Looking for Alaska is my favourite John Green novel too! I also loved 🐢. Totally not what I was expecting the story to be like, but like you said I feel like I have so much more empathy and understanding having read it!
Im reading this currently and as someone who does suffer from OCD I was absolutely in LOVE with the OCD rep. I do feel understood. It feels real with out feeling forced, it feels honest with out feeling overwhelming. I cant wait to finish it!
Btw, you can find a lot of gems if you look for diverse YA books. They're often very underrated, and more "hidden", but there are some really great diverse YA books out there. For example Of Fire and Stars, Tiny Pretty Things, Labyrinth Lost, If I Was Your Girl, Shadowshaper, and I could go on and on. And a couple of popular diverse books that are pure gems: Six of Crows, The Hate U Give, and all of Adam Silvera's books.
*I had such a horrible day at work, thank you so much for always making me smile, ariel! Please upload as many videos as you can, you're amazing and make me very happy ! i hope i can work hard one day through my videos and meet you, keep making people smile :) !*
I also loved it! I was interested to see how I would react to a John Green book now at the age of 22, but it still felt as sweet and inspiring as it did when I read his stuff as a teenager. And what a joy that is.
I think what you're identifying (with tropes) is true for any type of genre. If you read a lot of sci fi, or fantasy, or romance, or horror, etc. you will find things that are the same in each book. Then you finally find something that inverts expectations or does something different with a similar premise and you are so excited! At least, that happens with me. I also agree with this book. Wasn't sure how this would affect me, and then it REALLY affected me. I suffer from anxiety and bad thoughts and it was represented in such an important way. Loved your video!
LOVED watching this! Squealed when I saw your name on the acknowledgements- I *love* watching your videos and it is so fun and exciting that you got to peek at this book and make recommendations before it released. I *love* the own voice of someone suffering from OCD writing this book, my favorite parts were those where Aza was "talking" with her OCD. SO SO GOOD.
Thank you! No one has done an in depth review (obviously it just came out), but I've been waiting with baited breath since I finished it. I fear a lot of people will compare it to TFIOS and miss the mark on how great of a book this is. I don't think this is my favorite by him, but I do think it is the best one he's written.
I legitimately screamed when I saw you in the acknowledgements! Also I agree so strongly with how you feel about the hopeful ending, especially what you say in your Goodreads review about how once you leave high school and go to uni your life changes completely. I really felt that.
as someone who suffers from OCD I have to comment on just how grateful I am for the existence of this book. it feels so good to be able to read a book and actually recognize your daily struggles accurately portrayed, and reminds me that the chaos inside my brain is not who I am, but my illness, and that I am not alone. at the same time, it is also a GREAT awareness mechanism! John Green has a huge following, and perhaps Turtles' success will help decrease the stereotypes and "I'm so OCD" jokes around
I loved this book! Like really, really loved it! It was so sad and so hard to read though, like you said. Last night it was super late, but I couldn't put it down because I was balling and I didn't want to go to sleep upset. It is just written soooooo well that you feel everything Aza feels and it was so hard to read, but that's what makes this book so important. I agreed with everything you said, you put into words so many things I couldn't articulate about why I loved it.
Girl I saw your name in the acknowledgements and freaked out! That is so so cool! I also loooved this book it was the first book I read straight through in one day in a long time. Just an amazing book :)
The comment about angst is why I absolutely hated the reading experience of Eliza and Her Monsters. MC Eliza was just constantly miserable and confrontational with almost everyone she ever encountered and it made the book so unpleasant that it overshadowed the narrative for me, which wasn't all that bad. I'm glad to hear TATWD doesn't do this because the angst factor is pushing me away from YA as well. Maybe I'll pick this one up sooner rather than later. :)
I started and finished the book today and I also loved it so much. I didn’t know it was Own Voices and now I love it so much more. I was very nervous to pick this book up- because I loved his other books when I read them but I was much younger. And now I can see many issues with those books that I didn’t then. I was afraid this would be more of the same. And it wasn’t. It was so good. Congrats on the mention! I’m so happy you could be a part of making this book as good as it is.
I was so pleasantly surprised when I saw your name in the acknowledgedments! Congratulations! And I totally agree with you on these points, this is an excellent review 💕
I bought the book when it first appeared and never read it. Now, years later I decided why not (basically John reminded me of the book when he announced the movie on tiktok) and I read half of it today. Didn't expect to love it sm.
