Turtles All the Way Down
Ratings473
Average rating3.9
More of the same John Green schtick, feels like The Fault in our Stars but with OCD instead of cancer.
Wow. What a powerful book. I had a lot of people say things to me like “I hope it's an accurate representation of OCD” and it really ticked me off because it is literally HIS experience with HIS OCD. No, he isn't the main character, but he put his own experience in her and no two people experience OCD like the same way.
I felt uncomfortable reading this, and that was the entire point. Bravo, John Green! He relayed his experiences so well that it really allows readers to—as much as possibl
Trying another book where the main character has OCD in hopes to feel a connection with someone who also has OCD. Will probably be a slow burn.
This is a touching book about what it means to struggle with OCD and anxiety. As someone who suffers from anxiety, this felt very true to me.
1/2 cute story and 1/2 debilitating mental illness. Has some flaws but is enjoyable. Can't wait to watch the movie!
4.3/5
I really enjoyed reading this book, and it took me only a day to finish it. I honestly think this is one of John Green's strongest work as I didn't really like his previous books, with the exception of The Fault in Our Stars.
The real power of the book lies in its portrayal of mental illness. Aza's struggles with OCD felt so raw and unfiltered. It wasn't sugar-coated, and I really felt sorry for her most of the time. It opened my eyes to what someone with OCD might go through every day. Daisy, on the other hand, is a total gem. She's very supportive, quirky, and fiercely loyal. Honestly, who wouldn't want a friend like her? I'm starting to miss my best friend who I haven't spoken to in years.
Now, the familiar John Green tropes are there. There's the quirky dialogue, the coming-of-age story, and the exploration of love and loss. I know his writing is becoming really predictable, but I think it adds a layer of comfort to the story.
Overall, Turtles All the Way Down is a thought-provoking and relatable story. It's funny, it's sad, and ultimately hopeful. If you're struggling with anything, mental health or otherwise, don't be afraid to reach out for help.
honestly a really good book but Aza's internal thoughts were a little bit too relatable sometimes
Heftig over de stoornis, maar het verhaal eromheen was soms echt heel erg verwarrend!
“And the thing is, when you lose someone, you realize you'll eventually lose everyone.”
I highlighted this quote because as someone with bpd it really stuck out to me and it's something that I have had breakdowns about.
“I'm sorry.”“You say that a lot.”“I feel it a lot.”
I've heard a lot of mixed reviews when it came to this book and I was so pleasantly surprised when I first began reading and realised how much of a cute and beautiful story it really is.
John Green has always had the ability to write characters that I can't help but root for and fall in love with.
“But you give your thoughts too much power, Aza. Thoughts are only thoughts. They are not you. You do belong to yourself, even when your thoughts don't.”
This is such great advice and it's something my own therapist has said to me. I needed to highlight it because it's a good reminder. I appreciate seeing a character who has the same thoughts and anxieties that a lot of people do in society. It makes me feel seen.
The characters were everything I wanted them to be and I can't express how happy that makes me. All of them quickly became special to me. I'm starting to see that John Green is the common denominator when it comes to that.
I could say so much more about this book but I would be here forever so what I'm going to say is that I am so happy I finally took the time to read this book and I will definitely be revisiting it in the future.
gave it four stars right after i finished but i read a few reviews that made good points so i bumped it down to three.
i thought this book would focus more on Pickett's disappearance, but it didn't and so now i'm questioning the reason for that plot line... i feel like everything that happened with Aza and Davis could have happened without his dad being missing. same with Aza's acquaintance with Noah. perhaps their dad could just be neglectful rather than literally gone and those conversations and stuff could've still happened.
i saw a lot of people complain about the amount of philosophical details but i personally enjoy that kind of stuff so i wasn't bothered by it.
I didn't hate it, but I certainly didn't love it. It was very underwhelming and fairly inconsistent.
Spoilers
She's terrified of germs, specifically c. Diff. But has no problem sitting in a sewer?! What? Nonsense.
Also, the rich man leaving all his money to a lizard just abandoned his family to go and die in said sewer? Just the whole ending is preposterous. I was waiting for him to be hidden in a bunker down there since his company was the one to build it. Would have made so much more sense even if it has been predictable.
