Turtles All The Way Down is the fifth solo novel by acclaimed young adult literature writer John Green, published in 2017. It is the first novel written since Green’s breakout novel, A Fault in Our Stars.
As well, it is the second novel of his that I read, recommended to me by a close friend. At that time, I was living in a volatile mental situation, so having that way of distracting from all the noise was a way for me to partially heal. The copy I read originally belonged to former PHS art teacher Mrs. Perry, a good friend of mine.
The book’s topics help show my emotions during this unstable time. COVID had remained a thorn in the nation’s side, a constant in our news feeds. As such, Aza’s feelings of panic, overthinking, and anxiety fit well with the constant word soup that was news articles at the time.
Aza’s friend, Daisy, has a quote that rings true regardless of where or when I’m in a panic, existentially or not: “You pick your endings, and your beginnings. You get to pick the frame, you know?” This quote is the literary equivalent of chili on a cold day, and there’s two main reasons why:
- Daisy as a character allows me to reflect on what I have and don’t have, allowing me to be grounded in reality, but grateful.
- Chili on a cold day is the second best thing about winter. (The first obviously being snow.)
Turtles All the Way Down masterfully showcases the mental struggles of teenagers who feel distanced from the universe. I give Turtles All the Way Down 5 stars.
