Where did this book even go? I was on page one and then suddenly I was finishing it and putting it back on my shelf.
(also this is me catching up on reviews because I’m bad at being organised right now, okay?)
I think that this is my favourite John Green book so far. I loved Looking For Alaska, but this one, THIS ONE. I wouldn’t say that I connected to the character especially, or her mental illness, but I think that the representation was really good?? I’ve read a lot on Goodreads where other people also say that the rep was really good?? So??? YAY??
THE OCD REP WAS BRUTAL AND HONEST. It wasn’t the “usual” representation of OCD: lining things up, washing your hands. These were COMPULSIVE THOUGHTS. And because of the compulsive thoughts , and it all from Aza’s perspective, we weren’t just hearing what it was like to have ODC, but we were experiencing it WITH her, understanding what it was like FOR HER.
THE BOOK IS JUST GENERALLY DEEP, OKAY?
“The thing about a spiral is, if you follow it inward,
it never actually ends. It just keeps tightening, infinitely.”
I think that the plot was actually really cool?? At first I didn’t really know where it was going, yet I still couldn’t put it down, and then it all just fitted together at the end and I was honestly left a little underwhelmed? Hmn. That’s not the right word. It was more, “omg and that’s the end?” I just—I want more from this story okay?
The main character obviously had a lot of growth, but as did her best friend. HER FRIEND SAID SOME REALLY SHITTY STUFF (spoiler:1) mentally ill people are loads of work, and 2) you’re literally a gift from god to befriend them and “YOU’RE SUCH A GOOD PERSON FOR PUTTING UP WITH THIER PROBLEMS” end of spoiler) But, I think that she grew from it, and she started to understand Aza, which she should have tried to do sooner, imo. And yes, there was drama in the book, BUT IT DIDN’T GO ON FOR AGES, IT WAS SOLVED REALISTICALLY AND I’M SO HAPPY ABOUT THAT #f-f-friends-not-being-catty.
The romance was also really realistic for the age group?? They weren’t all experts on relationships and that’s another positive for this book!! IT WAS REAL. It was so so real and MY HEART CAN’T TAKE IT. DAVIS WAS CUTE AND SMOL AND I LOVE HIS POOR RICH SOUL AND I FEEL SO BAD FOR HIM. And it didn’t have the trope of “here’s a boy now all your problems are solved” and this is why John Green is amazing.
“We never really talked much or even looked at each other, but it didn’t matter because we were looking at the same sky together, which is maybe even more intimate than eye contact anyway. I mean, anybody can look at you. It’s quite rare to find someone who sees the same world you see.”
I mean,,,,, who else but John Green could make this,,,, beauty,,, dsegjmw;eonfreg.
And the metaphor in the title!! SO MANY PEOPLE COMPLAINED AND I’M JUST HERE GIGGLING BECAUSE, POEPLE, THIS IS WHAT JOHN GREEN DOES, OKAY? John Green is basically a metaphor king, okay?
I loved the bittersweet ending, and I don’t feel that there was something missing form this book, BUT I WANT MORE. Did I cry????? DEFINITELY NOT… YES OKAY I TEARED UP. It’s a John Green book people, what did you expect?
I AM SO GLAD YOU ENJOYED THIS LU!!! This was my first John Green Book EVER and I really liked it! I LOVED the OCD rep I loved the thought spirals I thought it was super well-written and the romance was super cute!!! And honestly?? PEOPLE WERE SO PICKY ABOUT THE TITLE BUT IT WAS BEAUTIFUL METAPHOR SERIOUSLY.
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OMG IM SO GLAD THAT YOU LOVED THIS BOOK TOO!! OMG THE OCD REP WAS BRILLIANT AND I CAN’T EVEN BECAUSE IT WAS SO RAW AND BRUTAL AND REAL.
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SHOULD I READ HIS OTHER BOOKS??!!
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YES!! ERM I LOKED LOOKING FOR ALASKA. AND MAYBE CHECK OUT PAPER TOWNS? OR TFIOS?
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OKAY THANKS LU ILY ❤ (also stranger things)
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NO PROBLEM ❤ (also yes)
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I recently put Turtles All the Way Down on hold at my library and I’m so excited to read it! 😊 I’m a little bit nervous because the book was very, very hyped when it came out… but you seem to have really enjoyed it, so I’m looking foward to see if I’ll feel the same way about the book as you 😋 Great review!
