A dazzling literary debut, Everyone and Everything will make you laugh, cry and call your sister.
When Yael Silver’s world comes crashing down, she looks to the past for answers and finds solace in surprising places. An unconventional new friendship, a seaside safe space and an unsettling amount of dairy help her to heal, as she wrestles with her demons – and some truly terrible erotic literature.
Funny and tender, Everyone and Everything is about friendship, grief and the deep, frustrating bond between sisters. It asks what makes us who we are and what leads us onto ledges. Perfect for fans of Meg Mason, Nora Ephron and Victoria Hannan, this is an intimate, wry and wise exploration of one woman’s journey to the brink and back.
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Read some great reviews from our Preview readers here:
This brilliant, beautiful book is one of my top reads of the year. I want everyone to buy it, and I expect to see it win all the awards. Yael’s story is told in the present time with flashbacks that gradually reveal the context of her current situation. Her struggles and reflections are aided by her sister, her therapist, an old friend, a new friend and a seaside bathing retreat. One reviewer has compared this book to Fleabag. While I can see some parallels, personally I think this is better. It’s a truly magnificent piece of writing. There are so many serious topics in here, and yet humour is so beautifully woven throughout that I laughed out loud during some of the saddest moments. For example, a passage regarding dementia, gardening and smoke alarms. This is what the crying laughing emoji should be used for, because I was doing both! I have a special love of authors who shine a light on the many faces of loss, complex grief and trauma, and this book delivers! Finally, there is content regarding suicide, illness and death, but because this novel touches on these issues with love and sensitivity, it’s more therapeutic than upsetting. Lisa, QLD, 5 Stars
What a different and interesting story. I loved the characters and the way the novelist created flashbacks to add depth and information to the characters. A topical theme written with humility and understanding. Kim, NSW, 5 Stars
Everyone and Everything by Nadine J. Cohen is a beautifully written book about a young woman’s struggle with life, loss, grief and mental health. Yael Silver’s life has been turned upside down and she manages to start healing thanks to a new friendship and family. This book takes you on a journey with Yael that is funny, sad and full of wisdom, a great read. Gai, NSW, 5 Stars
The debut novel Everyone and Everything by Australian author Nadine J. Cohen centres around a young woman called Yael. Yael struggles with mental health and the past traumas of love and loss. Yael is supported by her sister, brother-in-law, friends and a great psychiatrist but still feels like a burden to all. Yael’s friend Romy introduces her to the women’s baths which salves Yael’s soul and leads her to a new friendship with an older lady called Shirley. The novel moves from different stories and times of Yael’s life, but in no way does it lose the reader. It draws you in. I found this book absolutely wonderful, and was so invested in the story, and in Yael, that I was hesitant to read the last few chapters, knowing it would be the end of the story. I haven’t stopped talking about this book, and would recommend it to all. Just brilliant. Cas, NSW, 5 Stars
Wow, what a beautifully moving book. A story that takes you on a roller coaster of emotions as you follow along as the main character Yael works her way through a breakdown but emerges and recovers with love and support. Friendship is important and this is highlighted in this story. It doesn’t matter who you are 0r how old you are, there is always someone to help. I loved this book. At times it was difficult to read as the real heartache was there but it also was an inspiring story. Christine, QLD, 5 Stars
I found Everyone and Everything grabbed me by the emotions and wouldn’t let go. I had moments where I was laughing out loud and other moments where I wanted to reach out to Yael and give her a hug. This book deals with how hard it is to watch a loved one slowly pass away and then before you have processed that loss you find another piles on top. A friendship with an older woman teaches her that sometimes we just have to look at these things in a different way and although we will always miss our loved ones, it is possible to move forward and treat their memory with loving kindness and a smile rather than negative emotion and doom and gloom. I found this book so very easy to read. Annamaree, QLD, 5 Stars