You nailed how i was feeling while reading and finishing the book. I just finished it twenty minutes ago and i have no clue how to describe it. What it was about how it was portrayed, the characters, how there was pain and struggle and that’s life. It was phenomenal.
Dear Ariel Bissett, I'm enthused & so happy you found such a great writing tool-that typewriter. You might also want to check out electric typewriters & word processors combined, they store words on either built in memory capacity or on floppy disks. These TW/WP are easy to find on ebay, some run on batteries. Just thought I'd pass along the info. Smiles, Jim K.
I honestly wasn't going to read this because I'm not the biggest John Green fan. I LOVED Paper Towns and read The Fault in Our Stars but imo it didn't live up the hype. It was good but not AMAZING. However, my dad has OCD and while it's getting better over the years with treatment, he definitely still struggles with it daily and never being able to completely understand him, I'm hoping this will help. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS REVIEW! P.S Congrats on the acknowledgement, totally deserved! :)
I absolutely adored this book. I feel like the writing was totally different from John Green's other novels, and not what I expected, but still amazing. I've struggled with OCD for years, and at times, I felt like I was reading about my own life. Aza's issues and thought processes felt so similar to my own it made me feel so understood. I’ve found it difficult to find an accurate representation of OCD in literature, but probably due to his own struggles, I think John Green nailed it on the head. I haven’t felt this excited about YA in months! As you said, it’s truly a gem.
First of all - it is ABSOLUTELY cool that you are in the acknowledgements! I can't even imagine how cool would that be! Second - I love how Aza does not become unlikable because of the fact that she is sick and also, because she is not cured at the end of it! All the characters are so real that its one of the reason why this book is such a gem!
I screamed a little when I saw your name on the last page, haha! Such a cool surprise :) I'm glad you love the book as much as I do, and while I was reading it and Aza was on her phone, I actually thought about your video on this :)
As a person who doesn't suffer from OCD, but do have other mental health problems (Aspergers and anxiety), I was really blowned away about how real and authentic it was written. I've read YA books specifically about asperger's and specifically about anxiety, and though somethings were relatable (at best) they never struck me as real, and often quite stereotypical. I've never had any of the specific problems that Aza, or John Green, suffers from. A lot of the paragraphs were hard to wrap me head around, thoughts and experiences that had never occured to me was how OCD was like. But, and most importantly, at the same time I strongly related to a lot of the feelings and thoughts Aza had. It really blew me away how a person suffering from so vastly different things than me still experinced literal feeling and literal thoughts that I myself struggle with. Also note how I called Aza a person: The story maybe fictional, but the struggle with mental health is the most accurate I've ever read.
I also loved it. Haven't received my physical copy yet but listened to the audiobook twice now because I felt like I didn't take it in enough the first time. Especially love the portrayal of mental health and thought spirals, the internal monologue is so great in the audiobook, and yeah likewise feel like I'm going to be more empathetic through digging into the character of Aza. Can't wait to make a video about it, although one thing I think is kind of a shame is that to me it seems like a quiet book, like the kind of narrative that would be most helpful to those dealing with mental health issues if they discovered it alone and really bonded with it, which is a kind of relationship it's hard to have with such a hyped book... but that's inevitable when it comes to John Green. So cool you got to be a part of it! Sealed in paper forever :)
I finished reading this book a few days ago, and now I'm just watching videos on youtube about it to see what other people think about. And my copy is the limited jacket poster, I cherish it with all my heart.
I really got to read this book. I have OCD and other mental heath problums and I find it really hard to find representation that is accurate and meaningful. Thanks for the spoiler free review!
I remember first reading your name in the acknowledgments like WOAH! I'm only a chapter into TATWD and I think it's going to be a good one, I've already gasped.
"people are going to read this book and feel understood." EXACTLY!!!!!! I agree with all the reasons, I've social anxiety and it felt so good to finally read about a character who's always stuck inside her head, It made me feel so happy. This is the most relatable book ever.
Hey Ariel!!! I was wondering if maybe you could do a follow up video to your "how to be more sustainable" video? It's inspired me so much and I'd love to see how your journey is going!
Fantastic video April. I think this is one of the most wonderful review videos you've done. I don't read I lot of YA anymore, but I will definitely be checking out John Green's new book. Thanks for taking the time to film this. I really appreciate it.
