Turtles All The Way Down by John Green Book Review

    Turtles All The Way Down by John Green is a YA drama novel. It was published in 2017 by Dutton Books. It has 3.89 out of 5 stars on Goodreads. Here are my thoughts.

    Turtles All The Way Down is about a girl named Aza who suffers from OCD. She is trying to navigate the normal high school experience - fights with her best friend, first love, helicopter mom - as well as not so normal experiences - trying to find missing local businessman/criminal Russell Pickett - while dealing with debilitating panic attacks that she calls "thought spirals". She is terrified of contracting a virus called C.diff. If Aza does something like not replacing her bandaid or kissing someone, this fear takes hold of her mind and she can't let it go. This book is not about Aza overcoming OCD. It's about Aza learning to live her life despite it.

    The plot of Turtles All The Way Down is compelling. When Aza and Daisy accidentally solve the mystery of Russell's disappearance, what they find is tragic - he committed suicide. This resolved many loose ends, such as explaining why Russell's children didn't hear from him while he was gone. I found this book altogether realistic, especially in the interaction between characters.

    The main characters in Turtles All The Way Down are Aza, Daisy, and Davis. The character development in this book is extensive. Aza has many ups and downs throughout this book, but after hitting what seems to be rock bottom, she comes to appreciate a certain quote by Robert Frost about life: "it goes on." Daisy's cheerfulness and endless chatter don't change throughout the book. She is not without struggle, though. She goes through a fight with Aza and her first breakup along with all the mystery-solving business. Davis is a troubled character with a lot to deal with. He copes with it by blogging, astronomy, and talking with Aza. He and Aza do part ways at the end of the book - not without being changed by the important conversations they shared.

    The writing of Turtles All The Way Down was poignant. The dialogue between these teenage characters is somehow both artless and philosophical. In one chapter Aza and Daisy discuss Star Wars fan fiction, and in another Aza explains to Daisy the depth of her mental turmoil.

    In conclusion, I would give Turtles All The Way Down by John Green 5 out of 5 stars. This book is beautifully written and startlingly honest. I would have liked for more character development from Daisy, because I feel she forgives and forgets too easily. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to read about mystery, friendship, or mental health.