I apologize in advance as the following book review may contain spoilers. The main character of “Turtles All the Way Down” is Aza; a high schooler who suffers from anxiety and OCD (she is constantly worried that she has/ will get C. Diff and is constantly re-opening a callus on her finger to drain out possible infection). When Aza and her best friend Daisy learn of the disappearance of local billionaire and fugitive Russell Pickett (and the reward for any information on his whereabouts), they decide to investigate. While successfully searching for evidence on the Pickett property, the girls are caught by a security guard who takes them to see Davis Pickett (Russell’s son and Aza’s childhood friend). In an attempt to dissuade the girls from turning in the evidence and pursuing the case any further, Davis gives the girls the reward. Davis and Aza start to develop a romantic relationship but it doesn’t go very far as Aza is constantly worried about the spread of germs/ infection. Aza also gains some more clues about the case while she is hanging out with Davis. After Aza reads Daisy’s “Star Wars” fan-fiction for the first time, Aza realizes that Daisy is using the fan-fiction to complain about her. The girls have an argument and eventually end up having an accident which requires Aza to stay in the hospital (where she has a really difficult time dealing with her anxiety and OCD). Eventually the girls make-up and attend Daisy’s boyfriend Mychal’s art exhibition in an unfinished drainage tunnel system. In the tunnel, Daisy gains a better understanding of Aza’s anxiety/ OCD and the girls make a huge discovery about the case. I did like this book but it was not my favourite book by John Green (I love “Paper Towns” and “The Fault in Our Stars”). I disliked how the book seemed so dark in nature. But, I did enjoy reading about Aza and her struggles and triumphs with her mental illnesses. The book was also a good page-turner because I wanted to figure out what happened to Russell Pickett. I think that Aza’s mental illnesses were portrayed very realistically in this book. I think that most people who, like Aza, struggle with anxiety, OCD, or similar mental illnesses would be able to relate to her. Therefore, I think that this would be an awesome read for someone who is struggling with a mental illness like OCD or anxiety (and their family members/ friends) or anyone who wants to learn more about and gain a better understanding of what it is like to have a mental illness (like anxiety or OCD). I would also recommend this book to adults who enjoy mystery and love stories. I am giving this book a 3 out of 5 butterflies rating because, even though I liked how Aza’s mental health experiences seemed very realistic and the book was a good page-turner, it wasn’t as good as other books by John Green (in my opinion). Support Ribbon Photo Credits: Pinterest, Pinterest, and "Instituto Familiar de la Raza" Book Rating: 3 / 5
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Go to Reviews from:
February 2024
|