The book could best improve regarding concrete detail and the overall fast pace of the writing. It is not going to magically go away, but there is a message of hope: that Aza will be able to better cope over time. Furthermore, she does not miraculously get better - her anxiety is clearly painted as something she will have to learn to live with, and her true friends will stand by her in support. John Green has discussed his own struggles with obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety, and the way Aza’s anxiety attacks are written and her subsequent actions are anything but romanticized. Readers may initially feel wary of Green’s use of anxiety as a plot or characterization device, but it is not exploitative. Aza’s anxiety revolves around a fear of bacteria and contamination, making everyday parts of life such as eating, touching unknown surfaces, and kissing difficult. She is not the typical rebellious and confident heroine of John Green’s novels, such as Hazel Lancaster from “The Fault in Our Stars” or Margo from “Paper Towns.” She meets with a therapist on a bi-weekly basis, begins taking Lexapro, and exposes the reader to her nervous ritual of reopening a finger wound only to sanitize it and bandage it again.

In rekindling the friendship, the two find numerous commonalities in regard to their experiences with loss and complexities of everyday life, allowing them to completely open up to each other.Īza struggles with anxiety throughout the novel, oftentimes to the point where she is unable to fully devote attention to what is going on around her. To make things more complicated, Davis happens to be the son of the very same missing millionaire, adding a personal aspect to Aza’s and Daisy’s investigation. During the course of the investigation, Aza reunites with her childhood friend, Davis. Daisy and Aza concoct a plot to find the millionaire, claim the reward, and use the money to go to college.

All of this changes, however, with the announcement of a $100,000 bounty for a missing local millionaire. Aza dreams of going to college, but as the daughter of a single mom, that means finances are a little tight. Her best friend Daisy has bright pink hair and writes Star Wars fan fiction. Her mom is a math teacher at her high school in Indianapolis. The story centers on Aza Holmes, a 16-year-old with a fairly ordinary life. Regarding its more realistic protagonist and discussion on anxiety, though, this is an unprecedentedly personal novel. 10, renowned young-adult author John Green released his latest novel, “Turtles All the Way Down.” This is the first book Green has written since releasing “The Fault in our Stars” in 2012, yet it still contains his trademark classic banter, quirky details, and quick pace.

All the way down book