Book of the Month: “Turtles All The Way Down” by John Green
PHOTO: “Turtles All The Way Down” by John Green follows the adventures of two high school juniors.
By Sarah Griffiths,
BlueDevilHUB.com Staff–
After the disaster that was 2020, everyone deserves a fresh start and to find some solace in a good book. Senior Susannah Costello shares her comfort read “Turtles All The Way Down” by John Green for January’s book of the month.
The novel follows Aza and Daisy, high school juniors from Indianapolis who become intrigued with multimillionaire Mr. Pickett’s disappearance after being accused of fraud. The book tells of the duo’s adventures negotiating relationships, following clues, and meeting ancient reptiles. The narrator Aza struggles with obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety.
Costello enjoyed the book in its entirety.
“I was hooked immediately by the plot but I think the book got better and better as I read because you learn more about the characters and their pertinence to the mystery which was really interesting,” she said.
Costello appreciated Green’s representation of mental illness.
“The greatest theme throughout the book was normalizing mental illness and finding a meaning in life greater than just surviving the bad things that happen to you. This is such a comfort book for me because I can resonate with nearly every character in one way or another. It’s the type of book where you feel like you’re a part of the story,” Costello said.
Her favorite line from the novel is “spirals grow infinitely smaller the farther you follow them inward but they also grow infinitely large the farther you follow them out” (John Green 284).
“I love this quote because it highlights the importance of point of view on situations. If you can change your perspective to see the glass half full, maybe you can change your whole life,” Costello said.
The novel emphasizes the idea that individuals carry more weight in their lives than it may seem.
“Turtles all the way down reminded me to always be kind to others as well as be kind and appreciative of myself and my life, no matter the current circumstances,” Costello said.
Costello recommends this book to everyone.
“It is such a captivating mystery with interesting characters and even has a little twist at the end. I’ve read this book two or three times and find it just as amazing each time, not a single page is boring. The last time I read it I finished it in a day,” she said.
