Hello and happy Saturday. Earlier this week I read Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews, and if anything, I read it so that you don’t have to. The only positive thing I can say about this book is that it took me only about two days to read, so despite being pointless and at times offensive, I could power through it. If you read the title and think you’re going something similar to The Fault in Our Stars or all the other novels about sick or dying teenagers that emerged during the early 2010s, then you’re totally wrong. I mean, not totally; I’m sure this book was meant to be a parody of those stories, which is fine, that’s not where the offensive bits come.

The first offensive bit was a “joke” about Jews and Nazis, which wasn’t funny, but in a way I let it slide because the author is Jewish, so he is kind of “allowed” to make those jokes (even if they’re not funny). But then came all the comments and the caricaturization of Black people, the way they act and talk, and even the mention of the N word. That was just plain wrong, and added, I suppose, as a comedic element, but it added absolutely nothing to the plot.

I guess if you’re still intrigued by this book and you liked the American Pie movies or I Love You, Beth Cooper, then you’ll enjoy reading it. I am simply grateful that I didn’t lose a whole lot of time on it.