Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Book Review: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl


It's senior year and Greg Gaines has managed to make it thus far through high school maintaining social invisibility by being cordial but not overly friendly to every single group at his school. He has only one (albeit unlikely) friend, the short, African-American, foul-mouthed, chain-smoking Earl. During their free time, they play video games and make their own movies--horrible movies, with no redeeming value, according to Greg, but it amuses them and occupies their time.

Earl fully intends to finish out high school under the radar and hanging out with Earl in his spare time--until Rachel gets cancer and Greg's mom decides they should be friends. Against his better judgement and in spite of his almost unbearable awkwardness, he does. Or he tries to. And then he and Earl decide to make Rachel: the Film. And Greg starts to lose all hope for his invisibility.

Y'all, this book is HILARIOUS. I know it seems unlikely since the word "dying" is actually in the title, but I laughed until I cried. Greg is narrating the story, and his self-deprecating humor lightens the mood considerably, he refers to this book as a "horrifyingly inane ... unstoppable barf-fest." The best part of this book might actually be Earl: crude, rude, disgusting, and surprisingly sincere. This book is a winner. Check it out here.

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