Everyone and Everything by Nadine J. Cohen is a stunning novel that will grip your heartstring and tug every emotion out of you. There are so many things to say about this and yet I don’t think I ill be able to fully articulate the brilliance that is this book.

One thing I absolutely love is fractured timelines in stories, especially in personal journeys and stories involving trauma and mental health because it so accurately shows the to and fro that goes on inside the heads of these characters. Fractured timelines are when the story is not in chronological order, events from the past, present and sometimes the future happen all at the same time and the reader jumps from one to the other and back again. This is done extremely well here with the inclusion of themes and references shared in moments from the past and present, linking passages together through word choice and detail that would otherwise be isolated. It gives threads of connection throughout the novel and personality and character detail in the delivery of the monologues or narrations without directly intending to. It also makes the jumping between times easier to digest as we have points to anchor us as we read.

The story itself is gut-wrenching and heartbreaking and so wholesome all in one. So many characters feel so real and authentic, the settings and locations feel like living breathing places and the way in which characters interact is like everyday life. It’s a real story with a palpable message and it is truly a must-read.

Nadine J. Cohen deserves so many awards for this beautiful piece of art. This literary fiction will touch you and bring out emotions you never expected and you will be wishing for more from her, I guarantee. It will become a new favourite, possibly even a 2024 favourite, and you will be wishing you read it sooner.