It’s not the type of book I would usually choose but I received this advance copy and am so happy I did. It takes place during one year just after Yael tried to take her own life. It is sad and insightful and quite funny. Her relationships with her sister and new friend Shirley are engaging and help Yael to slowly get better. She endured so many losses and cracked but the help of her doctor, the Squids, family and friends makes all the difference in her life. It’s a good mixture of sadness and (black) humor. Sandra, NSW, 5 Stars
“It’s been building and building over time. It’s all of it. It’s everything.” Yael Silver is a 30-something grappling with the aftermath of a mental breakdown with the support of her devoutly Jewish sister, Liora, Liora’s immediate family and characters Yael meets along the way on her road to recovery. Key features of her journey to recovery include the idyllic seaside women’s baths and an unlikely friendship with Shirley, despite their generational age gap. I adored Nadine J. Cohen’s debut novel. Her witty writing, callback to Millenial references and quirky characters made for an incredibly thought-provoking and heart-warming read. This book has a lot of heart and humour while exploring themes of grief, mental health and relationship dynamics. This book made me laugh, cry and reflect on the importance of the relationships in our lives, those constant and those unexpected. I eagerly anticipate Nadine J. Cohen’s next literary delight. Lisa, VIC, 5 Stars
I loved this book! I could not put it down; it made me laugh and cry in equal measure. The characters are entirely likeable and comfortingly full of human imperfections. I was invested in the story from the first page and the self-deprecating humour in the face of trauma was brilliantly woven. A story of relatable, real and ongoing grief together with mental health could end up being a heavy read, but this was anything but, which to me shone a light on the exceptional writing. The tentacles of generational loss at times gripping hard and at others softly, allowing the reader space to breathe. This book was brilliantly clever, honest, funny and so very memorable. Jill, VIC, 5 Stars
Oh my, where to start? An easy book to read about mental health and sadness. The book certainly opened my eyes and the warm funny side is such a joy. I recommend it to any age woman to read the joy and sadness of everyday life through grief and loss and mental health. Thank you Nadine for a book I will always remember. Loraine, QLD, 5 Stars
Everyone and Everything tells the story of Yael in the year following her breakdown. Although the book deals with serious topics of death and mental illness, the story is told with humour. This is a great debut novel; Cohen has created characters that you will enjoy spending time with and will want to be friends with. In the words of Yael: “Would recommend. Five stars.” Anne, VIC, 5 Stars
For a book dealing with such heavy issues, the writing was surprisingly light and bouncy. It actually felt quite unique – not only that the characters were quirky, and there were definitely laugh-out-loud moments, but in the way that the story played out and other characters were woven in, in just the right way. Had I not failed high school English, I may have the words to better explain the cleverness of the author’s writing. Suffice to say, it’s no 50 shades of disappointment – quite the opposite in fact. Eva, WA, 5 Stars
A book about life like the weather, we live through sunny days, and storms. Sharing her family experiences we can feel the grief, the like a rainbow after the storm laughter. A wonderful read for anyone. Robert, QLD, 5 Stars
Everyone and Everything by Nadine J Cohen is a heartfelt emotional trek through many ups and downs in the character’s journey through life. Not hard to find something to connect with to make the storyline that bit more personal and relatable. Greatly written and very hard to put down. Highly recommend. Sheree, NSW, 5 Stars
A truly beautiful book of a story that covered the full gamete of emotions: joy, sadness and humour. A story of family and all of the things that go on within a family, I read this book in record time as I just couldn’t put it down. I highly recommend this book. Sally, VIC, 5 Stars
Yael Silver has reached rock bottom, her path out of despair involves examination of the past, therapy, and finding moments of joy in nature and terrible erotic literature. A debut novel by Nadine J. Cohen deftly interweaving themes of family, friendship, mental illness and grief. The author handles these themes with empathy, warmth and wit and the result is a story that is by turns laugh out loud funny and heartbreakingly sad. I loved this book. It was unputdownable. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. Melanie, NSW, 5 Stars
