By Nicole Yoon
Delacorte Press, 2015
I recently had the privilege to volunteer at Esperanza
Academy, a private middle school for girls in Lawrence, MA. The ladies I
counseled on essay writing were articulate, poised, mature and utterly
delightful. I asked each of them their favorite novel. This was one of their
recommendations and I have to agree. One of the most romantic stories I have
ever read, I rated it an A!
Maddy Whittier was diagnosed at age 4 with SCID, bubble baby
disease. She can't leave her home or interact with the world. Her Dad and older
brother were killed in a car accident shortly before her diagnosis. Her mother
is her doctor. Her best friend is her nurse, Carla. Just before her 18th
birthday a family moves into the house next door and Maddy spies Ollie and his
family and for the first time grieves her existence. Not seeing people come and
go had made it easier for her to accept her life of reading, online classes,
having her vitals checked every two hours and movie and game-nights with mom.
Mom is adamant that friendship with the neighbors will only
make Maddy hurt more when she realizes she can't do the things healthy teens
do. But after IMing into all hours of the night, Maddy convinces Carla to allow
Ollie to visit. He must go through an hour-long decontamination shower each
time. They are falling in love. When they kiss, they are both terrified Maddy
will fall ill.
Ollie’s dad is abusive. When Maddy hears shouting and
witnesses this from her window she runs outside to Ollie’s defense, not
thinking of herself. Her mother, now aware of the deception, fires Carla and
forbids communication with Ollie. After months of loneliness and longing, Maddy
decides she may have a life but she is not living. She plots and plans, lies to
Ollie about an experimental drug, and travels to Hawaii for a romantic getaway.
But the story doesn’t end there.
SPOILER ALERT:
As expected
Maddy gets ill on day two. Ollie takes her to the ER. Mom brings them home.
After a few weeks, Maddy receives a letter from the ER physician that rocks her
world. Maddy does not have SCID. We learn her mother couldn't cope with the
loss of her husband and son so she created a world where Maddie would always be
safe.
