Review of "Every Day"

"Every day I am someone else."

     David Levithan's young adult novel Every Day takes a look at the mind of a person for whom change is literally a way of life. Every day, A wakes up in a different body--boy or girl, single or dating, an only child or one of several. The only consistent factors are the age and the general area in which the hosts live. For as long as A can remember, all that's mattered is that no host is ever affected by their temporary guest...until A wakes up in Justin, falls in love with Justin's girlfriend, and takes the first step toward gaining control of this life. For the first time, A is going to tell someone what's happening. And Rhiannon just might listen.

     Levithan's novel plays with a fascinating premise. Though A is very clearly the same person every day, the body--and the life--is always different. One day, A is a boy named Nathan Daldry. On another, Amy Tran. It is impossible to keep track of who A is and isn't, has and has been, and that's exactly how it's supposed to be. We never see any of the hosts for more than a chapter, so we can never become attached to them, the same way A can never become attached to them. This gives us a glimpse into our hero's lifestyle that nothing else could, and makes every trial, joy, and mistake that much more real.

     After a time, though, the story shifts its focus more and more toward the hosts rather than the romance. While that's the central conflict, and glorious in its own way, as we delve deeper and deeper into A's world, it becomes increasingly apparent that the point of the tale is about acceptance and equality. A comes to possess more gay, gender fluid, obese, and otherwise "different" people than "mainstream" ones. While this is undoubtedly well-intended, the amount of focus placed on what makes hosts diverse--rather than the hosts themselves--detracts somewhat from the plot. However, readers looking for a title that celebrates what makes people unique should definitely check this one out.

     Hopping from body to body isn't all fun and games. Although A is usually very careful to disrupt the hosts' lives as little as possible, the other characters aren't always so kind. They demean each other with cruel names, occasionally making fun of the very things A cherishes. The physical side of the romance consists primarily of kisses and declarations of love, but there comes a point when the only thing keeping such interactions from going further is consideration for the current host. At one point, A wakes up next to a host's flirty girlfriend. Also present are an unpleasant boyfriend, a fistfight, a bit of profanity, drug use, a suicidal host, and a so-called reverend who uses religion to paint A in an unpleasant light.

     I would recommend this book to teens interested in a fresh premise that celebrates a wide variety of beliefs and backgrounds. A is a strong protagonist with a good heart and a condition that is delicious to read, and the rest of the characters are just as well-rounded. Despite the almost preachy nature the themes take on, the story is generally well-structured and intriguing. The plot is good, the premise thought-provoking, the cast interesting. Overall, David Levithan's Every Day is a worthwhile read that gives insight into the minds of countless kinds of ordinary people, and deserves four stars.