Review: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Title: Me, Earl and the Dying Girl
Author: Jesse Andrews
Publication date: March 1st 2012
Publisher: Abrams
Age group: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary, Humour
Cover rating: 3.5/5
Content rating: 4/5
Buy: Amazon

Description: 

Up until senior year, Greg has maintained total social invisibility. He only has one friend, Earl, and together they spend their time—when not playing video games and avoiding Earl’s terrifying brothers— making movies, their own versions of Coppola and Herzog cult classics. Greg would be the first one to tell you his movies are f*@$ing terrible, but he and Earl don’t make them for other people. Until Rachel.

Rachel has leukemia, and Greg’s mom gets the genius idea that Greg should befriend her. Against his better judgment and despite his extreme awkwardness, he does. When Rachel decides to stop treatment, Greg and Earl make her a movie, and Greg must abandon invisibility and make a stand. It’s a hilarious, outrageous, and truthful look at death and high school by a prodigiously talented debut author.

My thoughts: 


Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is a fantastic book that I read in about one sitting. I just did not want to put the book down and was so intrigued by how different it was. I'm really into YA Contemporary books right and this was incredibly enjoyable! I never would have thought a book about a teen dying from cancer could actually manage to be funny but... it did. Pretty dark humour at times but it certainly made me laugh out loud which is a serious accomplishment, I think! I love any book that can actually make me laugh.

I was drawn into this one from the first page. Greg's voice is so unique and I wanted to know more about him! What I loved most was how he was just honest. He doesn't sugar coat his thoughts. He just tells it like it is and I loved him for it. Greg is definitely not a popular kid and really only has his one friend, Earl, for company. He's pretty much just trying to get through high school without drawing any attention to himself.

Rachel has cancer. Greg's mom decides Rachel needs a friend so Greg is pushed into hanging out with her. He's reluctant and not afraid to say it. He's not really friends with Rachel but feels an obligation now since she's so sick. I liked that Greg was honest about how he just didn't want to do this (who would? it's a sad situation to put yourself in!) but he still went in open minded and definitely learned a thing or two.

Greg's just hilarious. He's honest and raw and tells his tale (and Rachel's) so well. Some parts were just so sad! Greg tried to stay detached from the situation but you could tell it was killing him too. He talks about how he just hates talking about this. Greg has a no-nonsense attitude towards life and makes some pretty funny observations. This isn't your regular YA book about dying kids and I liked that. It focused far more on Rachel as a person than on her disease. Most YA books seem to have female protagonists so this was a refreshing novel told through the eyes of a witty guy just trying to make a girl happy. I highly recommend it.