Everyday by David Levithan (Hero)

An emotional roller coaster that is suspenseful in it's own way. With a consistent inconsistency, like the main character, you felt each chapter in the book the way A felt everyday. Everyday: a book about a person who identifies itself by the self proclaimed name 'A' and wakes up everyday, without fail, in a new body. Then one day...A falls in love. Fell hard. Couldn't get back up. So everyday became her: Rhiannon. Time and distance began to restructure itself around how far he was from her. As a central theme this book really challenges the ideas of love, identity and heroism in a way never done before. The main character, A, who does not identify as either male or female drifts between bodies exploring the concept of identity solely being based on the mind and personality and not the body that accompanies it. Levithan also explores the concept of an identity not matching the body it is in. He also explores the concept of love transcending the body and the simple nuances associated with "love" like waking up next to the person you love, a task that is impossible for A (or seemingly impossible). Levithan introduces a variety of characters through the bodies A inhabits and challenges people's ability to be truly in love with the inside, separating this love from the shell it resides in. However, the importance and necessity of the body is not totally neglected. It is a concept that is explored and challenges the way people think, which I think all books should do and this book does incredibly well. Lastly Heroism. A does not seem like a hero at first. Though he is highly disciplined he does not display many heroic qualities that traditional heroes possess. In the end though A turns out to be a quiet hero, slipping into the shadows as he slips into a new body each night. He displays this through self sacrifice and a different kind of love, true love, love that is willing to let go knowing that is what's best. He gives up his personal happiness, his chance at a life over destroying another life to take it's place. Even more than that he gives the life he wants and the girl he loves to, Alexander, the one he could have destroyed without him even knowing. Then he runs to give that love space to grow. And that is an everyday act of love and heroism.

Original project and photo by Brogan James c. all rights reserved

This photo is of a collage I made representing what this book meant to me. It is representative of how A does not have his own face but the only two things he takes with him day to day are his brain (where the arrows are coming from) and Rhiannon.