The Relatability of "Turtles All The Way Down"

 This book is and always will be one of my favorite books of all time. The main character of the story, Aza, deals with anxiety daily. She internalizes it until she cannot anymore, and this is something that I have always found related to me on a deep, indescribable level. Aza is afraid of germs, but it is much, much deeper than that. Though my big anxiety has less to do with germs, and will not be disclosed on this blog post, I still felt that a lot of her thoughts and actions in the book were something I could identify with. It also helped me to cope with my anxiety in a way. Aza ends up putting herself in the hospital trying to fight her fears and letting her anxiety control her, and in a way, seeing her torment herself helped me not to do it so severely to myself. 

Aside from the completely personal connection I have to that large portion of the book, the book also has an incredibly interesting plot. The plot is not one everyone can experience, as it is a mystery that involves a giant cash prize, a millionaire, and a millionaire's son. Even though not every student will be able to relate to the literal plot, there are so many scenes, so many feelings, and so many characterizations portrayed that I believe this story could captivate a large, large variety of readers. This could be a pretty good option for teaching, as I know that the number of students dealing with mental health issues such as anxiety and depression is always rising. Perhaps this story could help them like I know it helped me, while also entertaining them in a way only John Greene can do.