Every Day by David Levithan Series: Every Day #1
Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers on 28 August 2012
Genres: Young Adult
Pages: 322
Format: Kindle
Source: Kindle Purchase
Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl.
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.
Every Day is a unique story in which A wakes up in a new body every day, and has to live the life of that person for one day.
Every Day is well written, and it is more than just A’s story, because A is like just a consciousness, no gender. And getting to know A is like getting to know someone who doesn’t see the world the same way most people do, both because of changing every day, and also because of not knowing why this happens, how to deal with it, or if it’s possible to stop moving around from body to body each day. The story is both a love story and a mystery, and once A meets Rhiannon, there is a new kind of life that coud open up for A, but it would be at the expense of someone else.
I enjoyed learning about A and that solitary life of waking up in a new body each day. Rhiannon was mostly a normal girl, with a boyfriend who didn’t necessarily love her all that much. Her life was complicated in some ways, and rather straight forward in others. When she first met A, it was as if her boyfriend had completely changed, and she spent the best day of her life. When A needed to find her again, and showed up as different people at her school, she found it difficult to believe A at first, up until a moment when there were just too many things strangers knew that only A could know about.
I’m not even sure what genre I’d put Every Day in, it’s a strange story, unique, and it shows that our true nature has nothing to do with the body our conscience is inside of, and that while we may be shaped by our environment, that’s not the only thing shaping us. Written in first person point of view from A’s perspective, and in present tense, the story is moving and both tender and a little sad.
Every day I am someone else. I am myself – I know I am myself – but I am also someone else. It has always been like this.
It’s hard being in the body of someone you don’t like, because you still have to respect it. I’ve harmed people’s lives in the past, and I’ve found that every time I slip up, it haunts me. So I try to be careful.
I have learned how to observe, far better than most people observe. I am not blinded by the past or motivated by the future. I focus on the present, because that is where I am destined to live.
About Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms
Linda is an English as foreign language teacher and has a Master's degree in English Language and Literature. She's an avid reader, blogger, compulsive one-clicker and a genre omnivore. Ever since she learnt how to read she has been seen with a book or two in her hands everywhere she goes.
Twitter: ailynk
a bit strange having a main character called A but the story sounds great
I think A kind of made that name him / her self. And the fact is, this character didn’t truly live their own life, but the daily lives of other people, being a boy one day, a girl the next.
I love the premise for this story and it’s one I’ve meant to pick up since it released! Your review has me even more curious especially because of your statement about our true nature. I’ll have to try to work this one into my schedule sooner than later, Lexxie, if only so we can chat about it!
Happy Wednesday, my friend!! **BIG HUGS**
It is very interesting to see how A stays the same, but also feels the emotions and understands the person whose life s/he is inhabiting that day, Brandee. Have a wonderful Wednesday yourself 🙂 *BIG HUGS*
it’s always so great to have something different and the mix of romance and mystery is always appealing. I remember seeing the book when it was released but I’m ashame to say that I forgot about it. thanks for reminding me!
It’s not a mystery in the normal sense, though, Melliane, but it is quite mysterious… Thanks for stopping by.
Twitter: Mlsimmons
This sounds like a very interesting story. It is nothing something that I would’ve picked up on my own or by the cover. As you know, I’m not a huge YA fan, but this might be something I’ll have to check out. Like you, I’m not sure what genre I would call this, maybe science fiction?? Great review. I’m going to add this to my ever growing TBR pile. Thanks for sharing Lexxie.
I actually got an ARC for the second book, and thought I should read the first one first. It’s not typical YA, but I couldn’t think of what genre to put it in. I really enjoyed it, Melanie, and I hope you will too.
I read this book a couple of years ago, and I loved it! Jeg likte spesielt god at forfatteren lot A våkne opp i forskjellige kropper med forskjellige utfordringer og problemer som vi alle kan kjenne oss igjen i. Denne boken satt i meg lenge etter at jeg var ferdig med å lese den 🙂
Ja, det var utrolig bra skrevet, og A beviste at det er innsiden som er viktig!
Hey! you are ruining my so hard earned DNFisher reputation! 🙂
I had abandoned Mercury Striking and you made me finish it. And now this one! I had abandoned too! 🙂 this has to stop Lexxie! I can read that much! LOL now serioulsy talking… Thanks for the great review! 🙂
Uh oh! Sorry about that, Daniela. I really enjoyed this story because it was so different. And the way A was the same no matter if the body was male or female was really something that made an impact on me.
Twitter: kimbacaffeinate
I loved this book Lexxie, and I think there is a second..that I want to read. So happy you enjoyed this too! It was unique, and I liked A.
There is a second, Kim, and it’s good, too. It’s the story from Rhiannon’s perspective.
Twitter: kbaby81
This is another book that has been sitting on my shelf for years. It’s not one of my TBR Challenge books, but I hope to read it sometime soon. Great review!
It was very unique, Lekeisha 🙂 I hope you’ll enjoy it when you find the time to read it!
The uber-unique premise of this one totally appeals to me and seeing how much you loved it will definitely make me bump it up my tbr list^^ I can totally see it being an emotional read and I am 100% ok with that 😀
It is emotional, and it’s also very thought-provoking, Micheline! I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I did 🙂
Oh lordy, I love this book so much. It really is just a wonderful story.
I agree, it was so well done, and so thought provoking. I just loved that A was like a soul, not a body or a gender, but still a person.
I really need to read this one! Thanks for sharing. I’m glad that you ended up enjoying this one. It is a very unique story – not sure what genre it would be either. I think there is a sequel out now!
There is a sequel, Lauren, I’ve read that as well, my review should be up next week 🙂 I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I did!
This one sounds like such a unique story, especially with A without a gender. It sounds really strange, like an outer body experience. Lovely review Lexxie!
It is very different, Jeann. And A is so amazing! The thing about the no gender is something that really appealed to me, because I think even when we try not to, we tend to anticipate certain reactions from people based on their gender, but that just couldn’t fully apply to A.
So glad you liked this book! It’s one of my top favorites. ♥
It’s one of my favorites, too, Stephanie. So well done!
This is one I know I need to read. I have heard so many amazing thing. Glad you enjoyed it. Great review!
I hope you’ll get to it soon, and that you’ll love it as well, Grace 🙂
ARG I OWN this novel but I seriously have not read it because I keep putting it off, but coming from a childhood that grew up with an obsession with Quantum Leap, I should pick this up. I might make it a Forgotten Friday Pick, since it sounds so appealing.
It’s really so very interesting, and now that you mention it, I guess it could kind of be compared to Quantum Leap. Apart from the fact that A is younger, and doesn’t have a guide to help out in any way 🙂 I hope you’ll find the time to read it soon, Lyn.
Unique is the right word, I’d never read anything like this either ! And I’m so glad you loved it too 😀
You should read the sequel, Iza! I enjoyed it a little bit less, but it was still very good.
I have still got to read this, the story sounds so different which I why I got the arc months and months ago!!! Argh another one I am still to read!!
It is very different, Heather, and I enjoyed the way it helped me see things from a different perspective more than once.