I loved that you said that the characters are real. I feel the same way. I have read a few goodreads reviews saying it’s unrealistic saying that young people don’t speak the way they do and that they don’t deal with mental illness the way that the book describes which is incredibly disappointing that people can be so ignorant on others struggles. I loved this book it’s the first time Ive ever felt a book understood me.
DANG! I also haven't read An Abundance of Katherines and my favorite John Green novel is also Looking for Alaska. I think Looking for Alaska deserves a movie.
What I loved was that it made me ask myself loads of questions, about what makes me me, who I am, how I see myself compared with how others see me. On pretty much every page there was a new way of thinking about this. Paper Towns is still my favourite, but this was a delight to spend time with.
Modestysnooze I’m so glad you loved it too!!!! I think Looking for Alaska is still my favourite (I really need to reread it to remember it better since it’s been like 6 years!) but this is my #2 now!
Ariel Bissett waited with posting until the end, as I always do. It wasn't fully apparent to me (but I have always been a person that likes expressing myself with scientific accuracy). It's probably just me, because hello ADD and ASD... I will still wait with buying the book, because I want to save for and invest in other stuff first.
i'm left with a question: can OCD plague a person who has no fear of death? when followed through to conclusion, isn't all OCD anxiety ultimately death anxiety?
I just finished reading the catcher in the rye, watched your video about that, then end up here and I love the passion you expressed yourself with, I'm subscribed now haha
I picked the worst possible time to go on a book buying ban..... right when Turtles All the Way Down came out. Gahhhh. How awesome is it that you are in the acknowledgements!!! Well done, Ariel!! So special he even personalised your book. Are you going to read An Abundance of Katherine's?? I LOVED Looking for Alaska, too.
I'm only watching your video now because I wanted to read this book without having read or heard any opinions on it that might influence me ! I'm here now that I finished it, and I AGREE WITH YOU SO MUCH And like you, I think that this is a really important book, it really opens our eyes on OCD and that way I think we can understand people in our lives who suffer from it better. It's really well described in this book and we understand. We can't fully understand how it's like of course but we can understand how hard it is. Also, I was really happy to see you in the acknowledgements, this was a good surprise !
I ordered my copy through Book of the Month and they only ship to the US so I have to wait until I get back from study abroad to read it but come January I'm going to like come home, hug the fam, kiss the dog, then marathon that book SO HARD. But honestly I'm so proud of John for writing this particular book and I'm so excited to read it. I think it'll be a new favorite for me.
I saw your name in the acknowledgements and I was like, whaaaaaat? That's so cool! Totally agree with everything you said. I want to find more ya books with perspectives very different from my own. (I do suffer from mental illness so I mostly related to this one)
I'm dying to read it! but I don't live in the US or Canada so my bookstores don't have it yet! but your review made me really want to read it more! I've loved every John Green book I've read! my favorite without a doubt is Looking or Alaska, I hope I love this one as much.
so...I found you because I love Turtles all the way down and I am excited about it and want to hear what others think about it and have no one to discuss it with. watching your review led to other vlogs and i loved "Why Am I Still On BookTube?" Thus I'm subscribing and hoping that you introduce me to all sort of books. As a middle aged person who has fallen out of love with reading in the last few years, I'm excited to approach it once again with fresh eyes, and also appreciate it won't all be YA.
It is so cool to have someone in our community get acknowledged in such a popular book. I'm curious, when you read the book did they ask you to give notes? anyway, congratulations! Im excited to get my hands on a copy! which will happen when we see him and Hank on tour Tuesday! :D yay! Great review Jessica
Just in reference to the comment about how John Green respects his readers and "doesn't dumb it down"... This is the first John Green book I have read as a full fledged "adult", the first time i read a book (tfios) i was 16. Reading this book i was thinking "how do teenagers understand this level of complexity" etc when I realised, that I was a teenager understanding that level of complexity not too long ago. I don't know why society seems to think that teenagers lack all ability to critically think and analyse, but I (and my teenage self) want to thank John Green for noticing that we/they do.
Half way through the book myself, and you said "You don't want to read it" and I'm almost at that point. Because it's just making me emotional to read what's happening to Aza. For sure going to finish it tomorrow since I have the day off and can do a few chapters at a time.
I think you should do more videos like this, its so much better than reviews imo (sorry.. i dont love reviews) but this kind of video is awesome and is really making me want ti get that book!
