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A cup of teenage awkwardness. A sprinkle of mediocre filmmaking. And a whole lot of insanely funny events. These ingredients make up the masterpiece that is Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews. The novel is narrated by Greg Gaines, a teenager who keeps a low profile at school and makes movies with his friend (sort of friend) Earl. Greg’s routine is messed up when his mom forces him to befriend a girl who has cancer.
I’ve heard tons of positive things about this book, so my expectations were high. The plot resembles The Fault in Our Stars, but there are many unique distinctions. One being *SPOILER* Greg does not end up falling in love with the girl who has cancer. The author doesn’t try to be poetic and instead shifts his focus on creating a conversation like narration. Ultimately, it strengthens the story overall because Greg’s inner thoughts helps the readers connect with him. It becomes more realistic through Greg’s sometimes blunt narration which shows he’s insecure and has a sense of humor. The chapter titles is one of my favorite aspects of the book. The chapter titled, “Let’s just get this embarrassing chapter out of the way,” is just one example of how funny this book is. Greg’s friend Earl stands out to me the most because of his profane conversations with Greg. The book doesn’t try to force a life lesson down your throat or include a nostalgic ending. Script format conversations and failed girl tactics distinguishes the book from other cancer related books.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a unique and funny story! The movie adaption is coming out this week and the trailer looks amazing.