I found this book at my friendâs apartment and we decided to read it, partially for fun and as a joke, but it absolutely wrecked me. It was a couple nights before I left London, after my graduation, and I was in the whole job hunting process and I was hopelessly lost!
There was something about this whole idea that even though the book was meant for a kid, I never felt more connected to it, at that point it felt like every line was perfectly tailored to how I was feeling. Itâs also really interesting because I think it was his last published childrenâs book. kinda makes me think if he mightâve written it for himself as well, to cope with growing old?
Iâm turning 23 in a few days and Iâm right where I was (cluelessness wise) when I read this book several months ago⌠I think itâs okay not having everything sorted and figured out, just because you havenât yet met the goals youâve set doesnât mean you havenât been constantly learning something. âđ¤¸ââď¸đ§¸đ
Apr 28, 2024
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i know itâs a john green book and in theory thatâs not super smart and esoteric of me but this book means the whole world to me.
it was recommended to me by a doctor from the pediatric ward when i was hospitalized at 16 for anxiety. im not sure how he actually knew the nature of my thoughts given i wouldnât really tell anyone anything, but he thought this book would help me. i probably got around to reading it when was 17 and i wish that i had read it when the doctor told me to because it truly did change the way i view my obsessions, medication, therapy, hospitalization, etc etc.
the book follows a girl with ocd as she tries to solve a murder mystery type thing. i didnât necessarily care for the actual plot of the novel, but john greens descriptions of her thoughts and fears really hit home for me- and i feel that they would for anyone struggling with anxiety. the title hints at the manner the main character learns to cope with her anxiety, which is to view it as ultimately meaningless- âturtles all the way downâ, the same thing over and over again. theres a lot of a value in this thought process, especially for people who struggle with obsessive or intrusive thoughts. it goes against popular cultures understanding of mental illness, as something that means anything at all, something that has anything to do with the person suffering. its just an illness. greens personal experience with ocd gave him the ability to put this catharsis into words.
i would not be where i am with my own mental health without this book and i recommend it to anyone who struggles with anxiety.
++ bless up to the doctor in the Vanderbilt Childrenâs Hospital for having fire taste đ
Mar 10, 2024
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This book changed my life when I was 16, reframing the way I think about daily challenges and the ebb and flow of life and such. Thereâs an effortless clear-pilledness to these words. I return to them often and keep a pocket-sized version in my backpack at all times. Chapter 11 resonates the most with me right now.
Feb 22, 2023
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this book is so comforting for so many reasons. firstly, it is a very quick read (~100 pages), and secondly, it's main theme is learning how it is okay to be lost in your 20's or really at any age. it promotes the importance of transition periods rather than trying trying to escape the emotions. highly HIGHLY recommend as this book literally healed me <3
Apr 18, 2025
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readings.design - includes lots of PDFs
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Apr 26, 2024
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A perfect rom com! Simple and sweet. Gets you in the feels đđ
Apr 28, 2024
once you ignore all the plot holes and suspend your urge to think logically, this is such a comfort show.
Obsessed with the 90s of it allâŚ
Mar 4, 2025