Reviews with content warning for Vomit - Turtles All the Way Down

Very quick read (listen)! Aza and her inner voice are compelling and engaging. The plot outside of Aza is interesting and moves the story along without taking from or forcing the conversation around Aza's intrusive thoughts and actions.

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alybark's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

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onlyapples's review against another edition

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hopeful informative lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

John Green's first hand experience with mental illness really shines through.

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dreamcat's review against another edition

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challenging emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Slow start and middle, but by 3/4 of the way through, I was invested. The conversations are unrealistic. I've never met people who quote poetry as much as these characters do - and it's almost EVERY character. But the metaphors are beautiful and touching and I felt Aza's anxiety and OCD was portrayed well. The missing billionaire seemed more like an unnecessary side plot; especially when Aza herself says "no, mom - my worsening mental health has had nothing to do with the money." So... Why is this a part of the book if it has no influence on your mental health? The whole mystery didn't actually seem to affect Aza at all. It just gave her a reason to have a boy crisis. Overall: beautiful metaphors and great portrayal of anxiety. Not much plot or realism.

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hannah_lilli's review against another edition

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challenging emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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kosmos42o's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful informative mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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maryfranvs's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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petrichorandcoffee's review against another edition

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challenging reflective

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

An honest, compelling representation of OCD in a way I've never read before - very hard to read (emotionally) and very well done. A lot of the dialogue and romance between Davis and Aza is, for lack of a better word, cringey (it feels like it is trying way too hard to be "deep"). Some great one-liners. The crux of the plot (the missing person's case) has some serious holes. Some interesting commentary on the different layers of wealth and privilege - not revolutionary or anything, but interesting. Overdone a little when it comes to the mother/daughter conversations about Davis. I like how it showed how challenging it can be to love someone who struggles with Aza's form of OCD, and also how it isn't Aza's fault.

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