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

  
Reviewer: J

Finally, a book about cancer that’s not just a Fault in our Stars knockoff. Hallelujah!

The book is about an average high school kid named Greg who befriends a girl who has leukemia. Be this book a typical “sick lit” novel, they would fall in love, etcetera, etcetera, she dies in a tearjerking and dramatic finale. 

But one of the things I love most about this is that none of the above happens. I despise the popular idea that it’s impossible for boys and girls to be “just friends.” This book really worked against that stereotype, I found. 

Also, I was definitely not expecting how funny this book was. The main character has such a hilarious voice and I just loved all the little innuendo-y jokes. 

I think this book’s synopsis is a little misleading because I thought I was going to be reading some sappy romance novel with “poetic” prose and dark themes. I couldn’t have been more wrong. 

Anyway, I would strongly recommend this to any teenager. The author has created a surprisingly realistic and laugh out loud funny debut. 

Rating: 5 stars