Review: This Star Won’t Go Out by Esther Earl

This Star Won’t Go Out by Esther Earl

Release Date: January 28^th, 2014

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Pages: 431

Source: Preordered during the Project for Awesome 2013

Summary (goodreads.com): A collection of the journals, fiction, letters, and sketches of the late Esther Grace Earl, who passed away in 2010 at the age of 16. Photographs and essays by family and friends will help to tell Esther’s story along with an introduction by award-winning author John Green who dedicated his #1 bestselling novel The Fault in Our Stars to her.

My Review:

I have so much to say and I know none of my words will come close to what Esther’s words deserve. I am kicking myself for not taking notes while reading this particular book. I had so many things to say and yet now in front of this blank document none of them will come to me.

I pre-ordered my copy the moment I learned that Esther’s parents were putting together this collection. It has taken me most of the year to read it to no fault of the book or author but because I needed the courage and strength to read Esther’s words. I never knew Esther, most people who love her and this book haven’t either, but that hardly matters. Esther Earl will be in the hearts of every nerdfighter and reader of this book for as long as they are alive to remember it.

I learned a lot about Esther from this book. I learned a lot about myself and the world around me as well. Esther, though I never met her, has taught me lessons. One of the most important things that came from reading this book was actually not to deify people. Esther seemed to be afraid that with all the attention she was getting near the end of her life because of her friendship with John Green that people would think that she was special and she didn’t feel like she deserved that because she didn’t think she was. She didn’t think she was because she had cancer and she was dealing with it. It was this thinking that, to me, makes Esther special in her own way. Esther wasn’t perfect but she was one of a kind special.

My favorite part about this is actually Esther’s unfinished story, Anderaddon. It is about these creatures called Ebitillies (cousins of hedgehogs) and Ebitties (beaver-like creatures). The draft focuses on Docknel the king of Anderaddon who is trying to solve a riddle. This story is amazing. Esther had such an ear for dialogue and accents! I don’t think I will ever find a story that I long for more of. She had promise and although she didn’t get to finish this story she has become a successful author through This Star Won’t Go Out. Here’s praying that Esther is continuing to write up in Heaven because I will definitely be searching for the rest of Anderaddon when I arrive.

I should also add that I am really quite surprised and pleased with the format of this book as well. For a publishing company to put this much effort into a memoir of a young girl is heartwarming. This Star Won’t Go Out is huge and heavy and colorful and wonderful. Every page is in color, it is color coordinated according to the section and who is writing. It has so many wonderful family photos, photos of the famous Make-A-Wish sleepover, of Catitude chats, of Esther, of her drawings. There are copies of her actual journals so the reader can see her handwriting and she how much love she put into every letter. I am so glad that the physical book is worthy of Esther. 

Read This Star Won’t Go Out.

Read it, cry, and remember.

Read it and listen to Harry and the Potters.

Read it and tell your family and friends you love them.

Read it and then make someone else read it.

Read it and go buy a wristband to support TSWGO.

Read it and remember Esther.

Read it and DFTBA. 

~Laura!