I got the e-audiobook from the library on release day (still waiting for my pre-order to get here in the mail), and devoured it in one day. I cried twice. I loved so many aspects of this novel, but will leave it at that to keep the comments spoiler free.
Unpopular opinion but I’ve never fallen in love with John Green’s writing. I’ve only read TFiOS and Looking for Alaska and they were three star reads at best.....I can’t really explain why :/ I wasn’t going to pick up his new one but your enthusiasm is definitely swaying me! Also being in the acknowledgements is SO COOL
Thanks so much for posting this video. I finished Turtles All The Way Down a few hours ago and I had difficulties putting my thoughts together and your video helped me compose my thoughts/opinions about this book. I also think that this will be one of those intense, confusing, thought-provoking YA novels, which is great :)
The whole way through this video I was wondering whether you matched your clothes to the book intentionally. Very nice attention to detail indeed :) Can't wait for my copy of Turtles to come in the mail!
ARIEL ,YOU ARE MY ROLE MODEL( really), can I grow up to be like you?You have always been a great inspiration for me. I'm very curious to know how you got to work with John Green like that's so cool ! I've not read any of John Green's books before ,but I really want to, but Im not sure which one to start,you definitely convinced me to read Turtles All The Way Down . I'm not a constant reader, but I guess I have to make time to read this one especially when I'm dealing with a lot of teenage problems currently. I LOVE your review in this video and at goodreads,i thought that it's the best review EVER. and hello, Ariel's name in the acknowledgement? I GOTTA read it!
I'm glad you made this! I've been nervous to read TATWD because I didn't want to be disappointed. I'm still going to keep the hype low but now I actually want to try this book out. :)
holy shit your name is in the acknowledgement???? that's amazing!!! so proud of you, ariel!
trinhsformerz isn’t it amazing?! Thanks so much!!
Seriously. That's so legit. Congrats, Ariel.
*i make funny videos like ariel i truly hope they make you laugh and put a smile on your face ! :)!*
LOVED THIS! agree with everything you said! also IT'S SO COOL THAT YOU'RE IN THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AHHH!!!
polandbananasBOOKS I’m so glad that you liked it too!! I’m excited to see your review if you do a book talk! AND RIGHT?!?! SO CRAZY COOL!!!!
Looking for Alaska is my favourite John Green novel too! I also loved 🐢. Totally not what I was expecting the story to be like, but like you said I feel like I have so much more empathy and understanding having read it!
It's been 84 years... Since John Green published a novel. :D
?
Shelby Las uh, someone hasn't watched Titanic. You really should get on that. 😏
Can you explain thst please?
Im reading this currently and as someone who does suffer from OCD I was absolutely in LOVE with the OCD rep. I do feel understood. It feels real with out feeling forced, it feels honest with out feeling overwhelming. I cant wait to finish it!
The easiest way to not get bored with genres is to read a range of genres ... that way you will always come back to Young Adult with a fresh eye.
omg your name is in a john green book!! that's super cool.
Btw, you can find a lot of gems if you look for diverse YA books. They're often very underrated, and more "hidden", but there are some really great diverse YA books out there. For example Of Fire and Stars, Tiny Pretty Things, Labyrinth Lost, If I Was Your Girl, Shadowshaper, and I could go on and on. And a couple of popular diverse books that are pure gems: Six of Crows, The Hate U Give, and all of Adam Silvera's books.
Badass Wanderer Agreed!!!
Badass Wanderer yesssss
Yass, I loved Adam Silvera's They Both Die at the End!
*I had such a horrible day at work, thank you so much for always making me smile, ariel! Please upload as many videos as you can, you're amazing and make me very happy ! i hope i can work hard one day through my videos and meet you, keep making people smile :) !*
I badly want to read this. And I am SO jealous of you. To have your name in a John Greene book is so cool.
I also loved it! I was interested to see how I would react to a John Green book now at the age of 22, but it still felt as sweet and inspiring as it did when I read his stuff as a teenager. And what a joy that is.
p.s. Love your glasses.
*i make funny videos like ariel i genuinely hope they put some positivity into your day :) !*
As I am much older, I didn't start reading John's stuff until my late 20's. Now in my 30's I still love everything he writes!
I think what you're identifying (with tropes) is true for any type of genre. If you read a lot of sci fi, or fantasy, or romance, or horror, etc. you will find things that are the same in each book. Then you finally find something that inverts expectations or does something different with a similar premise and you are so excited! At least, that happens with me.
