Review: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (Movie Tie-in Edition) by Jesse Andrews
Published by Abrams on July 21, 2015
Genres: Young Adult-Contemporary
Source: Bought
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The book that inspired the hit film! Sundance U.S. Dramatic Audience Award Sundance Grand Jury This is the funniest book you ll ever read about death. It is a universally acknowledged truth that high school sucks. But on the first day of his senior year, Greg Gaines thinks he s figured it out. The answer to the basic existential question: How is it possible to exist in a place that sucks so bad? His strategy: remain at the periphery at all times. Keep an insanely low profile. Make mediocre films with the one person who is even sort of his friend, Earl. This plan works for exactly eight hours. Then Greg s mom forces him to become friends with a girl who has cancer. This brings about the destruction of Greg s entire life.

There has been much hype about this book that I knew I needed to read it and after seeing a couple of the commercials I knew that I definitely needed to read the book. Lucky for me, I was stuck in a car for three days. This is the only book that Jesse Andrews has written and so I was excited to see what he brought to the literary world.

The story for me felt like it was written in a diary format just by the way it sounded. But also it was written to resemble the mind of a high school guy. The chapters were to the point, it flowed but in this weird abnormal sort of way that just made you like it. The characters brought something different to the story. And overall it was just a fantastic read.

Greg is the type of person who somewhat just goes with the flow of things and tries not to get a name for himself in the life they call high school. His friend Earl is someone who I wouldn’t know if I could call him Greg’s best friend or an acquaintance.  However their relationship, although weird, is genuine. Especially there task of making movies. Even though they are really horrible.

In comes Rachel, a girl that Greg dated but ended the relationship and now they are in their senior year of high school and she is diagnosed with cancer and being prodded by his mother, Greg enters her life one last time.

This book takes on a different level of relationship and how someone can make a difference in someone’s life even when they do not realize it. In this case introducing Rachel to the horrendous movies, is what makes Rachel battle her cancer easier.

There is only one thing I did not like and that was the ending. I thought it was an abrupt halt and there was so much more I wanted. I did tear up a bit and I wanted things to pull through but all things must come to an end.

Jesse Andrews wrote a novel that can touch someone’s heart in that weird awkward hugs that we think we don’t like but deep down we do. I hope he does venture out to write another book but for now go check out this book and fall into an awkward book that will leave a mark on you.

Happy Reading!