review: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

“One thing I've learned about people is that the easiest way to get them to like you is to shut up and let them do the talking.”

 ― Jesse Andrews, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

Who knew that humor and death mixed well?

Before I start this review, I want to let everyone know that Me and Earl and the Dying Girl isn't like The Fault In Our Stars. Why are you talking about The Fault In Our Stars, Anna? Because children, the first thing I saw before reading this book was this statement:

"Though this novel begs inevitable thematic comparisons to John Green's The Fault in Our Stars (2012), it stands on its own in inventiveness, humor and heart."

-  Kirkus Reviews

Begs? No. This book does have two boys who are friends and there is a dying girl but that's how close this book gets to The Fault In Our Stars. Here's why:

Greg is the narrator for this story. Greg is your average senior boy. He's familiar with everyone but isn't popular until he meets Rachel, our dying girl. Greg's mom makes Greg become friends with Rachel because she's having a hard time with her diagnosis, leukemia. Can I just say that Greg made everything worse for Rachel? He's an idiot and extremely awkward. (and I thought I was awkward) His friend, Earl, did all the talking and socializing for him until Rachel. Earl cusses A LOT and he speaks some sort of street talk so I didn't really understand Earl. Now, this humor was very dirty. Cuss words on every page. Greg and Earl spoke fluently in cuss words and dirty humor, I didn't enjoy that. I also didn't enjoy Greg's friendship with Rachel. She's dying and Greg is ranting in her ear about school, Earl, his parents, and other things on his mind. Rachel rarely talked and Rachel had zero personality. Greg was so self-obsessed. 

You may be wondering, should I read this book, Anna? No but yes. It's one of books that I'm in the middle about. I did laugh out loud sometimes and I enjoyed the part when Greg learned how to not be an idiot (my favorite part). I felt like this book was a diary to Greg which I liked. The story was written in first person, I think. It was well written. (even with the cuss words and street talk) At the end of this book, Greg learned a valuable lesson in life and I felt sad yet happy for him. I'm not going spoil it! Read it!

My final thoughts are...

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl had it's ups and downs. It's not a favorite but I would recommend this book to people who enjoy humor and death.

Thank you for reading my review! 
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews 
was published March 1st 2012

Greg Gaines is the last master of high school espionage, able to disappear at will into any social environment. He has only one friend, Earl, and together they spend their time making movies, their own incomprehensible versions of Coppola and Herzog cult classics. Until Greg’s mother forces him to rekindle his childhood friendship with Rachel. Rachel has been diagnosed with leukemia—-cue extreme adolescent awkwardness—-but a parental mandate has been issued and must be obeyed. When Rachel stops treatment, Greg and Earl decide the thing to do is to make a film for her, which turns into the Worst Film Ever Made and becomes a turning point in each of their lives. And all at once Greg must abandon invisibility and stand in the spotlight.

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