Review: Every Day by David Levithan

TITLE: Every Day                               AUTHOR: David Levithan PUB DATE: 8/28/12                        PUB: Random House FORMAT: pb ARC                             SOURCE: from pub

Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl. Every morning, A wakes in a different person’s body, a different person’s life. 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.With his new novel, David Levithan has pushed himself to new creative heights. He has written a captivating story that will fascinate readers as they begin to comprehend the complexities of life and love in A’s world, as A and Rhiannon seek to discover if you can truly love someone who is destined to change every day.

THREE WORDS: Read. This. Book...NOW!!!

MY REVIEW: Sometimes you read a book that has you casually telling others "Oh, this is a great book. You should definitely check it out when you have a chance". Then every once in awhile you come across a book that has you telling others that they "Must read this awesometastic book!". And then there are those very rare books that have you flailing in excitement, stuttering over words as you try to express just how amazing it is while you hold the book in someone's face and yell "OMG! This book is so incredible, it's better than chocolate and bacon and chocolate covered bacon. You have to read it! Here, borrow my copy and read it now while I sit and watch you inhale the awesomeness!!!"....yeah, this is one of those books *flails*

Every day A wakes up in a new body, a new life. A has no control over whose body will be next, but they are always the same age as A (sixteen) and live in close proximity of the last body. This is the only way of life A has ever known and A has certain rules to live by: don't interfere, don't get attached, try not to get noticed. But then A wakes up as Justin and meets Justin's girlfriend Rhiannon and suddenly A is breaking all the rules to get closer to her. 

Every Day has a daring and ambitious premise that has been masterfully executed by author David Levithan. I devoured this stunning book in one sitting, simply  unable to let it go, and after several days A's story has yet to let go of me. This is one of those books that will leave you moved, thoughtful, dazzled, in desperate need to talk about it, but won't really leave you at all.

Perfectly paced and with a pitch-perfect and captivating voice, this story is beyond gripping and had me fully engrossed from beginning to end. Levithan is a fantastic and spectacular storyteller who has weaved an unique, enthralling story with an unforgettable MC and a romance that took my breath away. I love the intriguing nature of the whole premise; a premise that could have easily fell flat and fell a part in the hands of a less talented writer. But, Levithan's execution, world-building and character development is so superb and complete.

There's a simple, quiet beauty to A's story that I felt with evey piece of me. Every emotion is tangible, every action has a purpose, every thought and word feels authentic. With just a few words, Levithan is able to express such pain, love, joy, surprise, etc and in a way that will pierce readers' hearts and minds. Even with no specific gender, race or physical body of their own, A is still such a complex and layered character. I haven't felt so attached and invested in a character this much in a long time. Rhiannon is also a fantastic and wonderfully crafted character. She's so relatable and believable with her flaws and reactions; I found myself really feeling for this girl. 

The romance and relationship between A and Rhiannon is breathtaking in its fragility, intensity and lovliness. I ached and rooted for these two and was so very moved by them. 

Then there are the other significant characters, the one's whose bodies A inhabits for a day. A wakes up in the body of a wide range of teens and is placed in various lives and situations. Levithan tackles a variety of issues (depression, drug use, peer pressure, body image, abuse, suicide, poverty, etc) and does so with sensitivity, believability, and in thought-provoking ways. One of things I was captivated by most was the fact that A has no gender and has fallen in love and been in relationships with both males and females, which makes such a beautiful statement about love.

There are a few twists and turns in the story that I didn't see coming and the book ends in a way that I found unexpected, yet exactly how I imagined (or hoped) it would end. And, as soon as I read the last page, I wanted to flip back to the first page and read it all over again!

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: This book is soul-achingly bone-deep in the most exquisite way. Every Day has moved me beyond words with its brilliance and beauty and is easily among the top five books I've read this year. An absolute, definite MUST read...it really is better than chocolate covered bacon!

MY RATING

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David Levithan (born 1972) is an American children's book editor and award-winning author. He published his first YA book, Boy Meets Boy, in 2003. Levithan is also the founding editor of PUSH, a Young Adult imprint of Scholastic Press.