Reviews tagging 'Classism'

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

14 reviews

rachelann88's review

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad fast-paced

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

4.0

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Self harm

Moderate: Death of parent and Abandonment

Minor: Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Classism, and Vomit

lavendervinegar's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense medium-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

5.0

Jfc
Cried a small.
Green has a supernatural (or maybe natural) to make the most beautiful, life-exploring stories out of tragedy.
Top 10 mental illness narratives (I haven't read thr Bell Jar yet)
Might be my favorite fiction from him, but Alaska is really close.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Abandonment, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death, Cursing, Grief, and Self harm

Moderate: Classism

annie_crossings's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

4.75

once again phenomenal. absolutely devastating read. aza’s struggles sometimes so closely parallel my own from when i was her age that i can’t believe she wasn’t based off of me at times. her spiralings on the belief of self are somehow inquisitive and interesting and horrifying and real. john greens writing is like a waterfall, so rich and honest, like a stream of consciousness that’s been composed into elegance. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Death of parent, and Blood

Moderate: Car accident, Grief, Confinement, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Medical content

Minor: Bullying, Alcohol, and Classism

avidales's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Grief, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Self harm, Classism, and Car accident

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, and Medical content

grboph's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

I read this book early in high school but decided to read it again because I didn't really remember anything about it. I liked it a lot - the story was creative and interesting, and I like that it portrays mental health conditions in such a humanizing way. Aza and Daisy's friendship was also great, and while I am admittedly a bit sad that Aza and Davis did not end up together, I think that was the most realistic thing that could have happened. It did feel a little teenager-deep at times, but in general, it was really entertaining and I'm very glad I decided to reread it! I'd recommend this one to anyone who is a fan of John Green or is interested in stories about mental health.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Death of parent, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Classism, Cursing, Grief, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Kidnapping

illgiveyouahint's review against another edition

challenging hopeful reflective medium-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

3.75

I really loved Aza's unique voice. It's clear that John has personal experience with OCD. The plot at first feels very John Green-esque until you realise the plot is not the point and it's only a means to an end. The first two thirds of the book were fine but felt kinda like any other John Green book but then the last third took up speed and really drew me in. Like this might end up being my favourite book of his after The Anthropocene Reviewed.
I'm glad this book exists so people can understand OCD a bit better.
Also there is just so many book references in this. That's such a John Green thing to do tbh

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment and Mental illness

Moderate: Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Car accident, Classism, Death, and Grief

Minor: Excrement and Forced institutionalization

judythedreamer's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

2.5

John Green is just not for me. He writes amazing philosophical spirals and character portraits but he neglects the story so much that there's little to no enticement to keep the train going.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Dysphoria, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Ableism, Blood, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, and Self harm

Moderate: Child abuse and Death of parent

paulabekkerus's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Classism, Death, Mental illness, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, Self harm, and Death of parent

Moderate: Blood

anielabooks's review against another edition

inspiring reflective tense medium-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

3.25

I enjoyed the representation of anxiety in this book a lot. I truly believe that this book might have helped so many people struggling to come to terms with their anxiety. However, it is a very character-driven book, which is not typically what I like to read. I was trying to get into the mystery aspect, but then it felt like that was scrapped halfway through. No judgement to people who love this book; it just wasn’t my thing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Death of parent, Self harm, Abandonment, Death, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Vomit, Medical content, Classism, Murder, and Grief

violetmysteries723's review against another edition

mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.5

It feels like this book is trying to be a story about mental health and a missing person mystery at the same time, and I unfortunately don't think it works here. I wasn't interested in the mystery plot line at all until the very end because the reveal was interesting to me, but then wasn't explored at all by any of the characters and left me disappointed. I was interested in learning more about Aza's struggles with her mental health, especially with the OCD part since that's something I've never experienced, but I feel there wasn't enough space in the book to dive deeper. 

Aza is a very passive main character, things seem to happen to and around her instead of because of her. Part of this seems to be because of her struggles with mental health, but she also doesn't actively move the plot forward when she has good mental health days. I empathize with her because it's clear that she doesn't choose to think and behave the way that she does, but she also struggles so much with basic things

like taking her meds as directed

that it doesn't feel like she actually wants to get better or relieve any of her symptoms. 

Daisy is annoying and unlikable at best, and a two-faced jerk at worst. The friendship arc between Aza and Daisy throughout the book is more of a line than an arc.

Daisy's redemption after the car accident doesn't feel earned at all. All the weight is put onto Aza for "being a bad friend" when in reality Daisy is the toxic one and the friendship should have ended immediately after Aza found out what Daisy was writing about her in all the fanfic.

Daisy doesn't seem to care about anything but herself, and I have no idea what her motivation is the entire book. 

Emotionally, none of these main characters felt like real people to me. Aza says she's upset about her mental health struggles, but her actions don't reflect that feeling. Daisy is one-note in every single scene, which is perhaps just her personality, but it would have been nice to see a little emotion from her at some point

- for example, when she and Michael break up

. Davis is very deadpan as well and it doesn't feel like he is ever as vulnerable with Aza as Aza is with him. 

Overall, I don't regret reading this book, but I do regret buying a physical copy. I pre-ordered a signed copy of the book back in the day which I still think is cool, I just wish it was a signed copy of a book I will actually want to read more than once. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Death of parent, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Self harm

Moderate: Body shaming, Car accident, Gaslighting, and Bullying

Minor: Grief, Blood, and Classism