From The Fault in Our Stars to Looking for Alaska, John Green's YA novels have inspired multiple screen adaptations - the latest of which , Turtles Along, premieres on Max on May 2 . Trigger warning: This article contains harmful descriptions of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Based on the 2017 novel of the same name, "Turtles" is told from the perspective of a teenage girl, Aza (Isabella Merced), who overcomes her obsessive-compulsive disorder while trying to solve the mystery of a missing businessman. and anxiety. In the process, she develops a relationship with his son, Davis (Felix Mallard).
If you want to get a head start, here's a recap of the Turtles Along bookend and plot summary.
Mystery meets real life
At the beginning of the book, Aza's best friend Daisy (Kerry) encourages her to investigate the disappearance of CEO Russell Pickett for a chance to win a $100,000 reward. Daisy believed Aza's connection to Russell's son Davis would give them a good chance to solve the mystery, as Aza and Davis had gone to a camp together for children whose parents had died. (Davis lost his mother; Aza lost her father.)
She agrees, but the mystery can only last so long. Davis didn't particularly want to know what happened to his father - believing he disappeared voluntarily - and he actually gave Aza and Daisy $50,000 each so they wouldn't pursue it further. Davis and Aza began spending more time together, but Aza worried that her mental health might be affecting their budding relationship.
She's particularly worried about germs, and drank hand sanitizer after discovering that Daisy had written some unflattering Star Wars fan fiction based on her. After friends get into a car accident and get into an argument, Aza remains in the hospital and repeats his harmful behavior. Fortunately, her psychiatrist helped her develop a treatment plan.
disturbing discovery
After Aza returns to school and reconciles with Daisy, they attend an underground art show for their friend Michal. While exploring the tunnel where the show takes place, they stumble upon a putrid smell that Aza fears belongs to Russell Pickett's body - especially since the location of the tunnel coincides with her appearance on the CEO Notes app It matched what was read in the program about running away to avoid criminal charges.
Azar told Davis about the smell, and Davis and his brother Noah decided to report it to law enforcement. It turns out their father did indeed die from exposure in the tunnel. The boys moved to Colorado, and Russell left his fortune to his pet, a large lizard-like lizard.
In the final pages of the book, we discover that the entire book is an exercise in reflection on the adult Aza, who continues to live her life to the fullest and remembers her first love fondly.
title quote meaning
Daisy mentioned the title of the book in a story she heard from her mother. It's about a woman who attends a lecture on the origin of the world and tells the lecturer that the actual foundation of the earth is a tortoise carrying the earth on its back - and that tortoise is held by another, and another, and another, and so on. "Turtles all the way down," Daisy said, using the words to help Aza feel better because she lacked the self-awareness to figure out who she was. Azar said it felt like a "spiritual revelation."
John Green's personal relationships
As Green told The Guardian in 2017, Azar's experience with OCD was inspired by his own.
"Unless I treat my mental health issues consistently and carefully, I will be completely unable to understand the world outside of myself," he said. "So I really wanted to try and write something that countered these stigmas and romanticizations."
If you or someone you know is seeking help for a mental health issue, visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) website or call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264). For confidential treatment referrals, visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) website or call the National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). In an emergency, call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or call 911.
