Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

Narrated by Kate Rudd

Synopsis (via Goodreads): 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. 

“We never really talked much or even looked at each other, but it didn't matter because we were looking at the same sky together, which is maybe even more intimate than eye contact anyway. I mean, anybody can look at you. It's quite rare to find someone who sees the same world you see.” 

I've always been a fan of John Green's books, but I think Looking for Alaska is still my favorite. There was just something about the story that's always stuck with me. Turtles All the Way Down was also really, really good. It taught me something about myself, and showed me a mindset I'll likely never experience.

Aza was a very compelling character. From the outside, she might come across as self-centered and oblivious to most things around her, but in reality she has an ongoing issue that she struggles with constantly. How would you deal with having something nag at you over and over again at the back of you mind, and never escaping it? She's a young girl struggling with herself and her thoughts, but also trying to navigate the life of a teenager.

I really enjoyed how John Green showed Aza battling with herself throughout the book. She has this voice in her head, her voice, so she cannot get away from it. It's always present, and frequently shouts at her to do things she knows are unreasonable. It's like she's both marionette and puppeteer. However, in her case the other thoughts usually win and she caves into her downward spiral. 

Daisy was an awesome best friend. They had their moments, like all friendships do, but she's never wavered from Aza despite how difficult things could be. She understood that her friend was different, even if she couldn't grasp the extent and severity of it. Their "falling out" was probably one of my favorite parts. It allowed Aza to see how Daisy felt, and made her aware of thoughts and feelings she had previously missed.

Despite all of the problems Aza faces, John Green throws in a mystery to be solved. I liked how that tied everything together, and brought her closer to Davis. Davis was interesting all on his own, and seemed to share her knack for words and intriguing thoughts. He may not have had the same mental issues that Aza was dealing with, but he was going through a lot. He still viewed the world in a positive way, and I think his presence had a positive impact on Aza.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable read. I might not have understood most of the Star Wars references, but it made me like Daisy even more!