Book Review: Turtles All the Way Down
In 2011, I preordered a book by a YA author I had heard a lot of, but had never read. Amazon was giving out signed copies and I thought that was cool. The book was The Fault in Our Stars and when it came out in January of 2012 and I finally read it, I fell completely in love with the author and the way he had made a romantic novel not about the romance, a YA book with very serious and “grown up” topics and a heartwarming story which would stay with me for years.
So, when many years later, hist next book was finally published, I was more than excited. Again, I preordered it, this time from Barnes and Noble, and once more I got a signed copy.
This books is about a girl named Aza (Her name spans the whole alphabet, because her parents wanted her to know she could be anything). Aza suffers from anxiety, and perhaps that is an understatement. The novel written in first person is takes place inside her messy, fearful head.
The first chapter threw me off. I honestly found Aza obnoxious and hard to keep up with. Then I realized that was exactly what John Green had intended. Aza is not an easy person to deal with, her extreme anxiety makes it hard for everyone around her, so she relies on her loyal friend Daisy who has kept up with her for many years.
After I told myself I had to keep going, I found myself with a heartwarming story of adventure, first love and growing up in a Midwestern city. I even finished the book in a week!
The plot reminded me a lot of John Green’s other novels, and I felt it did not quite reach the level The Fault in Our Stars had.
Turtles All the Way Down still covers a new and interesting topic and by the end of the book I found myself amazed at how much like Aza I was. I to am afraid all the time, I too get anxious and need to check things more than once just to be sure. My anxiety my not be as high as the heroine’s, but I still found I could relate to her in a very human and real way. This is what I treasure the most about this book, not the storyline, but how much I could relate to the character. I too, drive myself crazy most of the time.
My review: 4/5 stars ★ ★ ★ ★
Finished the book on January 25th, 2018. The second book of the year.
Check out my sister’s bookstagram and her awesome pictures of books, including Turtles All the Way Down:
