Review: Every Day by David Levithan

 

Every Day

Author: David Levithan
Series: Standalone for now
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance
Format: Hardcover, 336 pages
Release Date: August 28, 2012
Source: Mid-Columbia Libraries
 

Synopsis: 
 
Every day, A wakes up in a different body. He has a whole new life including new friends, new parents, new siblings, and new boyfriends or girlfriends. A is okay with this. He tries not to interfere in people’s lives or get too attached to anyone he meets. He has lived this way his whole life with no problems. That is, until A meets Rhiannon. She changes everything. A has finally found someone he wants to spend the rest of his life with. A wants to spend every day with her. But is a life with her even a possibility when he has no idea where he is going to wake up or who he is going to wake up as?

My Review: 

This book is pretty different from the books I normally read. I was a little tentative when I picked it up, but I am glad I did. This story was so heartbreakingly beautiful. A truly loves Rhiannon, but has no idea how a relationship with her could ever work. A tries to make her see only what’s on the inside, but that is easier said than done. Some days A is a guy, some days a girl. Rhiannon struggles with that as anyone probably would.

A is a complex character. I loved the diversity that the character brought to the book. A was in so many different bodies, female, male, athletic, thin, heavy. He gets to experience so many different things and he actually loves that part of his existence. He knows so much and sees so many different perspectives. He is someone who can and will accept people for exactly who they are no matter what. His life is also tragic. He doesn’t have parents or friends and a relationship is basically out of the question. He will never be able to grieve the loss of someone because he doesn’t know people long enough to build lasting relationships. His existence is painfully lonely and I wanted to cry during certain parts of the book because I just wanted him to be able to have a meaningful relationship with Rhiannon. He is a genuinely good person and tries his best not to disrupt the people’s lives he invades for a day. My heart broke for him throughout the entire story.

Rhiannon was frustrating, but also very real to me. This story wasn’t the happily ever after type. It was realistic. Of course, Rhiannon is skeptical when A first explains the situation to her. She gets past it though and makes a conscious effort to try and make it work with A. She struggles though, as any human being would, with the fact that every day, the love of her life shows up in a different body. As humans, we know that what is on the inside is most important, but we also can’t discount that physical attraction plays a large role in successful relationships. I give her credit though because she makes such a valiant effort and at the young age of only 16. She is not self-absorbed and cares about how her actions and reactions will affect others.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The story was so different. It was a hauntingly beautiful love story that I couldn’t put down. David Levithan examined the relationship accurately and realistically. His writing drew me in making me want to know more. I wanted A and Rhiannon to find a way to make their relationship work more than anything. As I was reading the book I was trying to think of my own solutions. This book was also a great example of accepting people for who they are and not basing all perceptions and judgments on physical appearance. There are rumors of a sequel to this book being in the works, but no confirmation. I hope there is. Mr. Levithan ended the book with a lot of unanswered questions. I would love to see A develop more and figure out why he is this way and if there is any way to change the course of his life.  

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