“I is the hardest word to define.”
A complex novel, “Turtles All The Way Down” talks about sixteen year old Aza Holmes, a high school student from Indianapolis.
With her thoughts in a constant spiral downward, Aza is trying to solve a mystery involving the disappearance of the fugitive billionaire Russell Picket amidst a cloud of fraud and bribery accusations. Along with her fearless and unscrupulous best friend Daisy, Aza hopes to get the truth and the reward money - $100,000.
Investigating the disappearance of Pickett, Aza runs into her old acquaintance and Pickett’s son Davis – a privileged, troubled teen, still haunted by the passing of his mother nine years ago.
Despite the oddity of their respective situations, the two teens fall for each other.
But, with her compulsive thoughts and worries spiralling out of control.
Aza tries to get her investigation, her life and her budding love under control.
“Anybody can look at you. It’s quite rare to find someone who sees the same world you see.”
Aza has been living with her gnawing worries and bizarre compulsions all her life. Suffering from anxiety and OCD and dealing with her past tragedy.
Aza’s worries concentrate a major part of her mental makeup. Questioning the reality of her existence, Aza is trapped in a never ending circle. She worries that the microorganisms in her body might attack her, compelling her to take some risky measures.
“Being vulnerable is asking to get used.”
Davis is the eldest Pickett son. He thinks big, his hobby being astronomy. He is a sensitive kid grown up on the privileges of his father’s wealth but blind and oblivious to them.
His little brother Noah is the only family he has left with their mother having past nine years ago.
The brothers have very few means to survive on with their father having left all his money to the maintenance of his tuatara named Tua.
He is forced to fill the role of a parent to his younger brother and does so willingly.
“Worrying is the correct worldview. Life is worrisome.”
Review:
‘Turtles all the way down’ is a YA novel by John Green dealing with the issues of mental health and the complexities of personal relationships.
The book sheds light on teenage issues in a realistic manner displaying the problems faced by teenagers and the struggle to find their purpose in life. The book creates an awareness of the flaws we carry and the manner in which we affect others through our shortcomings.
With an epigraph by Schopenhauer saying
“Man can do what he wills, but he cannot will what he wills”.
The plot centres around Ava plagued by obsessive worrying and compulsive thinking who is a classic example of humans being unable to “will what he wants.”
The book offers a deeper understanding of the infinite regresses of human nature.
It is a raw and heartfelt read devoid of any drama, focusing on soul searching teenagers trying to find the meaning of life and their existence in it.
- Alisha Desai
F.Y.B.A
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