I also agree with this book. Wasn't sure how this would affect me, and then it REALLY affected me. I suffer from anxiety and bad thoughts and it was represented in such an important way. Loved your video!
I wasn't interested in reading the book before, but your enthusiasm is infectious. I want to read it now.
LOVED watching this! Squealed when I saw your name on the acknowledgements- I *love* watching your videos and it is so fun and exciting that you got to peek at this book and make recommendations before it released. I *love* the own voice of someone suffering from OCD writing this book, my favorite parts were those where Aza was "talking" with her OCD. SO SO GOOD.
Thank you! No one has done an in depth review (obviously it just came out), but I've been waiting with baited breath since I finished it. I fear a lot of people will compare it to TFIOS and miss the mark on how great of a book this is. I don't think this is my favorite by him, but I do think it is the best one he's written.
Paddy OFurniture I’m so glad that you found it useful! :D
I legitimately screamed when I saw you in the acknowledgements! Also I agree so strongly with how you feel about the hopeful ending, especially what you say in your Goodreads review about how once you leave high school and go to uni your life changes completely. I really felt that.
as someone who suffers from OCD I have to comment on just how grateful I am for the existence of this book. it feels so good to be able to read a book and actually recognize your daily struggles accurately portrayed, and reminds me that the chaos inside my brain is not who I am, but my illness, and that I am not alone. at the same time, it is also a GREAT awareness mechanism! John Green has a huge following, and perhaps Turtles' success will help decrease the stereotypes and "I'm so OCD" jokes around
Congratulations !
It really feels proud to have your name acknowlegded on such famous author's book .
Also, I'm jealous becuase a) YOUR NAME IN THE BOOK b) HE SENT YOU A SIGNED COPY c) YOUR BOOK SHELF IS GOALS. 😭😭😭💓💓💓
I loved this book! Like really, really loved it! It was so sad and so hard to read though, like you said. Last night it was super late, but I couldn't put it down because I was balling and I didn't want to go to sleep upset. It is just written soooooo well that you feel everything Aza feels and it was so hard to read, but that's what makes this book so important. I agreed with everything you said, you put into words so many things I couldn't articulate about why I loved it.
When I read the acknowledgements I was surprised to find a name there i recognised (yours!), what a cool experience!
Girl I saw your name in the acknowledgements and freaked out! That is so so cool! I also loooved this book it was the first book I read straight through in one day in a long time. Just an amazing book :)
I was amazed and surprised by the twist of this book..I thought the ending would go another way but i love this ending..It sent a good message
The comment about angst is why I absolutely hated the reading experience of Eliza and Her Monsters. MC Eliza was just constantly miserable and confrontational with almost everyone she ever encountered and it made the book so unpleasant that it overshadowed the narrative for me, which wasn't all that bad. I'm glad to hear TATWD doesn't do this because the angst factor is pushing me away from YA as well. Maybe I'll pick this one up sooner rather than later. :)
I was smiling the whole time, I'm so happy for you!!!
I started and finished the book today and I also loved it so much. I didn’t know it was Own Voices and now I love it so much more. I was very nervous to pick this book up- because I loved his other books when I read them but I was much younger. And now I can see many issues with those books that I didn’t then. I was afraid this would be more of the same. And it wasn’t. It was so good.
Congrats on the mention! I’m so happy you could be a part of making this book as good as it is.
I was so pleasantly surprised when I saw your name in the acknowledgedments! Congratulations! And I totally agree with you on these points, this is an excellent review 💕
I bought the book when it first appeared and never read it. Now, years later I decided why not (basically John reminded me of the book when he announced the movie on tiktok) and I read half of it today. Didn't expect to love it sm.
Yes! The technology representation was so spot on. And that feels so silly to say, but you’re right-it’s such a rare occurrence in books.
I was so excited when I finished the book and saw your name in the acknowledgments. I came straight here to see your review!:)
I saw your name in the acknowledgements and FREAKED OUT for you. THAT'S SO COOL.
You nailed how i was feeling while reading and finishing the book. I just finished it twenty minutes ago and i have no clue how to describe it. What it was about how it was portrayed, the characters, how there was pain and struggle and that’s life. It was phenomenal.
Dear Ariel Bissett,
I'm enthused & so happy you found such a great writing tool-that typewriter.
You might also want to check out electric typewriters & word processors combined,
they store words on either
built in memory capacity or on floppy disks.
