Dead Daughter
Sylvie Budzinski
Everything I Never Told You
Celeste NG
Imagine waking up one day to your favorite family member missing, and later finding out she has mysteriously died. In Everything I Never Told You, the author, Celeste NG, explores relationships and dynamics found in many families. The plot, flashbacks, and relatability make this novel a captivating read that leaves you always wanting more.
The story begins when Lydia’s family awakens one morning and finds Lydia is missing, and there is no trace of her around the house. In the following days, her family desperately checks every resource possible, calling everyone they know to check if they have seen their daughter. Her siblings, Jack and Hannah, pay extra attention to the bad boy next door, Jack, and they think may have had something to do with Lydia's death as they say, “and Jack still ran wild” (17). As the story continues, more about Lydia’s life is revealed, and the reader discovers many secrets she kept and imperfections in the family dynamic. This reflects the title Everything I Never Told You. Celeste writes through many flashbacks to the families life both before and after Lydia was born and became the star child of the family.
One of the reasons why this novel is so captivating is the mystery behind Lydia’s death and the rest of the plot. Though the basic cause of death is revealed early on, there an entire backstory waiting to be discovered through each turning page. As a reader, you constantly want to find out more information. In the beginning, the reader is hooked in by this sentence: “...just after dawn, that the police drag the lake and find her” (24). This provokes many questions that we are dying to have answered. Lydia’s death is a great plot line for this story.
Everything I Never Told You is a must-read is because of the ability given to the reader to relate to the story. This is not to say we can all relate to the mysterious death of a close family member, but perhaps the secret kept in marriage or the sparked interest of a new boy at school. Since the story features all ages and genders, any reader will likely find things to relate to in this novel. This aspect makes the story feel more personal because you can imagine yourself in it. The main reason why I loved Everything I Never Told You is because I felt like I could relate to some of the problems Lydia or her siblings faced. I think Celeste NG’s goal is to have any reader find things in the novel they can understand and see in themselves.
Finally, I highly recommend Everything I Never Told You because of the thorough flashbacks that reveal impurities in the lifestyle lived by the family. In the beginning of the story, the family is perfect. Their lives are orderly, and the kids are well behaved. One thing you see in the flashbacks is Lydia’s desire to please. The book reads, “but every time her mother asked, she said yes, yes, yes” (150). However, as the story continues, imperfections and flaws are slowly revealed. You find out that the husband isn’t faithful, “star student” Lydia is failing many classes, and the kids keep many secrets from each other and their parents. Each flashback unravels another part of a character's life, often tearing up the previous belief held by the reader. I see this as clever on Celeste NG’s part, as it keeps the reader interested; we are always gaining new information about each characters life. I recommend this story to teen readers who like reading about real-life events and mystery. NG’s novel uses realistic events to convey a message to the reader and keeps them drawn in through the mystery of Lydia’s death.
Overall, Everything I Never Told You is a fantastic novel that explores different themes through mystery, flashbacks and the ability for the reader to relate to it, and it should be at the top of your list.
Everything I Never Told You
Celeste NG
Imagine waking up one day to your favorite family member missing, and later finding out she has mysteriously died. In Everything I Never Told You, the author, Celeste NG, explores relationships and dynamics found in many families. The plot, flashbacks, and relatability make this novel a captivating read that leaves you always wanting more.
The story begins when Lydia’s family awakens one morning and finds Lydia is missing, and there is no trace of her around the house. In the following days, her family desperately checks every resource possible, calling everyone they know to check if they have seen their daughter. Her siblings, Jack and Hannah, pay extra attention to the bad boy next door, Jack, and they think may have had something to do with Lydia's death as they say, “and Jack still ran wild” (17). As the story continues, more about Lydia’s life is revealed, and the reader discovers many secrets she kept and imperfections in the family dynamic. This reflects the title Everything I Never Told You. Celeste writes through many flashbacks to the families life both before and after Lydia was born and became the star child of the family.
One of the reasons why this novel is so captivating is the mystery behind Lydia’s death and the rest of the plot. Though the basic cause of death is revealed early on, there an entire backstory waiting to be discovered through each turning page. As a reader, you constantly want to find out more information. In the beginning, the reader is hooked in by this sentence: “...just after dawn, that the police drag the lake and find her” (24). This provokes many questions that we are dying to have answered. Lydia’s death is a great plot line for this story.
Everything I Never Told You is a must-read is because of the ability given to the reader to relate to the story. This is not to say we can all relate to the mysterious death of a close family member, but perhaps the secret kept in marriage or the sparked interest of a new boy at school. Since the story features all ages and genders, any reader will likely find things to relate to in this novel. This aspect makes the story feel more personal because you can imagine yourself in it. The main reason why I loved Everything I Never Told You is because I felt like I could relate to some of the problems Lydia or her siblings faced. I think Celeste NG’s goal is to have any reader find things in the novel they can understand and see in themselves.
Finally, I highly recommend Everything I Never Told You because of the thorough flashbacks that reveal impurities in the lifestyle lived by the family. In the beginning of the story, the family is perfect. Their lives are orderly, and the kids are well behaved. One thing you see in the flashbacks is Lydia’s desire to please. The book reads, “but every time her mother asked, she said yes, yes, yes” (150). However, as the story continues, imperfections and flaws are slowly revealed. You find out that the husband isn’t faithful, “star student” Lydia is failing many classes, and the kids keep many secrets from each other and their parents. Each flashback unravels another part of a character's life, often tearing up the previous belief held by the reader. I see this as clever on Celeste NG’s part, as it keeps the reader interested; we are always gaining new information about each characters life. I recommend this story to teen readers who like reading about real-life events and mystery. NG’s novel uses realistic events to convey a message to the reader and keeps them drawn in through the mystery of Lydia’s death.
Overall, Everything I Never Told You is a fantastic novel that explores different themes through mystery, flashbacks and the ability for the reader to relate to it, and it should be at the top of your list.
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