Turtles All the Way Down (2017) by John Green is a deeply personal and introspective young adult novel that explores mental illness, friendship, and the search for identity with raw honesty and empathy. The story follows Aza Holmes, a 16-year-old girl grappling with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and anxiety, whose intrusive thoughts spiral like an ever-tightening whirlpool, making even the simplest moments a battle for control.
When a billionaire fugitive mysteriously disappears, Aza and her bold best friend, Daisy, embark on an impulsive investigation—one that leads Aza back to Davis, the billionaire’s son and her childhood friend. As their rekindled connection grows more complicated, Aza struggles to reconcile her feelings for Davis with the relentless cycles of her own mind, where fears of infection, existential dread, and metaphorical “turtles all the way down” (a reference to infinite regression) dominate her inner world.
Green, who himself lives with OCD, writes Aza’s perspective with unflinching authenticity, capturing the isolating nature of mental illness while weaving in themes of love, agency, and the stories we tell ourselves. The novel balances mystery and romance with philosophical musings, all delivered in Green’s signature witty, poignant prose.
