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Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews is a cancer book.  Hearing this makes everyone think it’s a knockoff of The Fault In Our Stars, and before reading this book I thought this, too.  Actually, it’s just as brilliant and original as The Fault In Our Stars but in a completely different way.

This book is about cancer.  But not completely. The book centers around Greg, a senior at Benson high school, who despite how incredibly hard it is, has managed to maintain social invisibility. Earl is Greg’s best friend along with being his vulgar, video-game playing and filmmaking partner in crime.  Greg and Earl are polar opposites, but their love for films brought them together.

And then there’s Rachel.  Rachel and Greg were neighbors, but nothing more until she was diagnosed with Leukemia, prompting Greg (who at first was forced by his mother) to spend time with her. This book isn’t about her fight though. In fact, she had given up about halfway through.  It’s about memorializing her, which was put on Greg and Earl’s shoulders when they decided they would make her a film.  It’s kind of twisted in a way, seeing how Greg and Earl had not really known Rachel until the last few months of her life.  But Rachel never got to see the film.  So it didn’t matter anyway, which is basically the whole attitude of the book, and this is why you should read it.

The book was funny. And most of the time we read for enjoyment, and for me it was definitely enjoyable. Next, it was believable.  The author portrays a chubby, antisocial character just as anyone would imagine.  But even though this book was funny and very believable it was not on the the level of  The Fault in Our Stars because, you see, it lacked love.  And every novel should contain love because it’s what people want to read.  Sadly, this did not do that.

However, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is good because of the characters. All are extremely different in every way possible, but somehow all manage a friendship.  For starters, Earl Lives in what is described as a ghetto, and spends his time cussing at video games and getting into fights.  And then there’s Earl, who’s personality is comparable to a lamp.  He’s what most people would call a wallflower, except he never blooms.  Both are stereotypical high schoolers, and from my experience, the author has it spot on.  Well, except Rachel. In this area I was disappointed with how poorly he portrayed her struggle with cancer.  Cancer is a sickness that consumes your body and then your spirit. All in all, Rachel was just too healthy.

Despite being about cancer, this book is extremely witty.  And I found myself laughing, which surprised me since I usually bawl at every book I read.  It’s the perfect book for people who love to laugh and don’t look too much into of the meaning of life.