Book Rewind · Review: Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green was a book I’d knew I’d like but I didn’t know how much I would grow to love it. A realistic look into anxiety, John Green tells a tale that is as emotionally charged as TFIOS while also being relateable.

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Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

Category: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publication: October 3rd, 2017, Dutton Books
Purchase: Amazon

“Wrenching and revelatory.” An instant #1 bestseller, the widely acclaimed Turtles All the Way Down is John Green’s brilliant and shattering new novel.

“A tender story about learning to cope when the world feels out of control.” – People

Sixteen-year-old Aza never intended to pursue the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there’s a hundred-thousand-dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Russell Pickett’s son, Davis.

Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts.

In his long-awaited return, John Green, the acclaimed, award-winning author of Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars, shares Aza’s story with shattering, unflinching clarity in this brilliant novel of love, resilience, and the power of lifelong friendship.

Review:

[book rating=4/5]

Like much of the book community, I was thrilled to see a new JG book making its way into the world. Admittedly, I waited to read it till a few of my friends gave me feedback. Here a few of my thoughts about it:

• • The way it’s written gives you a sense of what anxiety feels like. JG doesn’t shy away from putting you right inside Aza’s brain, which is not a comfortable place for much of the book. As many of you know, I shy away from books around mental health because I work in the field. I thought the anxiety was well enough done.

• • On that token, I’m not super thrilled with how her BFF Daisy was reacted to, especially toward the end of the book. Is it reality that many people do not have empathy for what people with anxiety are experiencing? Yes. Anyone with anxiety can tell you that. Daisy needed to be challenged and never was. Her “apology” was a joke.

• • The plot in Turtles is well paced and interesting. I was just as invested in figuring out the missing pieces of the puzzle as Aza and her friends were. These teens are sharp – as most teens are. I enjoyed it.

• The ending…When you read JG, you come to expect this. So it felt authentic to me!