Who ever thought a story about a dying girl with cancer could be humorous? Well, despite many doubts, it has been achieved.

Jesse Andrews, author of “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” has boldly (and successfully) written a story that combines filmmaking, death, and comedy all into one.

Andrews’s story was so successful that on June 12, 2015 a movie (entitled like the book) was released. Also, on Goodreads, a website that allows booklovers to connect and books to be shared, the novel was rated an average 3.60 out of five stars.

The novel focuses on a down-trodden high school senior by the name of Greg Gaines. The book catalogs Greg’s ensuing adventures that come after his mom forces him to rekindle a friendship with a girl named Rachel he knew from elementary school. However, both teenagers have changed from who they were in the past; Greg has become a self-proclaimed nihilist, and Rachel a recently-diagnosed cancer patient.

While the plot doesn’t seem to scream comedy, Andrews’s relaxed diction and witty world references make for a joyous and easy read. This can be seen by Andrews’s opening line where he wrote, “I have no idea how to write this stupid book.” How can a book not be great when it’s introduced with that?

The New York Times reviewed Andrews’s book as “sensitive and rueful and attuned to both the solipsism and the ethical seriousness of adolescence”, which is the perfect way to summarize this touching and relatable novel.

Although the storyline of “boy and girl with cancer meet” seems similar to John Green’s “The Fault in Our Stars”, Kirkus Reviews shares their own thoughts on its similarities by stating, “though this novel begs…comparisons to John Green’s ‘The Fault in Our Stars’, it stands on its own in inventiveness, humor, and heart.” Kirkus Reviews’ opinions echo my own.

The novel has managed to gain three Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) awards since its release in 2011. It has also earned a Capitol Choices Noteworthy Title for Children and Teens award and a Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC) Choice Award for Young Adult Fiction.

Overall, Jesse Andrews’s novel “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” is a highly enjoyable read for high school students across the nation.