These TW/WP are easy to find on ebay, some run on batteries.
Just thought I'd pass along the info.
Smiles,
Jim K.
I was curious about this book before, but now I’m excited for it :)
i’m loving the clear glasses
I honestly wasn't going to read this because I'm not the biggest John Green fan. I LOVED Paper Towns and read The Fault in Our Stars but imo it didn't live up the hype. It was good but not AMAZING.
However, my dad has OCD and while it's getting better over the years with treatment, he definitely still struggles with it daily and never being able to completely understand him, I'm hoping this will help. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS REVIEW!
P.S Congrats on the acknowledgement, totally deserved! :)
Pamela Carroll so so glad this helped!!! I hope you love it ❤️
I felt the same way about TFiOS! Really need to read Paper Towns
I absolutely adored this book. I feel like the writing was totally different from John Green's other novels, and not what I expected, but still amazing. I've struggled with OCD for years, and at times, I felt like I was reading about my own life. Aza's issues and thought processes felt so similar to my own it made me feel so understood. I’ve found it difficult to find an accurate representation of OCD in literature, but probably due to his own struggles, I think John Green nailed it on the head. I haven’t felt this excited about YA in months! As you said, it’s truly a gem.
First of all - it is ABSOLUTELY cool that you are in the acknowledgements! I can't even imagine how cool would that be!
Second - I love how Aza does not become unlikable because of the fact that she is sick and also, because she is not cured at the end of it! All the characters are so real that its one of the reason why this book is such a gem!
I screamed a little when I saw your name on the last page, haha! Such a cool surprise :)
I'm glad you love the book as much as I do, and while I was reading it and Aza was on her phone, I actually thought about your video on this :)
LiteratureLissy I love that you had that surprise!!!
Congrats on being named in the acknowledgements. That's quite something to be thanked by someone you admire so much. Enjoy the excitement!
As a person who doesn't suffer from OCD, but do have other mental health problems (Aspergers and anxiety), I was really blowned away about how real and authentic it was written. I've read YA books specifically about asperger's and specifically about anxiety, and though somethings were relatable (at best) they never struck me as real, and often quite stereotypical. I've never had any of the specific problems that Aza, or John Green, suffers from. A lot of the paragraphs were hard to wrap me head around, thoughts and experiences that had never occured to me was how OCD was like. But, and most importantly, at the same time I strongly related to a lot of the feelings and thoughts Aza had. It really blew me away how a person suffering from so vastly different things than me still experinced literal feeling and literal thoughts that I myself struggle with. Also note how I called Aza a person: The story maybe fictional, but the struggle with mental health is the most accurate I've ever read.
I agree with you. I read and loved too. I'm Brazilian and I love you channel.♥
Will Grayson Will Grayson is TTLY my favorite one...
I didn’t know you were in the acknowledgements!! I had to go check my copy once you said that. That’s so cool!
I also loved it. Haven't received my physical copy yet but listened to the audiobook twice now because I felt like I didn't take it in enough the first time. Especially love the portrayal of mental health and thought spirals, the internal monologue is so great in the audiobook, and yeah likewise feel like I'm going to be more empathetic through digging into the character of Aza. Can't wait to make a video about it, although one thing I think is kind of a shame is that to me it seems like a quiet book, like the kind of narrative that would be most helpful to those dealing with mental health issues if they discovered it alone and really bonded with it, which is a kind of relationship it's hard to have with such a hyped book... but that's inevitable when it comes to John Green. So cool you got to be a part of it! Sealed in paper forever :)
Oh dear god! I am so excited to read this!!! Congratulations to you for being in the book! It's HUGE!
I finished reading this book a few days ago, and now I'm just watching videos on youtube about it to see what other people think about. And my copy is the limited jacket poster, I cherish it with all my heart.
ooooh this got me so hyped to read this! my copy is coming on monday and im 100% jumping in as SOON as it arrives
I finished it today! I agree with you and *ALL* of your points. It was a hard book but such a good one and I'm so glad nothing was dumbed down for us.
I really got to read this book. I have OCD and other mental heath problums and I find it really hard to find representation that is accurate and meaningful. Thanks for the spoiler free review!
Just finished reading it and everything you expressed in this video is exactly why I loved it.
Yay no angst!!! I’ve been hesitant to read my copy. Thanks for helping give that little push.
you really made me want to reread one of John Green's books (and I usually never reread). I'm sooo excited for his new book.
