Turtles All The Way Down




Name of the book: Turtles All The Way Down
Name of the author: John Green
Name of the publisher: Penguin Books
No. of pages:  286

This book is simply mysterious. It mysteriously binds together the main plot of mystery with the other sub-plots of love, friendship and filial relationships. Aza, the protagonist and the narrator of the novel suffers from bouts of anxiety because of germs that are within and without her; it is fascinating to view the world through her subjective frame as she and her best friend, Daisy become a part of an unsolved mystery voluntarily which propels the novel.

Russell Pickets, the fugitive billionaire goes missing and is sought after by the legal authorities desperately; an award of hundred thousand dollars is declared for the person who provides a cue to the mystery. It turns out that Pickets’ sons Davis and Noah were Aza’s childhood playmates. She and Daisy together embark on a journey of love, gloom, mystery and riches. The end could be easily misconstrued as ‘All’s well that ends well’, but John Green gives no such respite to the readers.

To navigate Aza’s world, the reader needs to be understanding, patient, open-minded and sympathizing. All of which is worthwhile as Aza’s struggles can be related with anyone else’s struggles in this world of perfectionism. She is an inspiring figure who learns to ‘go on’ despite her problems (the novel does not create a utopia for the readers). She is the most alluring character in the novel; others being more banal.

Though this book would be categorized as light and swift reading; the reader should not expect it to be  an escape into a world of fantasy. Read it to become aware of a defamiliar perspective on life and become a better human being in the process.
                                                                                                     -Kriti Malhotra

                                              

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