Everything, Everything

I liked this! Sweet, nostalgic, and introspective are a few words I'd tack onto it. Unpredictable it is not. You don't have to be a genius to see where this story is going from the synopsis. But that's okay! I enjoyed the ride.
This book is in the John Green vein, but with one clear distinction: the characters (for the most part) talk like real people, not trendy smug philosophers. It has the sweet wistfulness of a John Green book. Is it stereotypical? A little. Is there obvious symbolism? Yes. Is it still a good book? Yes!
The characters are likable; the story is compelling. I liked the romance quite a lot. It's written sweetly and intelligently, taking note of the little things in a young person's experience. This book makes me want to read–is that weird to say?
My biggest complaint is the writing: Yoon slipped into the “tell, don't show” category more than once. She was trying to cram quite a lot of happenings into a small amount of space. There wasn't enough room for feelings to be felt by the reader. The introduction of emotion in the main character is rushed at times. Look, if I'm going to read a story about a girl who has been cloistered for eighteen years, I want to really experience it. For example, surely she has some social hang-ups, having only been in the presence of a few people in her life? Why is Maddy so perfect in this story? Why is she so composed, intelligent, and articulate? She doesn't even really struggle with her illness much. Olly serves as the catalyst for her yearning to escape the bubble. Before that, though, she doesn't seem to struggle with any character flaw. The only thing I can point to is her complete lack of regard for how a credit card works. Because, wow. :P
I will commend Yoon on her use of illustration and non-traditional text in the story. She includes emails, tickets, receipts, drawings, and notes, which I thought gave the story more style and character where a paragraph of text may not have had much punch. Who doesn't like to look at pictures? :)
I'd totally recommend this! Like I said, it's sweet and romantic. I like how it deals with illness and relationships between people.