DAVID LEVITHAN’S “EVERY DAY”: FALLING IN LOVE AT FIRST “READ” …

 

RATING GUIDE:

 

5 – A keeper!   

4 – Very good

3 –  Passable

2 –  I’d rather read a telephone book

1 – An absolute bomb.  Read at your own risk!

I’ve read many books in my lifetime, and while I almost always find something good to say about a book and its author, it is very rare that I find a book that simply stands out.  David Levithan’s “Every Day” is one such book.  What a surprisingly wonderful experience to read this book for young adults, what a GEM of a book this is …

I really had no plans of reading this book, but I am so glad that someone gave this book to me.  The last time I was absolutely bowled over by a book was when I read John Green’s “The Fault in Our Stars”.  I never really thought I’d even come across a book that would match or even top that experience until THIS book came along.  How ironic it is that a book such as this, with such an average, ordinary title, be so special that you can’t stop thinking about it?   

The first word that came to mind after reading this book was “WOW”.  I can only liken the experience to that of falling in love at first sight … or should I say, “first read”.  It’s very rare that a book catches my attention just from the first sentence, or the first few paragraphs --- the only time that happened was when I read Pat Conroy’s “The Prince of Tides”:  “My wound is geography.  It is also my anchorage, my port of call.”  Those two sentences made me fall in love with Pat Conroy’s book.  However, in this case, practically everything about this book made me “fall in love at first read”. 

“Every Day” is the story of an intriguing character who calls himself/herself/itself “A”.  From the time he/she it was born, “A” has lived a very unusual life.  “A” lives his/her/its life through other people, but the weird thing is, “A” can only live a certain person’s life for one day. 

“A” has learned to accept the kind of life he/she/it leads, until one day, “A” meets a teenaged girl named Rhiannon.  All of a sudden, “A” isn’t just content moving from one body, one life to the next, day after day.  “A” wants something more.  His/her/its own life, something that’s more permanent.  A life with Rhiannon.  And it is this desire that shakes “A”’s strange, solitary life.

It’s hard to believe that this is a book written for young adults, considering the absence of vampires, werewolves, angels and demons … but, oh, what a relief is to read something like this!  Even if the premise of “switching” isn’t exactly new, Levithan’s use of this concept/premise was very pleasant surprise. 

Young readers who are all into mush and cheesy lines might find this book wanting, but those who believe that love is more than overly romantic quotable quotes will discover that “Every Day” is an interesting book with its own kilig moments.  (If “A’s” gesture of love towards the end won’t grab your heart and toss it into a blender, then I’ll wonder if you truly have a heart).

Levithan’s concept is fresh and intriguing, and his writing style is beautiful --- just like a poem, I think --- but that’s not what I loved about the book.  I love how Levithan has made me think about so many things --- life, love, prejudice, acceptance … In this book, Levithan featured people we may have met, as well as people we’ve already prejudged as “unacceptable”.  When you reach the last page and you put the book down, you can’t help but think about the people and the things you consider “acceptable” and “unacceptable” and wonder if it’s time for you to change your perspective.

Unlike other young adult books I’ve read, “Every Day” is more “realistic” (at least, to those belonging to less-conservative cultures).  Parents here might not like the idea that the characters, as young as they are, have had sex.  Although I can say that sex isn’t really glorified and romanticized in this book (you know, the kind of writing that gets young people into trouble later on).  Sex is treated matter-of-factly, but not treated casually and definitely treated with respect. 

I found this book to be very philosophical, there’s a lot of yin and yang here and it raises A LOT of questions  (Ah, just the kind of book that I love reading!).  For instance, what defines a life?  What makes it well-lived?  What makes a relationship solid?  Is it living day to day, living a mundane existence with the same routine and people?  Or is it squeezing every bit of “the moment” of the relationship or the experience in one day, knowing it will end when you close your eyes?  What is love?  Is it sticking it out with one person, even if he/she treats you like shit?  Or is it spending your life with one who loves you and treats you well, even if it means a whole lot of sacrifice, and will ultimately end? 

Sci-fi geeks and mushy-to-the-max readers won’t like this book very much.  But if you’re a reader who’s into Philosophy and likes to do a lot of self-introspection, then this book will be a very special and memorable book for you.

RATING:  5