Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews review | Children's books

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Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews – review

This article is more than 8 years old

‘Before reading I was sceptical about this book, as I didn’t understand how anyone could make a book involving cancer funny, but somehow, Jesse Andrews has done it’

Me and Earl and The Dying Girl is written from the perspective of Greg Gaines an awkward high school senior who is not part of any social group with no ‘friends’ but a ‘co-worker’ Earl, who he makes film parodies with. This book is where Greg documents what happened to him during his senior year when his mother forces him to socialise with his sort-of ex-girlfriend Rachel, who has just been diagnosed with leukaemia. Greg and Rachel form a friendship as Greg tries desperately not to get attached to ‘the dying girl’.

This was probably the funniest book I’ve ever read. Greg’s self deprecating narrative was extremely cynical and utterly hilarious and along with Earl’s epic lines of wisdom, it made for a laugh out loud book. Before reading, I was sceptical about this book as I didn’t understand how anyone could make a book involving cancer funny but somehow, Jesse Andrews has done it.

One thing I should make clear is that Me and Earl and the Dying girl is not about cancer, it’s about friendship and life and love. It went against every cliché possible and everything that would have been expected from just reading the blurb. There was no soppy professing of undying love or magical journeys; it was just teenagers being teenagers in hard circumstances.

One thing I loved about Me and Earl was the way it completely refused to live up to stereotypes. Whereas most books, especially YA, about similar circumstances would have made it melodramatic and cringe worthy, Andrews seemed to underplay everything. Greg doesn’t fall madly in love with Rachel and the film they try to make for Rachel isn’t a piece of genius cinematography - and no one pretends that it is. In fact, Greg tries to feel as little as possible for Rachel and doesn’t even try to empathize with her situation - or at least he pretends not to feel anything.

As funny as this book is, it is also very, very sad. In some ways, as the protagonist he is ignoring how sad his and Rachel’s friendship is, and it makes you, as a reader, feel even worse. As the characters weren’t that upset over it (to begin with) I felt like it was my responsibility to feel upset for them and Rachel – who the reader barely gets to know anyway due to an extremely self-involved protagonist. So although I laughed constantly throughout this book at the end I cried floods of tears.

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Everyone should read this book. Whether you’re a teenager or middle aged, boy or girl I truly believe that everyone will be entertained and moved by Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. I was. It’s the kind of book that sticks with you long after you have read it.

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