Every Day by David Levithan {review}

Title: Every Day
Author: David Levithan (website)(Twitter)
Publisher: Knoft
Publication Date: August 28, 2012
Rating: Really enjoyed but had issues

Many of the book bloggers I follow have mentioned David Levithan. I read Dash and Lily's Book of Dares - his collaboration with Rachel Cohn - but wanted to try one that was just his. I happened to see Every Day while waiting for my boys at the library and decided to give it a try.

This is the story of A, who wakes up every morning in a different body. Some days as a girl. Some days as a boy. A stays in each body just for the day. It's always been this way so A doesn't interfere or try to "fix" someone or get attached to anyone or anything. 

This all changes when he wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin's girlfriend, Rhiannon. Now suddenly, A wants to have the same body so that Rhiannon can always be around.  The basic premise is really great. I enjoyed the different experiences that A had as the different people.But although I really enjoyed it I had issues with it as well.

The first is really extremely nit picky but the absolutely beautiful writing didn't fit a 16 year old. 16 year olds don't talk, let alone think, like Every Day was written. I can suspend disbelief on A waking up in different bodies every day but I can't take that he/she would speak like that. Way older, yes. 16, no.

The second problem: David Levithan has a definite viewpoint and I felt like it was very preachy and was told to the reader instead of letting the reader think for him or her self. For instance, Rhiannon has issues when A shows up in the body of a girl and A is very judgmental about that. Rhiannon is attracted to boys though so why should it be "wrong" that she is not attracted to A as a girl? 

It was a unique book with lots of interesting characters but the preachyness took away from it for me. I will give Levithan another try when I see another of his books for sure since the writing was so beautiful.