After the success of John Green’s best-selling novel, The Fault in Our Stars, he took a break from writing to pursue movie options for the popular novel and his third book, Paper Towns. When he revealed on his social media earlier this year that his new novel, Turtles All the Way Down, was set for release later in the year, eager fans were ecstatic. In the novel, John writes about a seventeen-year-old girl named Aza who suffers with an extreme anxiety disorder. After a billionaire fugitive evades a police raid, Aza and her best friend Daisy set out on a mission to find the fugitive to receive a financial reward. Along the way, complications weave their way into the storyline, as Aza begins to struggle with romantic feelings towards the fugitive’s son, Davis. Along with her own mental barriers, Aza’s life begins to take many unexpected turns.

Indeed, I absolutely loved this novel. From start to finish, I instantly identified with many of the characters in the novel as they faced their own issues and dilemmas. As per usual, John Green included some of his best inspirational life quotes in the book, which is his signature style. A quote towards the end of the novel, which reads, “You remember your first love because they show you, prove to you, that you can love and be loved, that nothing in this world is deserved except for love, that love is both how and you become a person and why”, instantly engages your emotions. While the plot had some predictable moments, John Green’s unique writing style definitely elevated the work. In the end, this novel certainly ranks among my top favorite John Green novels, as his realistic and relatable depiction of adolescents with anxiety truly captured my heart.

Rating: 4.5/5