Truthfully, though, I have never been disappointed by a John Green recommendation. I may not like them all as much as he did, but they're all worth reading. Most of the books he lists are insightful and beautiful and they deserve all of the attention that inevitably comes to them after John Green mentions them.
So the books that I'm attempting to read, to start with, are these:
Poetry:
1. ordinary beast
2. Calling a Wolf a Wolf
3. Counting Descent
YA:
4. The Hate U Give
5. We Are Okay
Fiction:
6. The Inexplicable Logic of my Life
7. Piecing Me Together
8. Little Fires Everywhere
9. The King is Always Above the People
Non-Fiction:
10. City of Light, City of Poison
11. City of Thorns
12. The Water Will Come
13. The Man Who Couldn't Stop
Obviously I won't be able to fit all 13 books into one blog post, so I'll split them up. This one will discuss the first few books, and a BONUS at the end!
2. Next was Calling a Wolf a Wolf by Kaveh Akbar. This collection of poetry confronts the realities of addiction and the struggle through healing and sobering leading toward recovery. It talks about craving and the desire for some measure of control, and the on-going battle that recovery really is, while also exploring the concept of 'self', and the different versions thereof. Incredibly thought provoking and beautiful, and I really enjoyed this collection.
3. Counting Descent by Clint Smith was John Green's third recommended book of poetry, and I have already read and discussed that one, in a different post! :)
Bonus!
Of course, on top of his recommendations, John's newest long-awaited novel was just released! It's called Turtles All the Way Down and it confronts mental illness in a way I've never seen in a novel before. John Green has spoken openly of his own battles with mental illness, and he did an amazing amazing job bringing this to life in his character, Aza Holmes.
My next few paragraphs will contain SPOILERS, so if you're planning to read it, skip down! I'll let you know when the SPOILERS are over!
Turtles All the Way Down is a wonderful YA book about a girl trying to solve a mystery, while dealing with her mental illness. It stands as a counter-narrative to all the stories that romanticize mental illness as an ability that is useful in solving crime or whatever (ie: Monk, Sherlock, House, Psych, and so many more).
The book is written in first person, Aza telling her own story, until suddenly, in chapter 5 the writing changes from first person to second. It goes from "I" to "you". This change is incredible. Aza is describing one of her thought spirals, but instead of seeing it as happening to someone else, I read it as if it were from my perspective - the "you". This is so disconcerting and upsetting that I was relieved when the chapter ended and the book went back to first person. Suddenly Aza's inability to leave her thought spirals became mine, and I was increasingly uncomfortable with the way her thoughts twisted down and down and down.
The book gets more and more intense as Aza's idiosyncracies become more and more severe. She is trying to have a relationship with a boy while navigating the stress her mental illness brings her, and she gets to the point where she's drinking hand sanitizer to try to destroy foreign germs and bacteria in her body. Davis, her love interest, is incredibly understanding and patient with her, and tries to be as understanding as he can, while dealing with his own issues at the same time.
Okay, spoilers are done.
This book is so real that it's hard to handle. I want to say I adored it, but that's not the right phrase. This book is important and real and frightening and impactful, and I can't recommend it enough.
So this is my reviews of the first few books. John Green's taste in books, while not always on the same page as mine, is pretty damn close. So thanks, John Green (because I know for a fact you read this. Let's be real.), for all your recommendations!
I'll post again soon about the next set of books, the YA books! I've already finished The Hate U Give, and I'm halfway through We Are Okay, so it won't be long! ;)
Of course, on top of his recommendations, John's newest long-awaited novel was just released! It's called Turtles All the Way Down and it confronts mental illness in a way I've never seen in a novel before. John Green has spoken openly of his own battles with mental illness, and he did an amazing amazing job bringing this to life in his character, Aza Holmes.
My next few paragraphs will contain SPOILERS, so if you're planning to read it, skip down! I'll let you know when the SPOILERS are over!
Turtles All the Way Down is a wonderful YA book about a girl trying to solve a mystery, while dealing with her mental illness. It stands as a counter-narrative to all the stories that romanticize mental illness as an ability that is useful in solving crime or whatever (ie: Monk, Sherlock, House, Psych, and so many more).
The book is written in first person, Aza telling her own story, until suddenly, in chapter 5 the writing changes from first person to second. It goes from "I" to "you". This change is incredible. Aza is describing one of her thought spirals, but instead of seeing it as happening to someone else, I read it as if it were from my perspective - the "you". This is so disconcerting and upsetting that I was relieved when the chapter ended and the book went back to first person. Suddenly Aza's inability to leave her thought spirals became mine, and I was increasingly uncomfortable with the way her thoughts twisted down and down and down.
The book gets more and more intense as Aza's idiosyncracies become more and more severe. She is trying to have a relationship with a boy while navigating the stress her mental illness brings her, and she gets to the point where she's drinking hand sanitizer to try to destroy foreign germs and bacteria in her body. Davis, her love interest, is incredibly understanding and patient with her, and tries to be as understanding as he can, while dealing with his own issues at the same time.
Okay, spoilers are done.
This book is so real that it's hard to handle. I want to say I adored it, but that's not the right phrase. This book is important and real and frightening and impactful, and I can't recommend it enough.
So this is my reviews of the first few books. John Green's taste in books, while not always on the same page as mine, is pretty damn close. So thanks, John Green (because I know for a fact you read this. Let's be real.), for all your recommendations!
I'll post again soon about the next set of books, the YA books! I've already finished The Hate U Give, and I'm halfway through We Are Okay, so it won't be long! ;)
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