Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

"So in order to understand everything that happened, you have to start from the premise that high school sucks.  Do you accept that premise?  Of course you do.  It is a universally acknowledged truth that high school sucks.  In fact, high school is where were are first introduced to the basic existential question of life: How is it possible to exist in a place that sucks so bad?" Greg Gaines, chapter 1

Yep, pretty much.  Greg is a senior.  He is chunky, slightly pimply, and has a sinus condition.  He's not a goth, not musician, not an athlete, not a nerd, not a Christian, not black, not anything.  He just wants to get through senior year without someone beating him up.  He wants to make and watch movies with his best colleague Earl.  All of that comes crashing down though, soon into the school year.

Greg and Earl are polar opposites.  Greg's parents are affluent; his father is a hold-over hippie professor.  His mother is super sappy.  One teenager sister going through a phase and a six year old surprise sister.  They have a cat.  Named Cat Stevens of all things.  Earl, on the other hand, is one of at least 7 half brothers.  His mother is an alcoholic; his father is in Texas, stepfather in prison, Mom's boyfriend MIA.  He is black while Greg is white.  Nonetheless, they form a bizarre friendship over film-making.

Rachel and Greg went to elementary school together (a private Jewish elementary school).  Rachel is diagnosed with leukemia.  Oddly, it is the same type that took my mother's life in 2013.  For some reason, Greg's mother and Rachel's mother think they once dated and are still very good friends (both false).  They orchestrate a meeting for Greg to cheer Rachel up.

Nothing goes according to Greg's plans.  In fact, things go completely the opposite.  It's funny, heartwarming, heart wrenching, silly, strange, and sad all at the same time.

Now, I really thought I'd like to watch the movie that just came out based on the book.  However, I watched the trailer.  I think the movie way over does the heartwarming part and leaves out a lot of the silly and sad.  It remains to be seen at this time.

Also, don't forget to get those summer reading forms in!  Due by Friday 1:45 p.m.!

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