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Summary and Reviews of Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

Turtles All the Way Down

by John Green
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  • Critics' Consensus (12):
  • First Published:
  • Oct 10, 2017, 304 pages
  • Paperback:
  • Jun 2019, 320 pages
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About This Book

Book Summary

#1 bestselling author John Green returns with his first new novel since The Fault in Our Stars!

Sixteen-year-old Aza never intended to pursue the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there's a hundred thousand dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Russell Pickett's son, Davis.

Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts. 

In his long-awaited return, John Green, the acclaimed, award-winning author of Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars, shares Aza's story with shattering, unflinching clarity in this brilliant novel of love, resilience, and the power of lifelong friendship.

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Reviews

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While I've always enjoyed John Green's novels for smart (but not pretentious) writing and the natural vitality of his voice, Turtles All the Way Down is the first of his books where I felt his characters rise out of the pages to become their own complex, real-life people. Anyone who has enjoyed Green before will definitely find a new favorite here and even those who are on the fence about him may find new intricacies and nuance to his storytelling in Turtles...continued

Full Review (728 words)

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(Reviewed by Erin Szczechowski).

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Beyond the Book



Green Tries to Erase the Stigma Surrounding Mental Health

John Green has never shied away from weighty issues. From depression and potential suicide in his debut novel, Looking for Alaska, to terminal illness in The Fault in Our Stars, and now obsessive-compulsive disorder in his latest novel, Turtles All the Way Down, it seems that Green is at his strongest when he is exploring such meaty and delicate topics.

In Turtles All the Way Down, Aza's obsessive-compulsive disorder affects every area of her life, and is constantly on her mind. Green has not been silent about his own struggles with OCD, and recently gave an interview with Time on writing about an issue so personal to him. "I had to write with enough distance from myself to make it OK, to make it feel safe. And so Aza has somewhat ...

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Read-Alikes

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