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candiecane333's review
sad
slow-paced
1.0
I wasn't the right audience for this book. First, the "humor" was lacking for me. I'm not into self depreciating light hearted humor. I'm into dark satirical humor so I didn't find any part of this book funny. I had to keep myself from rolling my eyes alot. Second, wasn't a fan of the main character, an emotionless narcissist but was somehow not depressed just didn't make sense. Third, a story about someone's day-to-day life never makes an interesting story. His life was very mundane & the inner monologue style made it very slow & rambly. If the premise of the book centered around Rachel the Movie, it could've been worthwhile. Fourth, I wasn't a fan of the tone or writing style. And last, not a fan of the clique/racist stereotypes & sexism. A little creativity with Earl's home life could've made a difference. Nothing interesting or insightful about making a Black kid come from a single mom, dad in jail, gang banging/drug dealing family. The fact that all the girls had no depth, only describing their physical characteristics & even the title "the dying girl" instead of her name was very reductive. Overall I didn't hate this book but I didn't really find any redeeming parts to enjoy
joana_stormblessed's review
1.0
i know but lot of people like this book, but not me. i read it in a few hours so thats a plus: its a fast read; however i did not enjoy the book. i almost didnt finish it but then i wanted to know what was going to happen.
so i dont want to fully bash this book, so here are the lists of what i liked and of what i did not like:
I LIKED the plot in itself. the story had good potential and thats why i kept reading. i also liked the pacing
I DID NOT LIKE the millions of swearing, the crude humour. i dont think that it was necessary.
so i dont want to fully bash this book, so here are the lists of what i liked and of what i did not like:
I LIKED the plot in itself. the story had good potential and thats why i kept reading. i also liked the pacing
I DID NOT LIKE the millions of swearing, the crude humour. i dont think that it was necessary.
sccrethistory's review
3.0
i like it but it wasnt what I expect... I was waiting for more but I like the book
juan_adhd_reading's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
It was fine. I really liked the format of the book, and how sometimes it changed to a script, bullet notes, etc. I think the way it’s written made it incredibly easy to read and finish quickly. I mean, it’s probably one of the fastest books I’ve read this year, and it provided a well needed break from the fantasy books I was reading before.
The thing is, I didn’t really liked the characters that much. And I get that Greg is not supposed to be a good protagonist, because this is at its heart, a subversion of the typical John Green sickly girl YA romance. But still, it kind of got tiring and a bit cringy at times. I think whether you like this book or not depends a lot on whether you find Greg funny. I didn’t really get it. His jokes were really childish and gross, more something I would expect from a 12 year old, but maybe I’m just getting too old for this kind of YA. Idk. Some of the jokes were borderline racist, homophobic or misogynistic in some way, which some might say it was the culture at the time, but is still no excuse.
Anyway, I still suggest giving it a chance, especially if you’re a fan of John Green but are looking for something different. I’m still gonna watch the movie, see how that goes.
The thing is, I didn’t really liked the characters that much. And I get that Greg is not supposed to be a good protagonist, because this is at its heart, a subversion of the typical John Green sickly girl YA romance. But still, it kind of got tiring and a bit cringy at times. I think whether you like this book or not depends a lot on whether you find Greg funny. I didn’t really get it. His jokes were really childish and gross, more something I would expect from a 12 year old, but maybe I’m just getting too old for this kind of YA. Idk. Some of the jokes were borderline racist, homophobic or misogynistic in some way, which some might say it was the culture at the time, but is still no excuse.
Anyway, I still suggest giving it a chance, especially if you’re a fan of John Green but are looking for something different. I’m still gonna watch the movie, see how that goes.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer and Drug use
Minor: Biphobia, Toxic friendship, Body shaming, and Homophobia
chuskeyreads's review
5.0
At first, I was like, “What the crap am I reading?!” But as I got into the book, I couldn’t stop laughing. The wholly inappropriate boy humor and foul language reminded me of a time when I would watch Eddie Murphy Raw and laugh until my sides ached- it’s that kind of humor. Definitely not for the younger end of the YA spectrum.
This author really gets teenagers- the angst, the drama, the narcissistic self-absorption - all of it.
