Book Review: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Hi, everyone!

It's good to be back and reviewing for you all!

Today's book is Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews. Check it out:

It is a universally acknowledged truth that high school sucks. But on the first day of his senior year, Greg Gaines thinks he’s figured it out. The answer to the basic existential question: How is it possible to exist in a place that sucks so bad? His strategy: remain at the periphery at all times. Keep an insanely low profile. Make mediocre films with the one person who is even sort of his friend, Earl.

This plan works for exactly eight hours. Then Greg’s mom forces him to become friends with a girl who has cancer. This brings about the destruction of Greg’s entire life.

Confession time: I haven't seen the movie yet nor did I read the book summary. I went into the book basically blind to any knowledge of what it was. I had heard lots of praise, seen that 30 second movie trailer, and thought I knew what the basic plot of the book was. I was wrong.

I had been expecting some sort of sappy, loving story about losing a friend to cancer-heartwarming, you know? Instead I got this mismatched journal of a hilarious teen named Greg sharing his story of senior year, in which he became friends with a dying girl.

I feel like it's my duty to warn you--there's a lot of swearing and it doesn't follow any certain form of writing. I found it fun though that the narrative parts of the story were broken up by bullet lists and movie scripts. It made it really feel like a film making, regular teenager might write.

There are so many jokes and funny things that go on page after page. I always seemed to laughing or snorting or giggling at something. This book brings the very heavy topic of someone trying to support not only himself, but a friend that has cancer and the way it affects his life with humor and wit and a unique and refreshing point of view. I enjoyed Greg's perspective of this turning point in his life, and how we could still see the deeper emotional impacts on him, despite his reluctance to ever admit to anything less than a joke.

Although I went into this book knowing basically nothing about it and expecting to cry, I'm really glad it turned out to be the complete opposite, making me laugh and showing me a unique compilation-like story of our dear Greg.

Keep on reading! I hope you have a great day!

Victoria