
Member Reviews

All opinions below are my own. The History of Everything is the perfect coming of age graphic novel for any kid you know who’s moved around or had friends move.
Victoria Evan’s writes and illustrates a fun and emotional tale of two young girls who have been best friends their whole lives. When Agnes must move away at the end of the summer, she and Daisy decide to fill their memory book with as much as possible. But the fear of moving and being apart, mixed with a new boyfriend, throws some wrenches in Daisy and Agnes’ plans. What will happen before the summer ends?
This story highlights what it feels like to move away and all the heavy emotions that come with it. It also shares the side of the non-mover and how difficult it is to stay behind and make new friends when one is leaving. The trials and tribulations of being a teenager. This was a fabulous story I wish I could’ve read when I was younger and moving around a lot.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for the fantastic graphic novel!

An enjoyable, coming-of-age, albeit predictable story of two best friends in high school as one is getting ready to move away permanently, while the other is experiencing first love/boyfriend. Beautiful artwork.

The History of Everything does an excellent job portraying the messiness of life when dealing with change. Agnes finds out she's moving away from her best friend Daisy at the end of the summer, so the two devise a plan to recreate their childhood memories with a to-do list. Things get complicated when Daisy gets a crush on a new boy, and both girls must work through their sticky emotions if they want to end things on a good note. I loved the art style of this graphic novel, and was transported back to my own high school experiences dealing with very similar situations.
Thanks to HarperAlley and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book so perfectly encapsulates that feeling of a summer being the "last summer" for whatever reason. I felt like the conflict was super reasonable and liked the resolution (though maybe I wish we had seen them talk just a little more). And the art style is gorgeous, obviously! I also love when there's a fake media property that's a very obvious stand in for a real one, so I really enjoyed that in this book as well. Overall, I had a great time with this.

This coming-of-age graphic novel was a quick and cute read about first boyfriends and friends moving away. I liked the art and how the characters felt more well-rounded than other graphic novels. I think the plot is a little overplayed, but the gothic/emo spin on it helped the story feel more unique. I really wanted this story to be about two best friends going against all odds, but instead, I got the same old story of a boy ruining it all. I'd pick this up for an easy read, but nothing more.

They have one summer to say goodbye.
After the devastating news that her mom got a new job and they’d be moving 12 hours away, Agnes and her best friend Daisy plan to finish the adventure book list they started as kids and have the best (and hopefully not last) summer together.
What starts out as a fun way of doing and remembering all the fun things they’ve done while growing up turns sour after Daisy starts inviting the new boy (and her new crush) in town along with them. The plans they have begin to change which only ignites the fear in Agnes that they are both going in opposite directions. Will their friendship end and this be the last memories they have of each other?
This was incredibly sweet and full of friendship. As a teenager, everything seems a million times worse: the move is the end of the world, you’ll never make another friend, you’ll never see each other again, or something even worse. As an adult we know that if it’s meant to work out, it will. If you want to stay friends, you make the time. You have to be a good friend.
I feel like The History of Everything was very accurate to what friendship is like, especially when one person meets their first love/boyfriend. Love can make people do things that they wouldn’t normally do. You have to speak up and talk honestly. Once they finally did that, it all worked out.

This graphic novel has a wonderful art style, and covers relatable teenage angst in a very natural way. I think teens will really enjoy this read!

"Best friends Agnes and Daisy must learn to say goodbye in this coming-of-age YA graphic novel perfect for fans of Booksmart and Pumpkinheads from debut creator Victoria Evans.
Daisy and Agnes have always had each other.
And that's all they've ever needed - or wanted, at least. So when Agnes's mom drops the bombshell that she and Agnes are moving at the end of the summer, the girls are crushed.
All seems lost until the pair unearth "The History of Everything," an old friendship scrapbook with the ultimate bucket list to make their last summer together unforgettable. But when Daisy starts dating a charming drummer, her social calendar suddenly has less room for her best friend. Insecurities bubble to the surface, and Daisy and Agnes begin to question if their friendship is meant to last the summer, much less forever.
In this tender graphic novel debut, Victoria Evans delves into the heart of a best friendship and explores what it means to grow up without growing apart."
It's hard to hold onto friendships as circumstances change, but if it's meant to be forever it will work out.

