Me and Earl and the Dying Girl in Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge

Aug 26, 2017 Krissy rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: lawlz, audiobook, pgs-300-399

When it started I thought it was quirky and fun and I was really liking it. But then I'm not sure what happened. It slowly petered out and lost me. ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

Apr 11, 2022 Kristin rated it did not like it · review of another edition

I chose this one from a Little Free Library after hearing it was among the most challenged school library books of 2021, but failed to see what the hype is all about. Told in first person from the perspective of Greg Gaines, an amateur filmmaker trying to get through high school as invisibly as possible, the book chronicles what happens as Greg's anonymity falls away after his mother forces him to reconnect with a childhood acquaintance who has recently been diagnosed with cancer. Greg and his c I chose this one from a Little Free Library after hearing it was among the most challenged school library books of 2021, but failed to see what the hype is all about. Told in first person from the perspective of Greg Gaines, an amateur filmmaker trying to get through high school as invisibly as possible, the book chronicles what happens as Greg's anonymity falls away after his mother forces him to reconnect with a childhood acquaintance who has recently been diagnosed with cancer. Greg and his co-producer Earl both know their films are awful, having based them on the obscure films that Greg's father favors but with absolutely no funds for a film budget, yet after introducing Earl to Rachel, the titular 'dying girl', Greg learns that Earl has offered to show Rachel their films, and she actually likes them.
Greg 'writes' this book as sort of a memoir of his time spent with Rachel, while interjecting chapters worth of the necessary background information to put it all into perspective, but he constantly notes how stupid his writing is and doesn't expect readers to actually make it through the book, much like he doesn't want anyone to see his films because they're stupid too. Overall, I have to agree with Greg and not whoever gave the book awards, because it didn't do anything for me.
As for why it was controversial, to me it was just a reflection of high school these days, where foul language is at a high, respect is at a low, and it's definitely somewhere I wouldn't want to be. It seems that Greg's treatment of the various girls he 'dated' and rejected, including Rachel, plus the aforementioned foul language was what ruffled feathers. I expected the issue to be more of Andrews' portrayal of Earl's family, a Black family with an absent father, another in jail, Mom an alcoholic, all 5 of Earl's brothers/half brothers in gangs, dealing drugs, and dropped out of school, and the house a run-down dump. But no, the problem is that Greg pretended to be in love with the unattractive Rachel at Hebrew school years ago in order to try to make the hot girl in class jealous.
Regardless, I'm glad this was a quick reading book, because I kept hoping it would get better but it never did. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Apr 12, 2016 Kris Springer rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I laughed and laughed and laughed. And laughed some more. Greg Gaines, senior in high school and his best friend Earl, like to hang out, eat disgusting food, curse a LOT and make crazy movies. As they enter their senior year, Greg's mom pushes Greg to spend time with Rachel, a friend from middle school who has leukemia.

As I think about this book and the basic plot line, I think it sounds so-so. But to get in Greg's head and spend time with him, Earl and Rachel--to read the dialogue and the hone ...more

Like · see review