Hi all!
I’m back with another book review of Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon but this one will be compared to the movie adaptation that was recently released in Australia. If you have not yet read the book nor seen the movie please click away now as I will be revealing some light spoilers.
Disclaimer: The last few blogs I have posted have been book-related. Peace.Love.Veggies is not going to be an exclusive book blog. Lately I have had a lot of fun writing up reviews and tags so I’ve ventured there. However, I like to keep my blog open so I have a plenty of variety and topics to post about.
PLOT SUMMARY
All her life, 18 year old Madeleine Whittier has suffered from SCID (Severe Combined Immunodeficiency) which basically means she cannot leave the house. Her incredibly weak immune system could kill her from what it absorbs in the outside world. She lives in a home fitted with air-filters, airlocks and a nurse named Carla. Her mother is a doctor who is constantly running tests and check-ups on Madeleine. She is home-schooled, loves to read and play games but aside from that, is very bored and unhappy with her life. Naturally. One day, a family move in right next door and Madeleine is immediately intrigued by her neighbour Olly, a lively boy her age. They begin communicating through their windows/Instant Messenger and it isn’t long before they fall in love. The trouble is, they cannot touch one another because due to her condition. They cannot go outside together nor can they have a normal relationship. The question then arises: how far will you go for love before it kills you?
THE CHARACTERS
– Madeleine as a female protagonist is quite sweet and despite her circumstances, really is just a normal teenager trying to live a normal life. She loves to read and frequently reviews books in the story with sarcasm. She’s also extremely innocent because she hasn’t been exposed to other people aside from her mother and Carla. When Madeleine was a baby, her brother and father were killed in a car accident. She fell ill not long afterwards where she was contained in her own home.
– Olly was completely charming and sensitive. For a teenage boy, he was quite mature and his love for Madeleine was very evident. He was quite happy to give up everything just to be near her. He has a very difficult relationship with his father and spends a lot of time trying to protect his mother and sister from his bouts of drunkenness and abuse. He is described as quite skinny and lanky with a penchant for wearing all black and a beanie. I laughed out loud at the scenes where he would balance and hang from things around him.
Carla, Madeleine’s nurse, was lovable, sweet and nurturing. She references her own daughter quite frequently and their strained relationship. When Madeleine’s mother discovers that Carla is allowing Olly inside the house to meet her daughter, she is fired which creates another huge loss in Madeleine’s life. Carla understands and mentions often that life is to be lived. She encourages Madeleine to follow her heart and dreams despite the consequences.
Madeleine’s mother, Pauline Whittier, is overprotective, thorough and a perfectionist. Her only priority is keeping her daughter safe and this is very evident. She clearly loves Maddie but is it too much? That’s a discussion topic for another post. Now let’s discuss that twist ending shall we?
THAT ENDING THOUGH!
I don’t want to give away the book and movie ending but I will say it wasn’t what I expected. For some, it ruined the story completely but for me, it improved it. I found it to be quite refreshing and edgy. What did you think of the ending? Did you find it to be a cop-out like some other reviewers did? I would love to know your thoughts.
THE WRITING STYLE
Despite the heavy content, this book is a quick and easy read. Nicola Yoon’s husband fills the pages with unique illustrations, online chat dialogue and short chapters. There is vivid, beautiful language used and for Nicola’s debut novel, it was wonderfully written. I loved the pacing and build-up to some of the truly special moments. If I had one criticism, it would be that I wanted a little more. The book is just over 300 pages long and I felt more could’ve been explored but other than that, I have no complaints. Now, how about the overall rating?
STAR RATING
4/5 BOOK
4/5 MOVIE
THE MOVIE ADAPTATION
I need to mention first off how beautifully Madeleine was played by Amandla Stenberg (Rue from The Hunger Games). She portrayed Maddie’s innocence and vulnerability perfectly. Olly, who was played by Nick Robinson, also did a fabulous job and fit the character description exactly as I imagined. The cinematography and scenery in Hawaii was just gorgeous. Some of the clothing Amandla wore was just stunning against her beautiful skin. The chemistry between both main characters was strong but I found the story, in particular the ending, to be a little rushed. It did not have the same build-up as the book.
The movie release in Australia was constantly pushed back which was so frustrating. It was initially set for May but for some reason, was delayed until August. I really wanted to see it with my sister so I waited until she returned from overseas to make a night of it. It was worth the wait and I’m glad they did it justice. There were only some minor changes from the book to movie. The main one I had an issue with was Olly did not do any of his trademark acrobatics. I really wished we had seen some of that. There was a really nice element of Maddie’s imagination consistently accompanied by an astronaut whom she identifies with. The house she lives in is so visually stunning with complimentary colours. Overall, I really enjoyed the film and the soundtrack was fantastic.
What did you think of the book and film? Which did you like better? I welcome all thoughts and opinions. Thank you for reading.
Peace & Love xoxo
Disclaimer: This post contains links to my Book Depository Affiliate which helps fund my blog, I am not being paid or sponsored for this post/products – all my thoughts/opinions are my own
I don’t mind your book reviews at all! If anything, they give us an insight into the writer that you are. I like this question, how far will one go for love. It can be a complicated theme when we are young but hey, we are all learning. Hope to catch up soon my friend and thank you for everything as always 😊💙
You’re such a good friend thank you Mabel 🙂 I hope to catch up soon and appreciate you so much!! xx
That is a wondeful thing to say my friend! I also appreciate you so much and I think I can catch up soon. Will let you know x <3
This was by far one of the best books I read this year! I still can not even cope with th ending, Loved it! Great review!
Thank you so much for reading! It was a great read for 2017 and the movie was so lovely. I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙂
I loved the book, I really want to see the movie, but it wasn’t playing anywhere near me, so I’m waiting for the dvd. I hate that it kept getting pushed back though
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It was so hard to see and the constant changing of dates were really frustrating but it was worth it in the end. I hope it lives up to your expectations!