I thought I'd be able to read YA forever but maybe I'm wrong, thanks John Green
“I is the hardest word to define [...]
Maybe you are what you can't not be.”
a very realistic depiction of that spiral of being inescapably yourself
I LOVED THIS BOOK.
I was hesitant coming into it because I was like “oh, its just going to be another John Green”, which I'm not mad about at all, but I was looking for something new and exciting.
Little did I know that this would be the first book I ever truly saw myself in.
The insight into Aza's mind as she struggled with her anxiety and intrusive thoughts, seeing her mind as a prison she could never escape, I saw myself relating to her more than I have any character.
At the beginning, I was very nervous that she was mentally ill and she was going to fall in love with Davis and it would magically cure her. But she put her mental health first and was open with him.
This book will forever be close to my heart.
Thank you, John Green, for giving me a character I finally truly saw myself in.
emma got me a hardcover SIGNED version of this book for Christmas i am gonna cry opening it
There isn't much happening here, was my first thought, bit I think that's a little bit the point. Most of this book os happening in the head pf Aza, a teen struggling with OCD. Good portrayal of mental illness, worthy of a John Green novel.
Solid John Green novel. Super similar to his other works (TFIOS, LFA). Girl meets boy, some type of romance, she's super quirky or unusual, wacky storyline.
I loved reading Aza's inner thought-processes as she struggled with her OCD and anxiety. I related to her at times and I also gained a new perspective on the inner-workings of someone with her disorder.
It could be preachy/cliché at times, but books typically have lessons woven throughout. Plus, that's just Green's style. The conversations between Aza and Davis make mine look like babble between babies. Half the time, I had to rewind to try and absorb information on the stars or how earth was formed.
I like that the characters were complex. Daisy and Aza were a great duo to follow along with. Also, the Star Wars fan-fics were funny. Noah and Davis were cool, too, plus the tuatara deserves a mention.
Would recommend if you're a fan of Green's works, would like to read the POV of someone with OCD and/or anxiety, or you're a sucker for an odd romance story. Encased in the story following Aza was a Where's Waldo mystery, but Waldo is rich man with a troubled past (gasp).
As a final note and unrelated reference, here's all I could think about as I read:
“Turtles. Where are the turtles?” - Michael Scott (The Office US).
lmao sucks
have been reading a lot of shitty books lately :/
keep getting disappointed.
I really enjoyed this book. I think getting to experience someone else's point of view when dealing with mental illness is comforting in a way. It's reassuring to a point where it's like hey, I know it's difficult but you're not alone. This book was really relatable!
I love the way it helps you see things from a different perspective and teaches so much, it's a very good story, as always, John Green gives a natural and very well written story full of teachings, love and friendship
I have such mixed feelings about this book
Pros:
-very well written, deep, thoughtful, poetic
- many good quotes and phrases
- excellent explanation of what it's like to live with anxiety and OCD
Cons
- too many f-bombs
- a bit too crude for my liking.
- I'd hesitate to recommend it to YA readers due to some of the content.
Somehow John Green always finds the perfect words. I don???t know how he does it. He just seems to be magically able to explain emotions and specific feelings. I have almost nothing in common with Aza and somehow I don???t think I have ever related to a character more. They way her thoughts overwhelm her. She can???t control what she thinks.
In the beginning I was concerned it would be one of those books where the main character keeps secrets from the ???love interest??? and then it falls apart because of it. But I shouldn???t have. It was brilliant how everything happened. Not overly dramatic, but the exact right amount of stuff going on.
I found it really interesting how Aza feels like she isn???t in control, like she isn???t real. Like a million things are deciding what she does instead of her deciding for herself. Which is a thing that many people actually struggle with and have trouble with. But at the same time she isn???t real. She???s a character in a book.
Edit: I talked about this book with a friend of mine and I agree with his insight. It seems that all Green's books are the same. It's always a person that is weird or mentally ill in some way. Then one falls in love with the other and about 2/3 of the way in the books something terrible happens/ is revealed. Of course I still liked the book but it does take away some of it. I mean I did anticipate the big reveal. So I am deducting a star..