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akagisa12's review against another edition
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
dontstopreadin's review against another edition
2.0
I honestly don't understand the appear of this book. I didn't fall for the love story, it didn't not seem like they were meant to be IMO. A was also falling into some moments I would have like to see avoided such as fat shaming and confusing/clunky moments of explaining the gender fluidity. I was not enraptured by the characters and I did not find myself drawn to them or their romance. Overall, very underwhelmed.
Rep: gender fluid/gender ambiguous MC
Trigger warnings: fat shaming, self harm, suicide, depression
Rep: gender fluid/gender ambiguous MC
Trigger warnings: fat shaming, self harm, suicide, depression
mathman329's review against another edition
2.0
This book was my free book in a buy 2, get 1 free deal at my local book store whose premise was very intriguing to me. I didn't realize that it was a YA Lit book, but that probably wouldn't have dissuaded me from reading it anyways. What would dissuade me from recommending it to others is what actually transpires. Without giving away the main story, the idea is the narrator wakes up every day in the body of someone new. At first, this seemed like a novel (pun intended) idea. Unfortunately, it quickly sparked some problems for me.
First, the narrator seemed to be this worldly, mature-beyond-their-years teen, even though they've never had the consistency of being the same person for more than a single day. I found it difficult to see how this character could have so much more maturity compared to other characters in the book.
The second thing that was frustrating was the actual mechanics of being a new person each day. They always "respawned" as someone not overly far from the previous people, usually within a couple hours drive. I guess the sequel might delve into this, or maybe it's a question better left unexplained, though not for me.
Finally, the crux of the novel, young love, becomes the catalyst for getting the narrator to try and stop this endless cycle of "new day, new you". Up to this point, this idea has apparently never been a real goal of the narrator's. What about the constant revolving door of new families? That wasn't enough to try and stop the process? Having no best friend, no support system, that never made the narrator want to stop?
I do feel I need to highlight one of the benefits of this novel, which was that it was short and I read it over the summer break shortly after moving into our new house. Luckily, I didn't have to waste much of my time with the book and could quickly move on to another, much like the narrator moving from one body to another. What started with great promise quickly turned into a missed opportunity, and thus only receives 2 out of 5 inhabited bodies. In other words, don't bother.
First, the narrator seemed to be this worldly, mature-beyond-their-years teen, even though they've never had the consistency of being the same person for more than a single day. I found it difficult to see how this character could have so much more maturity compared to other characters in the book.
The second thing that was frustrating was the actual mechanics of being a new person each day. They always "respawned" as someone not overly far from the previous people, usually within a couple hours drive. I guess the sequel might delve into this, or maybe it's a question better left unexplained, though not for me.
Finally, the crux of the novel, young love, becomes the catalyst for getting the narrator to try and stop this endless cycle of "new day, new you". Up to this point, this idea has apparently never been a real goal of the narrator's. What about the constant revolving door of new families? That wasn't enough to try and stop the process? Having no best friend, no support system, that never made the narrator want to stop?
I do feel I need to highlight one of the benefits of this novel, which was that it was short and I read it over the summer break shortly after moving into our new house. Luckily, I didn't have to waste much of my time with the book and could quickly move on to another, much like the narrator moving from one body to another. What started with great promise quickly turned into a missed opportunity, and thus only receives 2 out of 5 inhabited bodies. In other words, don't bother.
amandanomaly's review against another edition
5.0
So unique, pure, and thought-provoking regarding how we see each other, how we see ourselves, and how we define love. Beautiful.
coranada's review against another edition
3.0
I liked it, wanted to love it, but honestly one thing about it keeps bugging me. Every time I think about this one thing, it bugs me even more. What might have been a solid four star rating right after I finished it has worn itself down to barely a three. It would be a 2.5 if that was an option. I don't even intentionally think about it but randomly this one thing pops back in my head and pisses me off all over again.
(Spoilers beyond this point)
(Seriously, you've been warned.)
So the premise of the book is a person (soul?) who shifts bodies every day. This person, who calls themself "A" has gotten pretty zen about the whole shifting thing until they fall in love with a girl. But how can you love someone if you are always changing, right? You can't just go around upsetting the life of the person you inhabit for a day but ... blahblahblah that's the premise.
"A" has love and respect for every body "A" inhabits. Except one. The fat guy. The fat guy repulses him, repulses the would-be girlfriend, he finds a hand full of lint in the fat guy's belly button, etc. etc. etc.
