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Feb 02, 2018dnk rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I finished this book in one sitting, no longer than three hours. Yoon put me not only into the sterile white room Madeline lived in, but also her happy if sheltered mindset. Although Madeline turns eighteen at the beginning of the book, she comes across as more of a well-adjusted, bookish eleven year old. Her life is interrupted by the arrival of Olly, the Boy Next Door with a wicked sense of humor, a desire to see the world as an equation and a troubled home life. The two begin their romance via email and instant messaging, but soon virtual isn't enough and Madeline's nurse helps sneak Olly in for visits. First the visits are short and chaste, but the two can't resist a kiss. When Madeline's mother finds out, she has to make a choice between the safe life she's always had and the more dangerous one that makes her feel alive. But what if Madeline's mother is right and being alive is deadly? It was obvious that something was not quite right with the timeline of Madeline's life. The way the author brought the threads of the discrepancy together was intellectually satisfying but also heartbreaking. However, watching Madeline "grow up", albeit in a short period of time, was equally uplifting. Highly recommended for YA readers.