I absolutely loved this book. The relationship between Yael and her sister Liora is so relatable, funny, heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time. And I adored the character of Shirley and her relationship with Yael. Nadine J. Cohen manages to write this beautiful story in a way that makes the reader feel like the characters are your friends and that you are actually listening to the interactions, not just reading them. I actually laughed out loud at some parts of the book. I look forward to many more books from this author. Highly recommend. Karen, NSW, 5 Stars
Everyone and Everything by Nadine J. Cohen is a book that covers a lot of difficult topics. Yael Silver’s mental health has reached its lowest point, and she now has to work her way back to a stable life. As the book progresses, we see how parts of her past have brought her here. As she starts to pick up the pieces, she meets Shirley, an older woman, and this unusual friendship becomes very important to her. By stepping outside her comfort zone, little by little, the reader sees her regain some spark. Her relationship with her sister Liora and her children is a real representation of what it’s like for a lot of siblings. I found all the information regarding her Jewish heritage quite fascinating. Even though the topics in this book are not light-hearted, this book is not depressing. The author has done a wonderful job of creating a beautiful story where you care about the characters. A lot of readers would be able to relate to the relationships in this book and probably know people like the characters. This book makes you think about the people who surround you and the impact they have on our lives. Theresa, NSW, 5 Stars
Everyone and Everything by Nadine J. Cohen creeps under your skin and settles there until the protagonist’s voice becomes your own. Yael Silver is navigating her world and the loss of loved ones. Her grief has been all-encompassing but with the help of others, she is finally able to inch her way forward towards a happier future. Nadine J. Cohen has painted Yael as a flawed human being trying to cope with her grief in an unsure world. Whilst the novel could have been encumbered in heavy prose, Nadine J. Cohen has given Yael’s voice a lightness and humour that carries the reader along like a soft autumn breeze. The book is divided into the twelve months of the year and before you know it the year is over. This is a gentle, honest, modern and gripping read. Highly recommended. Susan, NSW, 5 Stars
Everyone and Everything takes you on a journey of one woman’s recovery and struggle with mental health and how family trauma from generations ago still manifests in the next generations. I really enjoyed this book, zipping back and forth across time to understand Yael’s grief and loss, but enjoying her humour and friendship she develops with Shirley at the ladies’ baths. I think we can recognise ourselves or people we know in Yael which creates a familiarity with her character. Highly recommend this book. Carrie-Anne, NSW, 4 Stars
I loved this book from the moment I started reading it right up until the end. Christine, QLD, 4 Stars
A great easy read. The characters and family dynamic were very relateable, which is what initially caught my eye with this book. The issues that are spoken of within the storyline are very real issues in today’s society and it was nice to see how these characters had different ways of coping with them. Jenny, WA, 4 Stars
Everyone and Everything by Nadine J. Cohen Yael Silver takes us on a journey into her struggles and demons. Yael is a Sydney-based writer, one of a Jewish family, consisting of a brother and sister with hubby and kids. The themes in this story include mental health, family, death and dying. The chapters in the book start in January through to December, probably sometime this century, the exact year not as relevant as your desire to know. Yael is slowly recovering and even more slowly, surviving 365 days of her life. A retelling of a famous Middle Eastern fable about Goha and his son may hint at the mental turmoil Yael has suffered recently and the journey she is taking to become her best self. An adventurous, spirited individual reveals herself as I turn the pages of this novel. A great story for holiday reading lists and page-turning public transport commuters. Still wondering what Yael is up to now a week after finishing the story. Katrina, NSW, 4 Stars
Agreat book by an up-and-coming Australian author. It is about family and mental health and past trauma. The book is filled with humour. This is an enjoyable book to read. Heather, NSW, 4 Stars
