Turtles All The Way Down Review

DISCLAIMER: This review  was originally posted on The Storygraph and Fable (follow me @valwithabook!). 

If you are curious as to how I rate books/original terminology, refer to My Rating System Explained

STATS~📑 TL;DR 

Vibes: Relatable internal teenage dialogue, staple-YA mystery plot, easy to read, likable and nerdy character, and a good, mature romantic interest.

Notable characteristics: The ending was great. The way John Green wrapped up Aza's story was, to me, the right way to do it. Not sugar coating mental illness, but still full of compassion. Also, the scene where Aza and David first kiss is one of my favorites I have ever read. You could tell Aza was struggling, and her conflicted feelings were truthfully spread on the page, with no room to hide. Her discomfort really shone through and I think it is a scene that the world needed to see.

Things that made me pause: This book's portrayal of Aza's deteriorating mental health (her slow spiral all the way down, if you will) was a raw and uncomfortable one at times. Yes, this book is funny. Yes, I would consider this book a  great fall/winter read. But it is not a happy one, nor is it comfortable. TW (moderate) include: self-harm, grief, death. 

Moon Rating: 4/5 🌙 The mystery plot is technically the premise of the book, but I think it is on the back burner most of the time; the novel is less about finding a missing billionare and more about Aza's experience with her mental health struggles, reconnecting with an old friend, and trying to keep her current relationships. I am a fan of character driven stories so that fact did not bother me.

Overall star rating: 4.75/5⭐

*Also, I consumed this book as an audiobook and I really enjoyed the reading experience! 

I am a big fan of books that are introspective, philosophical, and reveal something about the human condition. I find John Green’s writing style lends itself to that really well. I also think the book does a beautiful job at portraying anxiety and OCD, without romanticizing anything. Aza’s journey is a hard one, and certain scenes are difficult to get through, because of how tense and gruesome they are (which is the point). 

In terms of “plot,” I do think it’s on the subtle side, but I don’t see that as a bad thing. The story focuses on Aza’s experience with OCD, so the mystery she is solving is more of a subplot at times. I personally do not mind that at all because I enjoy character driven books, but it is something to consider.  I want to touch on the ending of the novel because as I was reading I kept wondering “how on earth can this novel end satisfactory?” Since it felt so “present” all the time (which is fitting, given that mental illness can make you feel stagnant and short-sighted), yet I find Green did it beautifully. Doesn’t mean it is a happy ending necessarily, but it was a good ending, one I hadn’t thought of, and I appreciate the execution. I will say that the last…20%? Of the book felt a little rushed, but I still enjoyed it. The romance aspect was handled amazingly all throughout IMO. Both Aza and David were mature in a way that I appreciate when it comes to YA contemporary novels, specially when dealing with mental health. 

And finally, the one critique I really have of this book has to do with the friendship (which I really enjoyed overall!) and the climax: <spoiler> When Aza and Daisy are having the fight before the car crash, Daisy’s claims seem a little unfounded to me. Don’t get me wrong, I totally think her frustration is valid, because loving someone with a mental illness can be really, really hard, and a friendship can feel unbalanced. That said, I found Daisy’s actions to “cope” with their friendship cruel and wrong. It had me questioning whether she truly loved Aza, especially because the way she expressed herself to Aza felt like she was calling her a burden (which is further demonstrated by the creation of the character in her fan-fiction). I know not all characters will be perfect, and maybe this is Daisy’s flaw showing, but I’m also worried that her claims can come off as “people with mental illnesses are burdens to their loved ones” without addressing the nuances, which I know is not what the author intended. That said, I do find some of her claims and her experience as valid overall, this is just my personal opinion. </spoiler> 

So yeah, I enjoyed the reading experience and TATWD is now a precious book to me because of how it handled OCD and anxiety, being existential yet sprinkling some dad humor (as a nerdfighter and John Green fan, I can sense this book meant a lot, with so many allusions to himself as a person), and wisdom over first loves and resilience.   

My fave quote is "no one ever says goodbye unless they want to see you again” (hitting you in the feels, right?)

Hope this review was helpful! 🧡 I think Aza's story is an incedibly important one to share, both for people like her and not, to be kinder and understand the struggles that exist regarding mental health. 

🧾 If you like this book you might want to try... The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (check TWs first!)