Title: Me and Earl and the Dying GirlAuthor: Jesse Andrews
Published: March 1, 2012
Genre: YA Fiction
Well, I think it's safe to say that I'm a little late to the game when it comes to reviewing this book. It's been floating out there on my radar since last year, but I finally got my hands on a copy a few months ago and then finally found some time to read it while I was holed up with the flu bug 2 weeks ago. Besides having oodles of free time for once in my life, what finally gave me the push to read this book was stumbling upon the trailer for the movie version while scrolling through YouTube on one of my (frequent) binges. The movie made its debut at the 31st Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2015, where it also took home two awards. I have yet to see the movie, but I would like to give it a shot having finished the novel.
Here's a quick synopsis: Greg Gaines has a unique approach to surviving high school. He prides himself on the fact that he's mastered high school espionage by successfully inserting himself into every group and clique on campus. Greg only has one rule: make sure no one from any other group knows what he's doing. Therefore, Greg is completely invisible, which is just how he wants it. Well, except for Earl. Earl is Greg's "coworker" and only real friend. Together they make films. Bad ones. And neither of the boys show them to anyone.This arrangement works pretty well until Greg's mom tells him that his old classmate from Hebrew school, Rachel Kushner, has been diagnosed with leukemia. And as Greg puts it, "My life had reached its highest point. I had no way of knowing that as soon as Mom walked in, the prime of my life was over. It had lasted eight hours." Greg's mom forces him to spend time with Rachel, and the unlikely trio eventually bond over Greg and Earl's films. But when Rachel stops treatment for her leukemia, Greg and Earl must take on the near impossible task of creating a film for her, which thrusts Greg into the spotlight that he'd work so hard to avoid.
This is not your stereotypical young adult "cancer novel." There's no great life lesson learned, no grand statement about the meaning of life. and none of the characters fall in love right at the last minute. Actually, it took a long time for me to figure out my feelings about this book. I felt almost no emotional reaction when I finished it, which is not something I expected in a book about a girl who dies - This fact is not a spoiler, simply because Greg tells you it's going to happen on page 2. Honestly, I got more emotional watching the movie trailer (probably the reason why I still want to see it). I also couldn't really find the book's message in between the potty language and the raunchy jokes. On top of that, Greg's constant interjections during his narration about how much the book sucks, got really irritating. But I think I finally got the point. Point number 1 is that death sucks. Unfortunately, that's also a part of life. The thing that endeared Greg to me in the book was his response to Rachel's death. He doesn't know how to deal with it, especially when the dead person was his friend. I'm 22, and I still don't cope with death well. I think teens who read the book will be able to relate to what Greg is feeling at that particular moment. Point number 2. Greg works so hard to avoid connecting with anyone. He's so afraid of rejection that he avoids any unnecessary interaction with anyone other then Earl. But what teenager hasn't felt that way? I think we all go through that phase where we just want to please our peers and fit in. However, once Rachel passes away, Greg regrets not getting to know her sooner. Readers should take this away with them when they read the book: take time to get to know people better. Create those bonds, even if you're afraid that one day they'll break because you never know how much time you'll get with those special people who you care about and who care about you. That's just life!
I'm going to give the book 3/5 coffee beans for a colorful cast of seemingly relatable characters and worthwhile message, but I'm taking points away for the vulgarity (I think there's a swear word on every page) and the sometimes distracting narration. Parents might want to be cautious before letting your kids read this one.
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