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ahhhh I hope that you read it soon!! Thank you so much!! I hope that you get to it soon, because despite all the hype, I really do think that it’s worth it ❤
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great review!!! ❤ LOOKING FOR ALASKA WAS MY JOHN GREEN FAVE TOO (move out of the way fault in our stars) AND I NEED TO READ THIS BOOK but honestly??? why wouldn't the cover have a stack of turtles on top of each other because that would be fantastic
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THANK YOU!!!
LOOKING FOR ALASKAAAAA!!! I cant remember a lot of it, because I read it SO long a go.
OR A SPIRAL MADE OF TURTLES???? READ ITTTTTTTT!!!! ❤
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but honestly i shouldn’t have expected a turtle stack/spiral because LOOK AT ALL OF JOHN’S COVERS lmao
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yes exactly!! THEYVE ALL GOT SOMETHING NOT REALLY RELATED BUT RELATED IN THE SMALLEST ASPECT!!
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I LOVE LU REVIEWS BECAUSE THEY MAKE ME WANT TO READ EVERY BOOK EVER INCLUDING THIS ONEEE AAAAA
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AHH STOP HANGING AROUND HERE AND GO READ IT WORMY. (but thanks that’s sweet)
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DO NOT CALL ME WORM YOU PEASANT
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I will WORM.
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I AM NOT A WORM
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YES YOU ARE
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GO AWAY <333
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NO
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YOUUU BULLYYY
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OH MY GOD SIS SAME. I literally JUST finished this book and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. I have to write a review for it but yours is everything I have to say basically??? So what I’m gonna do is write a post with links to this review lol. In all seriousness though, I loved this review and I think this may be my favorite John Green book, too 🙂 🙂 🙂
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AHH THANKS ❤
THIS BOOK. JUST. STOLE MY THOUGHTS. I think that this has seriously topped everything of his that I’ve read before!
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You’re welcome, and I must agree! I reeeally liked An Abundance of Katherines but this one definitely tops that!
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Ohhh I couldn’t get into that one??? OMG THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD I CAN’T EVEN.
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Apparently, a lot of people couldn’t??? Idk I was also a lot younger and just really impressionable and authors like John Green rEALLY impressed me. I feel like if I go back, I probably won’t love it as much.
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Ahh i see!! I think that it’s one of his slower books???
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I’m so glad you loved Turtles All the Way Down! I am currently reading it and it’s great, however I don’t think I’m loving it as much as some of John Green’s other books. Great review, Lu!💕
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Thank you so much!!! 💕💕 Tbh I thought the same thing to begin with, but then at the end I really loved it!! I hope that you enjoy it more as you read ❤️
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Thanks! Does it get better as the plot advances?❤️
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I personally think so??? 💕
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This book is awesome! I have mixed feelings about the ending. So I want there to be more, but I don’t want there to be a sequel.
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That’s exactly how I feel!!! I feel like there wouldn’t be much to a sequel, but I always want more after John Green books!
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Yes! I want to know what happened to David and Noah, especially. They need an epilogue too!
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YESSS!!!!! LIL SMOL DAVID AND NOAH.
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He could write a spin off novel about Davis and Noah! I would love that.
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YES!!
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This is definitely my favorite John Green book. For someone who has written about teen cancer and death, this book (imo) is even darker. Her mental illnesses are hauntingly realistic. I agree that it is a bittersweet end, but that is one of my favorite parts of the book. Most YA books with mental health “cure” the characters at the end–TATWD shows that it’s not that simple.
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Exactly!! I love how Aza isn’t “cured” because of a boy, and how even at the end she isn’t “cured”. I think that it’s raw and realistic and how more books need to be. I think that his writing just gets better and better!
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i’m so happy you enjoyed the book!!! We need more books to represent realistic health problems people face, and John isn’t afraid to go there <:
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Thank you so much!! And yes!!! Exactly!!
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Ahh what even was this book? BLOWN. AWAY. It was so amazing and such good OCD rep
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Same here!! Omg yes THE REPPPPP
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