I remember first reading your name in the acknowledgments like WOAH! I'm only a chapter into TATWD and I think it's going to be a good one, I've already gasped.
"people are going to read this book and feel understood." EXACTLY!!!!!! I agree with all the reasons, I've social anxiety and it felt so good to finally read about a character who's always stuck inside her head, It made me feel so happy. This is the most relatable book ever.
Hey Ariel!!! I was wondering if maybe you could do a follow up video to your "how to be more sustainable" video? It's inspired me so much and I'd love to see how your journey is going!
Fantastic video April. I think this is one of the most wonderful review videos you've done. I don't read I lot of YA anymore, but I will definitely be checking out John Green's new book. Thanks for taking the time to film this. I really appreciate it.
I loved that you said that the characters are real. I feel the same way. I have read a few goodreads reviews saying it’s unrealistic saying that young people don’t speak the way they do and that they don’t deal with mental illness the way that the book describes which is incredibly disappointing that people can be so ignorant on others struggles. I loved this book it’s the first time Ive ever felt a book understood me.
This mental health approach is also present in Laurie Halse Anderson's books, I love it.
DANG! I also haven't read An Abundance of Katherines and my favorite John Green novel is also Looking for Alaska. I think Looking for Alaska deserves a movie.
What I loved was that it made me ask myself loads of questions, about what makes me me, who I am, how I see myself compared with how others see me. On pretty much every page there was a new way of thinking about this. Paper Towns is still my favourite, but this was a delight to spend time with.
Modestysnooze I’m so glad you loved it too!!!! I think Looking for Alaska is still my favourite (I really need to reread it to remember it better since it’s been like 6 years!) but this is my #2 now!
I believe this book is own voices, Ariel. John deals with and suffers/suffered from OCD.
This is what made me interested in it in the first place. ☺
Ammalyrical Yup! I say that in the video if you keep watching!
Ariel Bissett waited with posting until the end, as I always do.
It wasn't fully apparent to me (but I have always been a person that likes expressing myself with scientific accuracy). It's probably just me, because hello ADD and ASD...
I will still wait with buying the book, because I want to save for and invest in other stuff first.
i'm left with a question: can OCD plague a person who has no fear of death? when followed through to conclusion, isn't all OCD anxiety ultimately death anxiety?
I just finished reading the catcher in the rye, watched your video about that, then end up here and I love the passion you expressed yourself with, I'm subscribed now haha
I’m super late to John Green. I’ve never read one but Your enthusiasm makes me want to read this book.
I picked the worst possible time to go on a book buying ban..... right when Turtles All the Way Down came out. Gahhhh. How awesome is it that you are in the acknowledgements!!! Well done, Ariel!! So special he even personalised your book. Are you going to read An Abundance of Katherine's?? I LOVED Looking for Alaska, too.
I'm only watching your video now because I wanted to read this book without having read or heard any opinions on it that might influence me ! I'm here now that I finished it, and I AGREE WITH YOU SO MUCH
And like you, I think that this is a really important book, it really opens our eyes on OCD and that way I think we can understand people in our lives who suffer from it better. It's really well described in this book and we understand. We can't fully understand how it's like of course but we can understand how hard it is.
Also, I was really happy to see you in the acknowledgements, this was a good surprise !
I wasn't sure I was going to read this book, but this short excursion back into the booktube world has convinced me to read it.
I ordered my copy through Book of the Month and they only ship to the US so I have to wait until I get back from study abroad to read it but come January I'm going to like come home, hug the fam, kiss the dog, then marathon that book SO HARD.
But honestly I'm so proud of John for writing this particular book and I'm so excited to read it. I think it'll be a new favorite for me.
I saw your name in the acknowledgements and I was like, whaaaaaat? That's so cool! Totally agree with everything you said. I want to find more ya books with perspectives very different from my own. (I do suffer from mental illness so I mostly related to this one)
I just started ready this and I have similar positive thoughts about it. A very compelling read. I’m loving it :)
OMG THATS SO COOL YOURE IN THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS!!!
Wow! Super exciting review.
Love your double hand bye bye and your tone of voice and body language.
Be Alive Forever!