The History of Everything is a quick, engaging story about two teenage best friends spending their last summer together. Agnes and Daisy have been friends for what feels like forever. They're both outcasts at school and rely heavily on each other's friendship. When Agnes finds out that she'll be moving away at the end of the summer, the friends decide to make a summer bucket list to complete all the things they've always wanted to do. Things quickly change when Daisy meets a cute boy at the mall and they start dating. Suddenly, Noah seems to be tagging along on all of their adventures and Daisy is quick to change plans to accommodate him. Agnes wants to keep working through their list and feels left behind by Daisy's new relationship. Unfortunately she waits to long to express her feelings and ends up letting her anger take control.
I really enjoyed this story. I think it's a realistic portrayal of friendship and love as a teenage girl. Everything is messy and complicated and feels like the end of the world. Agnes and Daisy have different approaches to life, but both show the struggles and joys of young adulthood. While they both experience ups and downs over the course of this summer, they ultimately come back together and resume their friendship. I liked the art style a lot as well and look forward to reading more from this author!

The story follows two best friends, Agnes and Daisy, trying to navigate their summer together, but things get complicated when Daisy starts spending more time with her boyfriend, Noah. From early on, I could tell this was going to be one of those plots where a friend prioritizes their romantic relationship over their friendship, and honestly, it’s not my favorite trope. It’s frustrating to watch someone disregard their friends just because they’re in a relationship, even if it’s somewhat understandable—she’s a teenager and it’s her first boyfriend. Also, Agnes never really expresses her feelings clearly, which makes it harder for Daisy to realize she’s hurting her—but at the same time, Daisy should’ve just *known*. Friends shouldn’t have to spell it out for you to stop neglecting them.
That said, the friendship between Agnes and Daisy felt very realistic. Their dynamic, the misunderstandings, and the emotions all rang true, even if it annoyed me. Noah, surprisingly, was a decent character—he didn’t fall into the usual annoying boyfriend category, which was a nice change. I also really liked Agnes’s mother and their relationship; it added a grounded, heartfelt element to the story.
I liked the character design, the art was great overall—Agnes’ room in particular, I loved her room.
In the end, I was happy that things worked out, but this kind of plot just isn’t for me.
Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

The History of Everything is a graphic novel about best friends Agnes and Daisy. Both punk, emo, goth besties that have grown up together and can't wait for an amazing summer. Sadly, Agnes gets the news that her mother got a new job and they are moving and this is her last summer with Daisy. She is angsty, depressed and just overall in a bad mood so they decide to make a summer bucket list like when they were younger, scrapbook and all. The problem is - Daisy isn't taking it seriously.
This is a book about saying goodbyes, growing up, and friendship. It was full of hard lessons, emotions raging, and a heartbreaking story of dashed expectations and jealousy.
Agnes fills these pages with her emotionally charged outlook on how things are going and should be going, while depressed, angry, and jealous that Daisy is seemingly moving on.
Daisy is falling in love, completely smitten with a guy but feeling guilt and some forms of resentment for/around Agnes.
This plot was so well done. It was engaging, intense, and wistful at times. It was lovely. I loved the illustration, they were on-theme with a darker palette for our emo/goth MCs. The details around their rooms and overall settings were easily recognized and fun. The overall feel of the story was so good; the tensions and angst felt so accurate to the teenage plight/ crisis. I really enjoyed this one so much. It was such a great representation of growing up and how friendships evolve over time and how you and others change. If you are looking for a good coming-of-age graphic novel, this would be a fun one to grab.

Really sweet and realistic coming of age about two best friends making a summer to-do list before one moves away, and a first boyfriend who gets in the way. Very realistic and I really liked the art style it felt very gothic/emo which was fun, and different for a graphic novel.
Nothing too deep or life changing though, so I'd say I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it but I did enjoy. I thought there was going to be more of an admission of feelings between the girls and it felt anticlimactic without that.
I overall liked the message that if things seem hard, it's best to just start with one small thing to make yourself feel better.