Earl is probably my favorite character because I’ve taught many “Earls” over the past 16 years. I can’t help it - I’m a fan!
Greg, the self-deprecating narrator has such a dry sense of humor that he can make the most mundane sentences hilariously funny.
Don’t be fooled though - there’s some sad and seriously deep parts as well (I mean, come on! It’s in the title!). So far, this is one of my favorite reads this year; thus, the 5-star rating.
This author really gets teenagers- the angst, the drama, the narcissistic self-absorption - all of it.
Earl is probably my favorite character because I’ve taught many “Earls” over the past 16 years. I can’t help it - I’m a fan!
Greg, the self-deprecating narrator has such a dry sense of humor that he can make the most mundane sentences hilariously funny.
Don’t be fooled though - there’s some sad and seriously deep parts as well (I mean, come on! It’s in the title!). So far, this is one of my favorite reads this year; thus, the 5-star rating.
lastpaige111's review
5.0
Jesse Andrews is one seriously funny guy. Greg S. Gaines and his humility hour captured me from the start and kept me rollicking through the novel even though said narrator kept advising me to stop. His self-referential asides and total smash of the fourth wall made me think of Beckett with a sense of humor.
My favorite male teen character is now Greg S. Gaines. I have a few others who are in second place, but this review is about Me & Earl & the Dying Girl.
I'm so honored to know Maggie Lehrman, who edited this novel, just a little bit, and I cannot wait to see the film.
I'm even going to go back and watch some Warner Herzog and Rainer Fassbinder films all over again for the first time in decades. That in itself shows the power of the written word.
My favorite male teen character is now Greg S. Gaines. I have a few others who are in second place, but this review is about Me & Earl & the Dying Girl.
I'm so honored to know Maggie Lehrman, who edited this novel, just a little bit, and I cannot wait to see the film.
I'm even going to go back and watch some Warner Herzog and Rainer Fassbinder films all over again for the first time in decades. That in itself shows the power of the written word.
kaiteayu's review against another edition
1.0
*spoilers*
“This is the funniest book you’ll ever read about death.” No, no, it’s not.
“Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl” is about a senior in high school who doesn’t have the maturity of a 17 to 18-year-old. The comedy feels like it’s for a middle school boy. Greg, the main character, has no filter and says the most random out-of-pocket things. There are slurs in the book, and very sensitive topics are made into jokes, and for me, I don’t care for that. One was the two main characters, Greg and Earl, insulted Vietnamese food, saying the ingredients in the pho look like nutsacks and butt wholes (mind you, this is on the last page of the last chapter, absolutely no character development). The characters don’t have to be the brightest people, but they could at least be respectful. But Greg, if you read the book, can’t even be a decent human being for a dying girl(Rachel), so I don’t know what I expected. I didn’t laugh once at any of the jokes. There were some parts that we’re okay but not enough to make me forget about the negatives. The audiobook helped and I liked the voice actor for Earl. I remember liking the movie when I watched it a few years back. I recommend just watching the movie. Quick read, but don’t waste your time with this book. 1.5/5 Stars.
“This is the funniest book you’ll ever read about death.” No, no, it’s not.
“Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl” is about a senior in high school who doesn’t have the maturity of a 17 to 18-year-old. The comedy feels like it’s for a middle school boy. Greg, the main character, has no filter and says the most random out-of-pocket things. There are slurs in the book, and very sensitive topics are made into jokes, and for me, I don’t care for that. One was the two main characters, Greg and Earl, insulted Vietnamese food, saying the ingredients in the pho look like nutsacks and butt wholes (mind you, this is on the last page of the last chapter, absolutely no character development). The characters don’t have to be the brightest people, but they could at least be respectful. But Greg, if you read the book, can’t even be a decent human being for a dying girl(Rachel), so I don’t know what I expected. I didn’t laugh once at any of the jokes. There were some parts that we’re okay but not enough to make me forget about the negatives. The audiobook helped and I liked the voice actor for Earl. I remember liking the movie when I watched it a few years back. I recommend just watching the movie. Quick read, but don’t waste your time with this book. 1.5/5 Stars.