Turtles All the Way Down

About the book

Sixteen-year-old Aza Holmes lives within the tightening spiral of her own intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors. Her daily life centers on a fixation with the human microbiome and a persistent fear of contracting C. diff, leading her to repeatedly reopen a callous on her finger to drain out perceived infections. When a local billionaire disappears to evade fraud charges, Aza and her best friend, Daisy, pursue the hundred-thousand-dollar reward. This investigation brings Aza back into contact with Davis Pickett, the fugitive’s son. Their relationship develops alongside Aza’s escalating mental health struggles, forcing her to navigate the physical realities of romance while her consciousness feels increasingly trapped by biological and psychological loops she cannot control.

Readers interested in the logistics of living with obsessive-compulsive disorder find a technical, unsanitized depiction of the condition here. This book is for young adults who prefer clinical accuracy over metaphor when reading about psychiatry. It provides a look at how mental illness creates friction in friendships and dating without offering a simple cure. The reader walks away with a clear understanding of the difference between a person’s identity and their intrusive thought patterns, recognizing that chronic conditions are managed through long-term maintenance rather than sudden breakthroughs.

Details

Published

2017

Publisher

Dutton Books for Young Readers

ISBN

9780525555384

Language

EN