I've tried to be chill and okay about this, taken it as an opinion of the body expressed in place of an opinion about "A"s life and choices and state of mind and what not at that point in the story. But seriously? Why is it okay that every single other body "A" took care of and appreciated and treated with respect EXCEPT THE FAT ONE? I borrowed the book or I'd quote specific pieces and MAYBE I'm remembering it worse in my head but... ugh. It just put such a bad taste in my mouth. This character who was such a great example of love and understanding... the fat person is just too much for that. I'm not saying a character needs to be perfect or isn't allowed to have opinions or prejudices or anything. But when "A" is never bothered by any body except that one.... it's like everyone is deserving of love and respect but fat people? Somehow that's just going to far? UGH OKAY SORRY STILL ANGRY.
(Spoilers beyond this point)
(Seriously, you've been warned.)
So the premise of the book is a person (soul?) who shifts bodies every day. This person, who calls themself "A" has gotten pretty zen about the whole shifting thing until they fall in love with a girl. But how can you love someone if you are always changing, right? You can't just go around upsetting the life of the person you inhabit for a day but ... blahblahblah that's the premise.
"A" has love and respect for every body "A" inhabits. Except one. The fat guy. The fat guy repulses him, repulses the would-be girlfriend, he finds a hand full of lint in the fat guy's belly button, etc. etc. etc.
I've tried to be chill and okay about this, taken it as an opinion of the body expressed in place of an opinion about "A"s life and choices and state of mind and what not at that point in the story. But seriously? Why is it okay that every single other body "A" took care of and appreciated and treated with respect EXCEPT THE FAT ONE? I borrowed the book or I'd quote specific pieces and MAYBE I'm remembering it worse in my head but... ugh. It just put such a bad taste in my mouth. This character who was such a great example of love and understanding... the fat person is just too much for that. I'm not saying a character needs to be perfect or isn't allowed to have opinions or prejudices or anything. But when "A" is never bothered by any body except that one.... it's like everyone is deserving of love and respect but fat people? Somehow that's just going to far? UGH OKAY SORRY STILL ANGRY.
juanrubin's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Fatphobia
Moderate: Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Hate crime
Minor: Homophobia, Self harm, Blood, Addiction, and Religious bigotry
Vilely fatphobicblurrypetals's review against another edition
5.0
I have heard of David Levithan many, many times before. He is very widely renowned and admired, but I have never read any of his books, not even the ones he has collaborated with people on before (including Will Grayson, Will Grayson, his collaboration with John Green, which I happen to own). I'm quite sure his body of work is impressively wonderful and whimsical, but I can't be happier that Every Day was my first real encounter with the writer.
I am nearly at a loss for words because I was so touched by this piece of work. It placed a great deal of importance on how we treat people based on personality, appearance, and a mixture of both. It was so real for a story that is impossible. Levithan captured the diversity each society has by incorporating gay, transgender, black, Asian, white, female, male, fat, skinny, everything characters into the world, even if they each only made a 24-hour appearance.
The ending was very difficult for me to face and, true to form, I cried. But I accepted it. It was real. It was sad, but it was perfect. It was the only way it could have ended. It wasn't easy to accept, but that's how life is.
I am nearly at a loss for words because I was so touched by this piece of work. It placed a great deal of importance on how we treat people based on personality, appearance, and a mixture of both. It was so real for a story that is impossible. Levithan captured the diversity each society has by incorporating gay, transgender, black, Asian, white, female, male, fat, skinny, everything characters into the world, even if they each only made a 24-hour appearance.
The ending was very difficult for me to face and, true to form, I cried. But I accepted it. It was real. It was sad, but it was perfect. It was the only way it could have ended. It wasn't easy to accept, but that's how life is.
raymanesque's review against another edition
1.0
The premise is amazing: What would life be like if you woke up in a different person's body every day? Unfortunately, the author somehow found a way to completely fail to explore the potential of that world, and developed characters that are two dimensional, not believable, and agitating. The book reads like a heavy handed and overly intentional commentary on identity and appears to sacrifice many qualities of what make a book enjoyable to read in unnecessary service to this pretext. The premise suits discussion of these important topics but would have functioned much better if made more subtly and left to the reader, instead of being continually waxed poetically through the internal exposition of the intolerable protagonist at the expense of any semblance of quality writing. The book is SO bad that it's almost worth reading just to experience. I think the premise and its commentary would have worked much better as a blog post than a full novel
angelacher's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5