel like not enough light is being shed upon interracial relationships and families, so I'm glad that Nicola Yoon finally decided that it's time to do so.

Olly and Maddy from the movie <3

I find it inspiring how both Maddy and Olly do not pay attention to race at all, and how this is not an issue within the book because that's what it's supposed to be. Race should never be an issue when it comes to love, but of course, there are always others who view interracial relationships in a negative light. And of course, there's always going to be cultural differences.

But.

The book doesn't focus on that and I love that because it gives the message that love overcomes these differences. And I hope love continues to do that.

May you find that someone who makes the butterflies in your stomach fly around as if wanting to be set free... may you find that significant other who makes you feel like you have everything, everything.

"Everything's a risk. Not doing anything is a risk. It's up to you." 

{#books #novels #rave #EverythingEverything #NicolaYoon}