everyday by David Levithan


A long time ago, one of my closest friends told me about a book she really wanted me to read, a book called 'everyday' by David Levithan. After a while, the suggestion faded away into memory. But recently, I came across that same book in a library and decided to check it out.


And, boy did I really get caught by how brilliant this novel is!


Not only is the premise for this story ingenious, but it's just beautiful to read. I haven't read any type of writing like this in a long time. I guess that's what you get from David Levithan, best known for his award-winning book in young adult gay literature.


This novel centers around an entity simply named 'A', who, everyday wakes up in the body of a random stranger his age. He cannot remember how or why this happened to him. And for about sixteen years, he lives through the lives of completely different people, never going into the same body twice or interfering in the bodies he controls.


That is until one day, A wakes up in the body of a boy, and he meets the boy's girlfriend, named Rhiannon. After spending the day with her, A grows deeply attached to Rhiannon and decides to meet up with her, and eventually try to prove that he really exists, and all while jumping from body to body, and getting to know the people he inhabits.


This is what The Host by Stephenie Meyer should have been! This is a fantastic set up for anyone to be interested in, no matter what type of person you are. It's writing really entrances you and so do the characters.


A happens to be androgynous, and you have no idea if A is a girl or a boy, yet at the same time jumps randomly from boy to girl. Some people would find that distracting, but I didn't mind. As for Rhiannon, I love how she is persistent in knowing more about A, but she also has to deal with her boyfriend as well, and having to deal with A's problem. So basically, their good characters.


As for the story itself, it's a mix of a young adult romance story, but also a road trip novel, where in this case, A inhabits an interesting teenager his age, goes through his or her life, and then goes on to the next unique person. That, and A has to try to win over the girl he/she's fallen in love with.


Speaking of which, I just love the messages that this book gives off, about looking more into the individual than the gender or appearance, and that it never fully pushes it into your face too much.


I will dare not give away anything that will spoil this story, because it is that good. Without giving away anything, let's just say that after reading this book, you'll want more. And speaking of that, I heard David Levithan is making a sequel to his, so count me getting it!


So overall, there's this one quote that pretty much sums up this novel, and it's, 'In my experience, desire is desire, love is love.' That's how I see this book. It really captures how we see the world and how you should see the individual and not the type of person he or she is. If you get a chance to read this book, do it, because you won't be disappointed.