Agnes and Daisy have been bffs since they were at least 8 years old. As the beginning of summer approaches, Agnes’ mom drops a bomb by telling Agnes that they’re moving away at the end of it. It feels like their whole world has shattered into a million pieces. Agnes and Daisy try to make the best of the time they have left together and plan to reutilize a friendship scrapbook they made when they were 8. When your friends move away, whether you’re a teen or older, it is never gets easier. Follow the friendship of these two. It is worth the read.
#ThxNetGalley #VictoriaEvans

"The History of Everything" is a book about friendship, and it does do that quite well, but it doesn't bring much else to the story. The main characters absolutely act like the teenagers they are and have all the messy, complicated relationships that come with that, which could be very validating and relatable to someone of a similar age, but can be somewhat grating to read as an adult. Overall, this book isn't bad, but doesn't have enough uniqueness to it that I would recommend it for anyone that wasn't looking for something very specifically similar to it.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperAlley for an advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review. 3 ⭐️ A classic coming-of-age graphic novel centered around the friendship dynamics of two teenage girls navigating one of their impending moves. The art was fun and funky, to the point where I questioned when the story took place- ha! Agnes’s character was at times a bit too whiney for me and SUPER mean to her mom but I’m sure that’s realistic of some teenage girls. All in all just OK.

This was such a good graphic novel about something we all experience, a friendship changing and growing as we grow. The art is lovely, the color palette is perfect for the emotions on page. I wish there was a part two as I want to see how this friendship continues.
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperAlley for granting me access in exchange for an honest review.

This graphic novel gave me all the Daria and Jane vibes in its aesthetic. Two outsider best friends in high school - so familiar. The struggle of maintaining a friendship through the impending move of Agnes and the romantic developments for Daisy during the summer. The illustration style was reminiscent of Cartoon Network shows. This will appeal to teens and adults alike for nostalgia!

i really enjoyed this one!!! i loved the art style and how relatable this was for us girls who have a long distance best friend.

Moving is never easy, especially when you have to leave friends behind. No matter if it's an hour away or five hours away, the last few weeks or days you can spend with your friends are special and important. Daisy and Agnes have had a long friendship so Anges moving hits pretty hard, however they are still teenagers, which means they're dealing with not being with each other everyday on top of growing into their own person. Daisy begins to change her style a little bit, no longer the exact same as Agnes, but still goth/alternative. Agnes grows a little too by being a part of the change rather than fighting against it. In the end, they're still important to each other and no matter the fights or changes in their life, they'll always try to be there for the other.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for the eARC of 'The History of Everything'! This review is my full, honest opinion.
Evans’ ‘The History of Everything’ has artwork that is aesthetically satisfying in color and craft. This graphic novel follows the story of childhood best friends Agnes and Daisy. Agnes receives the news that her mother accepted a job offer that requires Agnes to move away and to make the best of the last summer together, they compose a list of things they’d like to do before Agnes leaves. Their summer plans get a bit disorderly when Daisy gets a boyfriend and her attention is divided between the two, her boyfriend and her best friend.
In previous graphic novels I read, the story is told through art and leaves the dialogue neglected. Evans does a fantastic job of having the art and the dialogue SHOW AND TELL the story. Agnes is a character that uses facial and body expressions to tell her part of the story and Daisy uses her words and language for hers. During a shift in the plot they become reversals of each other and as a reader, seeing and noticing the balance that Evans displays with this work truly expresses how incredible it is!
I was thoroughly amazed at how the page margins were used to signify a change in setting and/or time of day. Once I noticed it, I went back to the beginning and focused on it more, saying, " This is so smart! I love that!”
I will admit the ending of this story made me cry! This story is incredibly well-paced and amazingly crafted. The dialogue and art go together hand-in-hand perfectly. It’s a great read, but an even better experience.