In today’s blog, I’ll be comparing and reviewing two novels that have very similar themes. If you like one of these books, then you’ll likely enjoy the other as well. The two books are Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon and Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott with Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis.
Similarities: Young adult, Contemporary romance, protagonist dealing with chronic illness, forbidden romance, explores the difference between living and being alive, short books/quick reads
Summaries:
Everything, Everything: This novel follows protagonist Maddy who is a girl living with Severe Combined Immunodeficiency. This means she is essentially allergic to the world and has led a sheltered existence unable to leave her home. Her world gets a little bigger when a boy named Olly moves in next door and the two begin a relationship.
Five Feet Apart: Stella and Will are two teens with Cystic Fibrosis, which means they cannot get within six feet of each other or they risk catching each other’s bacteria. However, as the two fall for each other they tempt their limits in order to be closer.
Narrative Style:
Everything, Everything: This novel is told from the first person perspective of Maddy. The narrative is broken up by illustrations related to the story, such as a Bundt cake recipe. There are also text conversations between Maddy and Olly and Maddy’s dictionary in which she gives her own definitions to words.
Five Feet Apart: This novel is told from the alternating first person perspectives of protagonists Stella and Will.
Pacing:
Everything, Everything: The novel is short (just over 300 pages) and has brief chapters and illustrations that make it feel even shorter. It was an extremely fast read.
Five Feet Apart: This novel is short (being a little less than 300 pages), and was also a very quick read.
Would I Recommend These Reads?:
I would recommend both of these reads. They have likable characters and are heartwarming at times and heart wrenching at others.
Final Ratings:
Everything, Everything: 3.75 stars
Five Feet Apart: 5 stars
