Book Review: Every You, Every Me - David Levithan

[The Book Reviewer]

Rating: 3.5/5

This is a photographic novel that depicts the reality of mental illness and true friendship, and although it may not be very recent, this book stood out to me on the shelf.

It illustrates the teenage life of most likely insomniac, depressed, heart-broken, Evan. Throughout the novel we discover the mystery of the girl whom he destroyed is missing, Ariel, and the cryptic photographs that could help him on his way to finding her; the true her. But Ariel is not entirely lost, because Evan knows where she went. He was the one who sent her there.

David Levithan explores the dark and forbidden mind of Evan by crossing through his written, yet unspoken words and sentences. Towards the end of the book, these erased thoughts develop into an almost schizophrenic second voice that mingle with Evan’s true memories, to create a truly unforgettable character.

Evan is utterly besotted with the girl he saved sent away, and at times it seems he is a whinging, whining teenager who thinks he is the only one who can see the dark in the world. His blindness consumes him, but the writing saves Evan as he goes off on obsessive tangents. Levithan uses words skilfully to help us visualise what it’s like to be someone with a mental illness, or someone who is close to another with a mental illness.

This book carries an important message within its pages, and something that should be taught to those struggling to cope. I would recommend this novel to anyone someone who enjoys daring stories, or someone who wishes to learn about the struggle of surviving through everything that’s thrown at you.

[Taylor Hagen]

I feel like this book was only okay. The author and photographer seemed to struggle and I felt like this story was just a complete mess.