Everything, Everything Book Report

Severe Combined Immunodeficiency is a disease that makes someone allergic to anything at any time or get really bad infections. This is what Madeline Whitter has in the book Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon. She has never left the house in the last seventeen years and only lives with her mother since her dad and brother was killed in a car accident. One day, a boy named Olly Bright moves in next door and Madeline really wants to meet him, but that would be risking her life. The different characters, twisting plot, and the suspense makes this book great to read. All of the characters made this book interesting because they all have different personalities and pasts. For instance, since Madeline has this terrible disease, she never left the house or got to meet new people. Her past is lonely and scary because she never knows when she could have a reaction to something. Madeline’s personality is quiet, kind, and she is very smart because she had so much time to read and learn. However, when Olly first gets to his new house, “Suddenly he takes off at a sprint and runs literally six feet up the front wall. He grabs a windowsill and dangles from it for a second or two and then drops back down into a
crouch”(20-21). Olly is able to do these tricks because he has taught himself from all the years of being outside. He is outgoing and strong because he had been through a lot more than Madeline. Therefore, all of the characters’ lives and how they combine make the book very good. Furthermore, the amazing plot that is full of twists and turns also makes the book interesting. In particular, Madeline is tired of staying in the house so she sneaks out, “It’s 4 A.M. and too dark for detail. My eyes take in only the general shape of things, fuzzy silhouettes against the night sky” (170). She never expected that she would ever leave her house by herself and sacrifice everything. Madeline is risking her life for love and is disobeying her mother for the first time. In addition, when Madeline and Olly go to Hawaii for two days, she gets really sick on the last day of the trip. For the entire trip she is fine, but fearful that she would have a reaction to something. However, the reader and Madeline never expects it to happen or be so bad that she almost dies. As a result, the plot is so unpredictable with so many turns that it is hard to put the book down. Finally, this book is amazing because it is very suspenseful.
For example, when Madeline gets very sick in Hawaii, she says, “I’m out of time. My. Heart. Stops” (236-237). She thinks that she is actually dead and will never see her mom or Olly again. This makes the reader wonder if she is actually dead or if she will live. Secondly, when Madeline is home and healthy, she digs through her mom’s office looking for proof that she actually has the Severe Combined Immunodeficiency disease. Madeline does not believe that she actually has this terrible disease and she is just living her mom’s lie to keep her safe. The book is really suspenseful because the reader is thinking the same way as Madeline and does not know if her whole life is really
fiction.
As a result, the reader can not expect what will happen next and will be on the edge of their seats.
In conclusion, this book is amazing to read because of the variety of characters, unpredictable plot, and a lot of suspense. Most people do not know what it is like to have a rare disease, but this book shows the insight of that kind of life. It also shows what people will do for true love. Whoever reads this book will be touched by the life of Madeline Whitter.