Weekly Reviews and Recommendations: Week 33 Part 2

Hello, everyone! This week has been another rollercoaster of a week (and one I haven't done any reading in). This seems to be a trend lately. It's been hard to find a book that I've been able to fall into. I did finish another short story, though, and some work on my other projects. Hopefully, I will fall back into reading again, but till then, I have plenty of articles saved to keep our two weekly posts going till I get back in the groove. But I wanted to share this in case any of you are going through a reading or writing slump. Sometimes it just happens, and when you're going through a lot in your personal life, sometimes it's hard to take on others emotions. 

In the links of interest, you'll fine my post from earlier this week as well as my thoughts on Nicola Yoon's other book that I loved, The Sun Is Also A Star. 

Overview: Everything, Everything tells the story of Madeline Whitter who has lived her whole life in her vacuum sealed, air filtered home. Her best friend is her mom and everything she's seen of the world has been crafted from books (she's read a lot) and the internet, but when Madeline spots the new teenage neighbor next door from her window, everything changes. What starts as IMing and short, decontamination filled visits turns into so much more and leads to Madeline uncovering secrets she never suspected could be true. Overall: 3.5 

Characters: 3 I liked Madeline. She's a reader, a dreamer, and someone who has to live with very difficult circumstances. Then there's Olly who must cope with an abusive father and unstable home. They are able to find security in one another. Unfortunately, I found them to really be one dimensional. They were missing some real spark of life or other, deeper facets beyond their looks, one struggle to overcome, and the navigation of their relationship.  

Plot: 3 I found the plot to be very one note. I also struggled with believing some of the plot points were even possible. For example, Madeline opens a credit card account behind her helicopter mother's back, buys tickets to Hawaii, sneaks out of the house, and convinces the neighbor boy to go with her. Then nobody seems to notice for quite a while, once they're already luxuriating in Hawaii. I felt that every plot point was too easily won making the story come off a bit flat. 

Writing: 4 I thought the format Yoon chose for the book was very interesting. It made the book more fun and interactive. I would definitely buy it in print because Kindle sometimes struggles with the graphics. But the short chapters and snippets of receipts, web pages, notes, and IMs created an interesting reading experience that made it light and easy to read. If the book had a bit for development of the issues Yoon installed then it would have been more successful. 

Random Note: I do have to say that reading this book has given me a new perspective/ appreciation for The Little Prince which I read in seventh grade. It in Madeline's favorite book, and she talks a lot about the themes in it and relating it back to how we value life. I thought those sections were some of the most beautiful and effective parts of the novel. 

Links of Interest:
Week 33 Part 1: Thanks for the Trouble: http://www.readingwritingandme.com/2017/11/weekly-reviews-and-recommendations-week.html

The Sun Is Also A Star: http://www.readingwritingandme.com/2017/11/weekly-reviews-and-recommendations-week.html

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