I'm dying to read it! but I don't live in the US or Canada so my bookstores don't have it yet! but your review made me really want to read it more! I've loved every John Green book I've read! my favorite without a doubt is Looking or Alaska, I hope I love this one as much.
so...I found you because I love Turtles all the way down and I am excited about it and want to hear what others think about it and have no one to discuss it with. watching your review led to other vlogs and i loved "Why Am I Still On BookTube?" Thus I'm subscribing and hoping that you introduce me to all sort of books. As a middle aged person who has fallen out of love with reading in the last few years, I'm excited to approach it once again with fresh eyes, and also appreciate it won't all be YA.
Great review! Look forward to reading this!! I'm picking up my copy tomorrow 😁🙌🏻
It is so cool to have someone in our community get acknowledged in such a popular book. I'm curious, when you read the book did they ask you to give notes? anyway, congratulations!
Im excited to get my hands on a copy! which will happen when we see him and Hank on tour Tuesday! :D yay!
Great review
Jessica
Just in reference to the comment about how John Green respects his readers and "doesn't dumb it down"... This is the first John Green book I have read as a full fledged "adult", the first time i read a book (tfios) i was 16. Reading this book i was thinking "how do teenagers understand this level of complexity" etc when I realised, that I was a teenager understanding that level of complexity not too long ago. I don't know why society seems to think that teenagers lack all ability to critically think and analyse, but I (and my teenage self) want to thank John Green for noticing that we/they do.
Half way through the book myself, and you said "You don't want to read it" and I'm almost at that point. Because it's just making me emotional to read what's happening to Aza. For sure going to finish it tomorrow since I have the day off and can do a few chapters at a time.
You must try Abundance of Katherine it's amazing, you won't regret it
i loved hearing your thoughts
Def. going to check this book out now! I'm 22 and young adult is my absolute favorite genre to read
I think you should do more videos like this, its so much better than reviews imo (sorry.. i dont love reviews) but this kind of video is awesome and is really making me want ti get that book!
When I read the acknowledgements, I was surprised when I saw your name. Congratulations Ariel! I also really love this book.
Carrie Griffin heeheehee!!!! Surprise!!! 🐢
Your name in the acknowledgement.... Wow!! The video is amazing...
I just LOVE the way she speaks💫
💟💟💟love your review and thoughts. Congratulations on being in the acknowledgements. Well deserved. Will be purchasing now. Tfs🤓
So glad RUclips recommend this amazing lady and her wonderful channel to me! You got a new subscriber here for sure!✨
I got the e-audiobook from the library on release day (still waiting for my pre-order to get here in the mail), and devoured it in one day. I cried twice. I loved so many aspects of this novel, but will leave it at that to keep the comments spoiler free.
Unpopular opinion but I’ve never fallen in love with John Green’s writing. I’ve only read TFiOS and Looking for Alaska and they were three star reads at best.....I can’t really explain why :/
I wasn’t going to pick up his new one but your enthusiasm is definitely swaying me! Also being in the acknowledgements is SO COOL
Thanks so much for posting this video. I finished Turtles All The Way Down a few hours ago and I had difficulties putting my thoughts together and your video helped me compose my thoughts/opinions about this book. I also think that this will be one of those intense, confusing, thought-provoking YA novels, which is great :)
The whole way through this video I was wondering whether you matched your clothes to the book intentionally. Very nice attention to detail indeed :) Can't wait for my copy of Turtles to come in the mail!
You put everything I was thinking so well. This video should be an obligated companion with the book 👍
ARIEL ,YOU ARE MY ROLE MODEL( really), can I grow up to be like you?You have always been a great inspiration for me. I'm very curious to know how you got to work with John Green like that's so cool ! I've not read any of John Green's books before ,but I really want to, but Im not sure which one to start,you definitely convinced me to read Turtles All The Way Down . I'm not a constant reader, but I guess I have to make time to read this one especially when I'm dealing with a lot of teenage problems currently. I LOVE your review in this video and at goodreads,i thought that it's the best review EVER. and hello, Ariel's name in the acknowledgement? I GOTTA read it!
I'm so excited to pick it up now!! Thank you for sharing all your thoughts on it with us:)
I'm glad you made this! I've been nervous to read TATWD because I didn't want to be disappointed. I'm still going to keep the hype low but now I actually want to try this book out. :)
I think you pin point all the amazing things about this book!
There's 'The sun and her flowers' by Rupi Kaur in your bookshelf. Can you please do a review of that.
It's still not available in my country.. I'm dying to read it.
Amazing discussion!!!!! It is so awesome that you are in the acknowledgment!