Every Exquisite Thing

Little, Brown & Company (May 2016)

From the bestselling author of The Silver Linings Playbook comes a heartfelt and unexpected novel in the vein of The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

Nanette O’Hare is an unassuming teen who has played the role of dutiful daughter, hard-working student, and star athlete for as long as she can remember. But when a beloved teacher gives her his worn copy of The Bubblegum Reaper—the mysterious, out-of-print cult-classic—the rebel within Nanette awakens.

As she befriends the reclusive author, falls in love with a young troubled poet, and attempts to insert her true self into the world with wild abandon, Nanette learns the hard way that sometimes rebellion comes at a high price.

A celebration of the self and the formidable power of story, Every Exquisite Thing is Matthew Quick at his finest.

Reviews

“The power of the written word is on full display … Quick continues to excel at writing thought-provoking stories about nonconformity … a compelling portrait of a sympathetic teenager going through the trial-and-error process of growing up.” —⁠Publishers Weekly *STARRED REVIEW* Best Summer Books 2016

“… a powerful, dark and engrossing look at conformity and rebellion … tackles mental health issues rarely addressed in young adult fiction.” —⁠NPR Boston

“Simply exquisite … captivating … touching and relatable … a wonderful heroine … Quick’s latest is amazing.” —⁠Winnipeg Free Press

“… nuanced … rings very true … a hit … this will find a dedicated audience among teen readers.” —⁠School Library Journal *STARRED REVIEW*

“… beautifully written … an outstanding coming-of-age story.” —⁠VOYA (5Q) *STARRED REVIEW*

“… an ode to revolutionary literature … an engaging bildungsroman … Quick’s story will speak to teenage eccentrics: loners, rebels, and creative types … those ripe for transformation.” —⁠The Horn Book

“… bracing, confrontational … A strong, well-written female protagonist sets this coming-of-age novel apart.” —⁠Kirkus

“… beautifully well-rounded characters, particularly Nanette, whose first-person narrative, rich with wry observations and a kaleidoscope of meaningful emotions, offers great insight into the mind of a teen.” —⁠Booklist

“… deftly investigate(s) the complex ways mental health affects personal relationships … what Quick succeeds in showing is that for many of us, we have to make bold, life-altering moves to survive in the long run.” —⁠BNTEENblog – 16 YAs That Get it Right: Mental Health Edition

“… a manifesto of acceptance … a welcoming call to the outsiders … bold and rebellious … a book for all time.” —⁠Nudge (UK)

“… a shrewd reconfiguring of the American dream, in which freedom opens the door not to monetary riches, but to self-discovery.” —⁠Financial Times (UK)

“… the perfect summer read … Quick’s prose is so on point.” —⁠InStyle

“… meta to great success … Is it moving and will it resonate? Definitely.” —⁠The Globe And Mail (Canada)

“… a good contemporary choice for fans of The Perks of Being a Wallflower …” —⁠Audio Book Booklist Review

“This is a new voice—a singular, modern voice for today’s self-aware adolescent reader … Every Exquisite Thing is full of the delicious things that turn YA books into real classics.” —⁠Chapter 16

“… will give readers lots to chew on …” —⁠BCCB

“… a cross between J.D. Salinger and John Green … brilliant and subtle …” —⁠Shelf Awareness

Every Exquisite Thing lives up to the hype … You’re going to wish you could follow Quick’s awesome heroine Nanette for another 500 pages or so when you get to the end.” —⁠Bustle

Every Exquisite Thing is a book lover’s dream … [an] absolutely wonderful novel.” —⁠Teenreads

“If this book doesn’t resonate with you, check your pulse … an instant classic … that will stay with you forever.” —⁠The Outer Banks Voice

“We loved how this new book nails both the rewards and the pain that come with conformity and rebellion. Perfect for fans of John Green, Rainbow Rowell and, of course, Matthew Quick!” —⁠Justine Magazine

“It’s gritty and powerful in addressing the dark business of being a teenager.” —⁠Culture Street

“… rings true for any girl spreading her wings.” —⁠Houston Family Magazine

Accolades

— Publishers Weekly Best Summer Books 2016

— YALSA’s 2017 Best Fiction for Young Adults

— Booklist Best Fiction for Young Adults: 2017

— **STARRED** reviews from Publishers WeeklySchool Library Journal, and VOYA

— Junior Library Guild selection

— 2017 Texas Tayshas Reading List pick

— 2018 North Carolina School Library Media Association YA Book Award Winner

— Translated into Dutch, German, Spanish, Portuguese (Portugal and Brazil), French, Polish, Turkish, Italian, Russian, and published in the UK by Headline