Looking for Alaska by John Green Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Looking for Alaska
Book Review: a hilarious story with romance and mystery
Summary: 5 Stars
This book was a amazing! The first section of the book, Before, starts with Pudge meeting witty Alaska and his bad-influence classmates. Together they do crazy things and learn more about each other. The second part of the book, After, is after a life changing incident occurs in Pudge's life and how he and his friends look for an explanation for why it occured.
There is just enough jokes, romance, and mystery to keep the reader reading, entertained and to keep them flipping pages until there are no more to flip.
Book Review: Don't Miss This One!
Summary: 5 Stars
Another great novel by John Green! Actually I read his 2nd novel, AN ABUNDANCE OF KATHERINES, first and then read LOOKING FOR ALASKA - but no matter how you look at it both novels are beautifully written, thought provoking and at times funny and sad. The main character is Miles Halter a high school boy living in Florida with his parents. He is sick of his friendless life in Florida and convinces his parents to send him to boarding school in Alabama so he can find the "Great Perhaps" the last words of poet Francois Rabelais. In fact, one of the main things about Miles is that he has something of an obsession with "last words."
Once at boarding school Miles becomes best friend with his new roommate Chip a/k/a/ the Colonel who is a brilliant poor kid on scholarship who loves to pull pranks. Just as importantly Miles meets the famous as well as infamous Alaska Young. She is beautiful, sexy, funny, and more than a little charming. I think that is one of the things I love about Green's novels so much is the way his characters are so real and complicated and it's hard not to identify with at least one, if not more, of them. Even the adults in this book are intelligent, caring and have a sense of humor - you will not find any stock characters here.
Miles will do and face grown-up actions and the consequences of those actions within the novel which makes it a powerful and moving story. The issues Miles has to face are difficult and at times shocking. This novel will have you laughing out loud at times and crying into your kleenex at others. It is a story about friendship, trust, betrayal, life and death -Green missed nothing when he was writing this one. I would give this one more stars if I could.
Book Review: Resonating
Summary: 5 Stars
To the people who think that all the smoking, drinking, swearing, etc. is just put there for shock value: It's not. It's a completely realistic depiction of high school students. I should know, being one myself. That's just how we are.
Anyway, this book was excellent. There were several quotes/phrases that really struck a chord in me, like "everything that comes together falls apart", "we are all going", "how will I ever get out of this labyrinth?" It addressed serious topics without being overly sentimental, an example of where less is more. I'll definitely reread it.
Book Review: Emotional, Thought-Provoking, and Just a Little Controversial
Summary: 5 Stars
Miles Halter's life used to be boring, monotonous, and unexciting. He had no true friends and was disappointed with everything. That all changed when he was sent to Culver Creek Preparatory school. Miles dons the nickname "Pudge" and finds friends in the schools most daring students who live life on the edge. They smoke and drink frequently, but that means nothing to Miles. For him, it is all about Alaska, the gorgeous, smart, and very screwed up girl down the hall. With his friends, he pulls major pranks and explores the darkest underbelly of Culver Creek. Then, in a flash, it all fades away and nothing is the same ever again.
Miles and his friends are not the shallow teenagers that they may seem to be. In fact, they are very deep individuals who offer interesting perspectives into life. Miles enjoys reading the last words of famous people, and frequently quotes them. The most important quote of last words however, is brought up by Alaska. It is by Simon Bolivar: "How will I ever get out of this labyrinth!" Alaska asks Miles how to get out and this question troubles Miles until the very end. Miles also takes a religion class, and raises topics of the afterlife and enlightenment as well. I recommend this book to any mature reader who wants a book to make them think.
Most reading establishments would consider this book to be young adult fiction. However, the themes expressed in the story sometimes ride the line between adult and young adult fiction. Culver Creek is a boarding school, and Miles is left to himself to do what he wants. This leads him to many instances of smoking, drinking, and though it is never explicitly told, the book implies sex. All of this fits, but some readers may be taken by surprise by the suggestive themes.
Miles serves as an excellent narrator for this story. He is clever and has a mind of his own. He can be intelligent, such as when he is talking about Alaska or in religion class. He can also be clever and sometimes a little racy. On a few occasions, he actually counts the layers of clothing between him and Alaska. However, his two sides are balanced out and don't leave him seeming like either a boy scout or a sleaze. Although Miles is sucked into doing a lot of things that he wouldn't normally do like smoking, he retains his sharp tongue throughout the book and keeps it from sounding like one big peer-pressure lesson the whole time.
Truly, this book deserves a spot at the top of the list of young adult fiction. It offers a way into the dark, exciting life that most of us don't live, through the eyes of an intriguing character. Any mature young adult should read this novel.
J. Bowman
Book Review: A poignant and profound tale
Summary: 5 Stars
Winner of the Michael L. Printz award in young adult literature, Looking for Alaska is a novel for adults and older teens that deals with serious topics - suicide, death and dying, and lives spinning out of control. The protagonist, Miles "Pudge" Halter, is a young adult with an obsession over the last words of famous historical figures; fed up with his safe, bland life at home, he dares to venture into the unstable world of Culver Creek Boarding School. There he meets Alaska Young - beautiful, funny, clever, and utterly messed up and self-destructive young woman. She steals his heart, but a stolen heart alone cannot derail her from her spiraling self-harm. A poignant and profound tale of coping with upheaval and drama, adjusting to radical transitions, and reflections upon what lies behind the end of life - the "Great Perhaps".