A fresh, clever, feminist, light-hearted take on a familiar story.

4.5 John Green’s depiction of anxiety is flawless. I identified with Aza through so much of the book. Also Green’s world building, for lack of a better word, is so perfect. He truly captures what it’s like to be a teenager or even just a human being in the modern world. It made me feel nostalgic for seeing the world from that perspective. His writing is atmospheric and real and familiar and invites so much genuine empathy for each character. I would have happily spent more time in this book.

This was my first John Green and I was a bit disappointed. I loved the themes and philosophical questions posed but didn’t feel attached to the characters or into the plot. There were were some great scenes but it was mostly slow going for me. (Incidentally, I had just finished The Perks of Being a Wallflower, which felt similar in many respects but I adored. Perhaps an unfair comparison.)

This one went slow for me. Probably due in no small part to having already watched most of the Julia plot on the show. But also due to the Quentin plot dragging and not finding the novel version of him especially likable or compelling. I listened on cd in the car though, so I was able to get through it in pieces. I was all set to wait a long while before listening to the third but then the ending happened and now I am all intrigued. Still going to take a pallet cleanser with a different book on cd first though. Also (and I know this is unfair) I miss the Eliot&Margo/Janet dynamic, which is pretty much my fav thing about the show. Sue me.

This book was just way too lovey dovey and cheesy for me. Not my thing. But I listened on audio and did love the narration. I also enjoyed the science theme and the third-person interjections of history/facts/minor characters. Those things redeemed it in my eyes enough to give it a 3.

I wanted to love this so much. Maybe my expectations were too high, but It just didn’t captivate me like the first two. I still enjoyed it, and still adore the series as a whole and would definitely read more, but was disappointed. As another reviewer noted, the plot and characters here (both old and new) fell flatter. Cora especially seemed a bit one-dimensional. I was also very aware of the many times the author attempted to justify her plot or world-building choices by over explaining the technicalities, and it took me out of the story. I enjoyed meeting new characters and worlds though and am always impressed by the beauty and sheer capacity of her creativity. And I will definitely be showing up for the next book in the series, with high hopes.