“If after reading this book you come to my home and brutally murder me, I do not blame you.” Luckily, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews did not provoke me to brutally murder the main character following completion. This novel is a unique interpretation of a story with a girl who is diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia, and the quirky friendships that develop along the way. Throughout the book, Greg is on a mission to induce happiness in the dying girl’s life, one step at a time.
Greg knew Rachel Kushner from sixth grade at Hebrew school, when he was trying to get another girl jealous by flirting with Rachel. However, the girl he was trying to bring jealousy to thought that the two made a cute couple, shattering Greg’s chances with his girl of interest. Eventually, Rachel became his girlfriend, only to result in a devastating break up that lead to both girls hating him. Fast forward to senior year, where Greg and Rachel cross paths once again. With Rachel being diagnosed with cancer, the circumstances are dreadfully different. Occasionally accompanied by Earl, Greg half heartedly accepts the responsibility of bringing her joy in her remaining days by using homemade films, jokes, and simply, himself.
When starting Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, I instantly loved the awkward and witty personality of Greg. By showcasing a teenage boy’s life from a humorous angle, Andrews admirably creates an outstanding view into the life of Greg, and the thoughts confined in his head. Another characteristic I enjoyed about Greg is his modesty. He and Earl make films in the novel, and they both agree that they are utterly terrible. Eventually, Rachel obtains some of the films, and absolutely adores them. Even after Rachel persistently declares the excellence of the movies, Greg neglects all compliments, bashing himself instead. I found myself easily growing fond of Greg as the novel progressed, all characteristics considered.
Although I enjoyed the personality of Greg, there were times I did not see the need for particular parts of the book. As I was reading, there were paragraphs, even chapters, that were completely irrelevant to what was going on at the time. If taken out, the book would have still made sense, and potentially would’ve been better off. With this exception, Jesse Andrews wrote a book that was fairly well written with amusing characters.
This book is not “just another cancer book;” it’s real, it’s entertaining, and it’s agonizing. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is a brutally authentic representation of what cancer does to the victim, friends, and community involved. Andrews captures how devastation affects people differently, whether it be positively or negatively. Personally, I didn’t want to murder Greg after absorbing his words, and hopefully you won’t either if deciding to pick up this diverse novel, but if you do murder him, don’t worry, Greg won’t blame you.