Every Day

by David Levithan
Hennepin County library audiobook 7 discs
read by Alex McKenna
genre: YA SciFi gender fluidity

A - changes bodies every day, sometimes a male and sometimes a female. Has been this way since birth but didn't realize it was unusual until reaching the age of 4.

Rhiannon - changes A's life by being herself. A is in her boyfriend's body for a day and falls in love with her. A is determined to stay with her.

Nathan - is inhabited by A for a day and KNOWS something happened to him. He confides in a preacher who has a website looking for people's stories of "demon possession."

Overall, I disliked this story but found that it stuck with me. Though the premise was far-fetched (a person whose "self" lives in a different body each day of existence), Levithan made it worked. I cared about A and wanted "him" to have a happy ever after . . .

The author's stance that gender is superfluous and same-sex, trans, and every other permutation of sexuality is irrelevant in light of who the person is "on the inside" came through loud and clear. Rhiannon's hesitance to kiss A when A is in a female body is roundly denounced by A, who doesn't see why it should bother her.

Ultimately, the story had my attention and I was pleasantly surprised by the resolution . . . although it brought me back to the oddness of the premise. Levithan is a talented storyteller, no question. I just didn't enjoy this one.