“Turtles All the Way Down” Book Review

The+cover+of+Turtles+All+the+Way+Down+was+designed+by+Rodrigo+Corral.+The+book+was+released+in+the+United+States+on+October+10%2C+2017.

Photo provided by: Anna Wesley

The cover of “Turtles All the Way Down” was designed by Rodrigo Corral. The book was released in the United States on October 10, 2017.

Anna Wesley, Staff Reporter

 “Turtles All the Way Down” is a captivating story by John Green of how an anxiety-ridden teenager, Aza Holmes, deals with typical high school situations and real life challenges. Holmes is often accompanied by her best friend Daisy, who introduces Aza to the case of Russell Pickett, a billionaire gone missing after getting into monetary trouble with the government. As Aza and Daisy work to track down this criminal, they discover an interesting animal and the faults in their friendship while diving into the world of relationships. The girls are the stars of this exciting novel with its sweet and sour plot that can leave readers crying both tears of joy and sadness.

Green struggles with mental health problems and his rich detail from firsthand experience makes this book much more realistic. Even for those who cannot relate to that aspect of the writing, the plot alone is enough to satisfy anyone. Every time it seems that Green has stooped down to using classic cliches, the novel takes an unusual turn and his personal style of writing shines through.

However, the book is one of Green’s darker pieces in comparison to some of of his novels, including “Paper Towns” and “An Abundance of Katherines.” In “Turtles All the Way Down,” he exposes and discusses real obstacles that mental health patients face. This is not just a ‘light read.’ It evokes emotions and leaves the reader with a sense of sympathy and bigger-picture understanding.

“Turtles All The Way Down” is a wonderful read for those looking for something relatively short and brimming with teenage complications, excitement, and hormones.