Title: Looking For Alaska
Author: John Green
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Published: March 3rd, 2005
Genre: Young Adult / Coming Of Age
Source: Easons
Before.
Miles "Pudge" Halter's whole existence has been one big nonevent, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave the "Great Perhaps" (François Rabelais, poet) even more.
He heads off to the sometimes crazy, possibly unstable, and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed-up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young, who is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart.
After.
Nothing is ever the same.
Miles "Pudge" Halter's whole existence has been one big nonevent, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave the "Great Perhaps" (François Rabelais, poet) even more.
He heads off to the sometimes crazy, possibly unstable, and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed-up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young, who is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart.
After.
Nothing is ever the same.
Looking For Alaska is a story of the reality of death, it's a story of growing up and finding yourself, it's a story of first love in all its awkward glory, and it's a story of friendship and its importance in hardships.
Looking For Alaska, being Green's debut novel and all, introduces all the little signature characteristics you'd see throughout his works. His creation and development of primary characters to more or less carry the story, the actual story itself consisting of easily-relatable sub-plots and serious interwoven issues, and his brilliant writing style!
Looking For Alaska has it all. The characters were unbelievably realistic, and all incredibly easy to relate to. Miles, Alaska and Chip in particular, all experience the struggle that is growing up, in various ways, and act and react in a ways that make it clear that John Green knows what he's doing. Character development in this sort of book is essential, and Green delivers with unique and well-developed gems.
Looking For Alaska is the first book ever to make me cry. The overall story-arc was fantastic, the way the book was written, physically and chemically (if you will), helped to really highlight some off the problems of adolescence, and Green's class writing style is just the cherry on top!
Looking For Alaska wasn't perfect. There were times when the general plot was muddled and chapters seemed to wander aimlessly, but overall it was an excellent story. One, after which, deep thinking is almost a necessity.
Looking For Alaska was and is an amazing novel.
Thanks for reading guys!
