Book Review: Every Day by David Levithan

Title: Every Day
Author: David Levithan
Release Date: September 1st 2012
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (Text Publishing in NZ & Aus)
Source: A gift from a friend :)
Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl.

There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.

It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day.

My Thoughts

For me, Every Day is the quintessential love story - one person falling in love with another, regardless of outside influences.
Why is that important you may ask.
Well as far as I'm concerned, you fall in love with a person because of their values, humour, shared interests, chemistry, how they make you feel inside. The package that person comes in - be it fat, thin, black, white, boy or girl is irrelevant; and Every Day portrays that kind of love perfectly.

A doesn't know if he is a boy or a girl, he doesn't know if he is any particular race or religion, or anything other than a being that lives in one body at a time, one day at a time. (I'm referring to A as he because for me, A felt like a male)
He learns to adjust, to access his hosts memories to get through each day. Never getting overly attached, never dwelling for too long on the whys, the how's - until Rhiannon.
Rhiannon changes everything.
Rhiannon causes A to question all that he is, all that he knows, and all that he can be...

It did take me a little while to settle in to Every Day, purely because I couldn't comprehend the complexities of growing up the way A had.
But I was enthralled - by the strange and cleverly woven tale that is A's life, by A himself, and by the growing love between A and Rhiannon.
And while I did enjoy this thought provoking, well written story, I was left with questions too. Who or what is A? Who is the mysterious and devious Reverend and what secrets does he hold? And where to from here, because while the ending was sweet and heartbreaking, and perfectly right, the story (for me) is incomplete - I need to know more!

I really was completely sucked in to A's world and I've been left with a burning desire for more, which I may have to satisfy (for now) by reading other books by this author.

A cleverly written and beautifully told story, I highly recommend Every Day to every body. 4 stars ;]


Check out the quick fire question session with author David Levithan...