The Epic Story of Every Living Thing

The Epic Story of Every Living Thing
Deb Caletti
Random House, 2022
403 pages
Grades 9-12
Realistic Fiction

Harper is a high school junior with a practically perfect life. She is beautiful, smart, outdoorsy, and has a cute and artsie boyfriend. Her instagram says is all and Harper find gratification in all of the likes and interactions that she gets on her carefully orchestrated photos. Forget about the fact that her controlling single mother is driving her crazy, her boyfriend is getting tired of schlepping the camera equipment on all of their hikes, and post COVID anxiety has her a bit twitchy. Further complications arise as a comment on one of her posts leads her to a half-brother from her sperm donor father that she never knew existed. In fact, there are forty-four half-sibs in all, though Harper meets only three--to start. The quartet travels to Hawaii to meet/ambush said sperm donor father with surprising results, showing Harper that families are complicated. Dad turns out to be a diver and the new siblings learn the tricks of his trade, exploring a shipwreck slated for demolition. The shipwreck has historical significance, as we see in the form of diary entries from a long-ago young female wife-turned-captain. Can the new family save the shipwreck before it's too late? And will Harper's mom let her stay for the summer to pursue these new connections?

Award winning teen author, Caletti pens a post-pandemic novel with a lot to say. In my opinion the most important message is the addiction to and fake validation of social media. At one point Harper loses her phone and that brings about complete change, new confidence, and character growth. Other themes include environmentalism, standing up for what is right, the importance of honesty, finding your authentic self, post-COVID anxiety, and that families are what we make them. Yes, there is a lot going on, yet Caletti never gets preachy or muddled. The diving bits are rich and calming amidst the pages of angst and the reader will want to sign up for scuba lessons immediately. The book felt a little predictable, except one surprise plot twist towards the end that I didn't see coming and made the book better for it. It all ends a bit too neatly, which will satisfy readers, yet did not totally ring true for me. I loved the diary entries from the captain's wife-turned-captain in the mid-1800's. Those brief interludes added historical context and became integral to the plot in the present. A little long, yet a great concept, this may not be Caletti's best, but it is a worthwhile read.