I am so very grateful to have been given the opportunity to review Everyone and Everything by Nadine J. Cohen. The first novel of Nadine J. Cohen is a roller coaster ride of emotions; it is a very intimate story of relationships, the bonds formed between women, dealing with grief and past trauma and the coping mechanisms we build to cope with that grief and trauma, mental illness and friendships; and whilst there are some very serious issues discussed they are all dealt with humour, grace and humility. Whilst this book deals with some serious issues it is written in such a way that it is a quite easy read. The book describes the life of a woman called Yael Silver, who is living with grief and depression in Sydney, Australia. Her older sister, Liora and her husband Sean and their three children all love and care deeply for Yael; however, Yael feels she is a burden to her family. She visits a women’s only bathing spot at the suggestion of a friend where she achieves some peace both by being in a different environment but also from the new friendships she makes there. These new friendships have a very positive effect on Yael and help her make incremental improvement in her life and help her to actually dream of a future. Thank you to Better Reading and Pantera Press for providing me with a copy of this wonderful book to review. Toni, SA, 4 Stars
A book full of love, family, grief and heart. There is a beautiful balance of dark and light in this story that creates a complex, yet easy-to-read narrative. Please be aware of cancer storylines if those are difficult for you – I found those very hard as a cancer survivor, especially as there was no hint given in the blurb that these themes would come up. Megan, NSW, 4 Stars
This debut novel by Nadine J. Cohen is a novel about relationships, dealing with past trauma and forging new coping mechanisms and friendships. Yael Silver is living with grief and depression despite having some amazing support around her. Her older sister (with her own family troubles), brother-in-law, friends and psychiatrist, all care… but Yael is worried that she has become a burden to those around her. After being persuaded to visit an all-women bathing spot, she finds a certain calm and peace being by and in the water and watching the resident crabs. She makes new friends and begins to move outside of her own thoughts and feelings. Baby steps for incremental improvement and dreams of a future where fulfilment and happiness can blossom. This was a read that covered a lot of emotion, striking resonant chords across the spectrum. But you are left feeling that love, hope and understanding will always be a foil for dark days, and the sun and the sea can be a healing force in themselves. Lesley, QLD, 4 Stars
Everyone and Everything by Nadine J. Cohen is a thought-provoking look at the love and pain of family and mental health. Nadine covers the themes with a gentle but honest approach and does not shy away from topics such as death and the importance of help through family and therapy. Her writing style took a little getting used to as the characters sometimes tend to take over from each other without warning, but this adds to the overall feel of the novel and provides it with a depth of character and a sense that chaos is an integral part of life. The characters are all easily relatable and the dynamic between sisters is engaging and an honest portrayal of family dynamics. Each character seems to have an important role in the story and the overall theme and storyline would seem less without them, even the characters with minor roles. Altogether, while I wasn’t sure how I would feel reading this story, I quite enjoyed the way it made me question my life and values. It challenged me to really take a good look at what was going on around me and the way that I deal with my own daily concerns. Suzanne, VIC, 4 Stars
I could really relate to the inherited/intergenerational trauma (being Indigenous, myself, my family, family friends, etc. are all major stress heads; so yeah, basically, Our Mob/Indigenous Australians get it!) Also appreciated the presence of those adorable little stress relievers (and my personal choice of alternative to therapy!) cats. Yael’s cat’s name reminded me of my eldest child naming my dad’s dog (a birthday gift from some of Momma’s relis – I would have chosen a cat…) after a well-known media personality (as in her full name!), so good to know we aren’t the only ones to have unusual taste in pet names… Ayesha, NSW, 3 Stars
Everyone and Everything consists of twelve chapters (each chapter headed by a month of the year), covering twelve months in the life of Yael Silver. With the help of her psychiatrist Priya and the help and support of her sister Liora and Liora’s family, Yael is trying to negotiate a way through her problems. On the suggestion of Priya, she visits a women’s only beach where she becomes a regular and soon makes friends with Shirley, who becomes pivotal in her life. Although much of the book is sombre, there are moments of joy and humour which lighten the tone. A great achievement for a debut novel. El, QLD, 3 Stars
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