Book sixteen: Every Day by David Levithan.

I’m a fan of David Levithan. His Y.A. novels Boy Meets Boy and Will Grayson Will Grayson are two of the most charming books I’ve ever read.  So when my book club suggested reading Every Day, I was all for it. (I listened to the audio book which was read by Alex McKenna whose young, androgynous voice was perfect for the gender-hopping narrator. In fact, with an ambiguous name like Alex, I had to go online to confirm that the reader is a woman.)

The central character in the book (Known as “A”) wakes up every day in a different body.  He or she has just twenty four hours to figure out the life and react appropriately.

“A” has learned that it’s best to keep things as low key as possible and to try and go undetected as an outsider. The hope is to do as little damage or create as little confusion as possible for the host person.  This strategy is working quite well until “A” wakes up as Justin.  Justin is somewhat indifferent when it comes to his girlfriend Rhiannon.  But “A” is smitten and feels he has a personal connection.  So as “A” wakes up in different bodies, those individuals go out of their way to catch a glimpse of or talk to Rhiannon.  Eventually “A” tells Rhiannon about the situation and the two embark on a strange relationship.

I liked the book as it began.  But it didn’t take long for it to get tedious.  I’m guessing the constant teenage angst would appeal to a teenage audience.  But I found it grating.  As the book wore on the pace seemed to get slower and slower. And then it came to an abrupt and sudden stop.

I give Mr. Levithan a pass on this simply because Will Grayson Will Grayson is one of the best teen books I’ve read. But I certainly wouldn't give this book the same recommendation.

Book four: The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan.

David Levithan is one of my favorite writers of young adult fiction.  His books Boy Meets Boy, and Will Grayson, Will Grayson charmed me for their big-hearted stories and their ability to make young gay characters seem both ordinary and extraordinary.

So I was intrigued by Levithan's latest book targeted at adult readers.  The Lover's Dictionary has an unusual structure.  The book is written as a dictionary.  Each "chapter" is a different word that describes a moment or activity in a relationship. Told in first person, this book chronicles the love life of two people.

I can't decide if The Lover's Dictionary is a novel or a book of poetry.  I also can't decide if I liked this book or if it was just annoying.  The poetic nature of The Lover's Dictionary means it's sometimes hard to follow.  And the last entry left me wondering if the ending is happy or some sad, hopeless affair.  I'd be OK with either; I'd just like to know which it is.

The jury may be out on whether or not I like the book, but Levithan's writing is still delightful.  And some of the entries are charming.  Like a portion of the entry for unabashedly, "You know, I'd get a tattoo with your name on it. Only, I want you to have the freedom to change your name if you want."  Or the strange entry for yesterday, "You called to ask me when I was coming home, and when I reminded you I wasn't coming home, you sounded so disappointed that I decided to come home." And there's this entry brilliant for candid, "'Most times, when I'm having sex, I'd rather be reading.' This was, I admit, a strange thing to say on a second date. I guess I was just giving you a warning. 'Most time when I'm reading,' you said, 'I'd rather be having sex.'" I'm still trying figure out which statement best describes me.