Everything, Everything

Love drives people crazy; that is a universal fact. It is with love that we learn to step out of our comfort zones and explore the world. It is also with love that we start to live instead of only existing.

Eighteen-year-old Madeline is experiencing life the only way she can, through books, as SCID, commonly known as bubble boy disease, has prevented her from leaving her house or having personal contact with anyone other than her mother and nurse. Then in comes Olly who shattered the bubble exterior of her shielded existence and led her to partake in her first adventure.

Human nature plays a huge part in Maddy’s story, more specifically, curiosity. After being stuck in what almost seems like a time loop, Olly and his family who moved in the neighborhood provides an outlet to the thrilling and unpredictable world, which clashes tremendously with Maddy’s meticulous and unchanging one. Then the itch to explore the world starts. Olly and Maddy spend more and more time together, comparing lives and relishing each other’s company. Her desire for freedom eerily similar to a wildfire in the forest quickly turns destructive and uncontainable, outweighing and clouding over her survival instincts. In the end it is with taking risks that she finally uncovers the devastating truth of her mother faking her illness, so that she wouldn’t ever be in harm’s way. Human nature- curiosity is a powerful compelling emotion which can lead you to a wider and greater world, but the truths you inevitably discover will be brought to light as well, and not all of them pleasant.

Besides curiosity, aspects of love are seen throughout the story, such as how it drove Maddie’s mom to keep her virtually locked in the house after losing her husband and son in a disastrous car crash, how it kept Olly’s mom from leaving her abusive relationship, and of course how Maddy and Olly took a chance on each other. Despite the gulf of differences and baggage between Maddy and Olly they stuck together and provided care and support when needed.

To someone like Maddy’s mother, it seems that love takes away her choices, but in reality you have to relinquish control on a person and allow them to make decisions independently, which Maddy’s mom failed to do. It’s even worse when she at first appeared to be an excellent mom, not resenting her daughter due to the limitations SCID brought, and even genuinely feeling upset when she forbade Maddy from meeting Olly because of the complications. Forgiving or hating Maddy’s mom is hard as you can see the struggle she goes through when her rational side is completely suppressed by her utterly primal need to protect her young daughter. This translates into our life seamlessly. Parents try to keep us from getting hurt, and though they have good intentions, it often backfires with ourselves ending up getting hurt more severely. In contrast, respecting boundaries and being there for each other is a far more suitable way of expressing concerns for the people you care for, like what Olly, Maddy and Maddy’s personal nurse Carla did.

Everything, Everything is a novel completely dedicated to love. Be it platonic or romantic, most of all it represents the struggles out of love that all humans have to overcome. That is to not let love consume themselves. I think it is a powerful message, because as humans we are susceptible to love and selfishness. Therefore the ability to let go and take risks when needed is something we all need to learn to master. After all as the novel suggested, love is in our surroundings, love is infinite and ever-changing. Love is everything.