Interview Article – John Green

Fans around the world are celebrating the long-awaited return of John Green as he announced
the release of his new novel Turtles All the Way Down, putting an end to his six-year hiatus.
The #1 New York Times best-selling author had successfully captured the hearts of many YA
readers when he published the fan favorite The Fault in Our Stars back in 2012, followed by
other tear-jerking novels such as Paper Towns – all of which became major motion pictures.

Much like the protagonists of his own stories, a large percentage of Green’s fan base is made
up of young adults. Despite the young age of his readers, the writer does not shy away from
mature and heavy topics such as cancer, suicide or death. While readers may not have
experienced the same events themselves, Green recognizes the fact that many of them have
battled with the emotions and internal struggles that his characters face under different
circumstances. “Maybe the particulars of an experience aren’t universal, but feelings are,” he
explained.

In true John Green fashion, the Turtles All the Way Down author captivated our attention
once again with yet another compelling story, whilst giving us a glimpse of what the never-
ending battle with mental illness is like. His latest creation tells the story of Aza Holmes, a
sixteen-year-old girl who suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), as she embarks
on a journey filled with romance and mystery.

Unlike most detective stories where obsessiveness is often glamorized and written as an aid
to solving mysteries, Green took the opposite route and gave a more realistic portrayal of how
a person is affected by their mental disorder. He described the book as an attempt to show
other people the isolation a person feels when living with mental illness, as well as the impact
it has on those around them. Fans of the book have expressed their appreciation towards the
authentic description of Aza’s internal battle with herself and praised the author’s ability to
reflect the realness of dealing with mental disorders. This is because him and Aza are more
similar than you think.

The author revealed that Aza’s battle is in fact based on his own experiences of dealing with
anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. In the beginning stages of writing, Green found it
extremely difficult to write about the daily struggles that he has faced throughout his entire
life. However, he was able to overcome his fear as he continued writing. “It was really
empowering because I felt like if I could give it form or expression, I could look at it and I
could talk about it directly rather than being scared of it,” he added.

Throughout the story, Green has put a strong emphasis on the fact that mental illnesses
cannot be magically cured. Instead of seeing them as an enemy to be defeated, he wants
teenagers to understand that these disorders do not stop them from being successful in life.
“It’s something I expect to live with and still have fulfilling life,” he said.