Book Review: Looking for Alaska

Looking For Alaska
By John Green
Puffin
Publication Date: March 3, 2005
ISBN: 9780525475064

Miles Halter, better known as Pudge, has lived a normal, inconsequential life in Central Florida. Obsessed with famous last words, he strives for something exciting; he wants his own "Great Perhaps" (Francois Rabelais, poet). Inspired by Rabelais's last words, he transfers to Culver Creek boarding school in Alabama and his life becomes a bit unsafe. He falls into a tight-nit group of friends, where the one rule is not to tell on one another. It's there that he meets the mysterious, alluring, clever, funny, and self-descructive Alaska. With Alaksa and his new friends, he finds himself living a life full of danger and excitement. Pudge is captivated with her inhibitions, and her spontaneity and curves keep him hooked. And it all leads up to one night where he and his friends try to conquer the school.

But that was all Before. After, well, After everything changes.

From running through the woods after dark to late night conversations with his roommate, Pudge throws himself into the Great Perhaps and comes out very, very changed.

As John Green's first book, Looking for Alaska is absolutely wonderful, which was proven by its plethora of awards, including the Michael L. Printz Award and the School Library Journal's 2005 Best Book of the Year. Green has a way of captivating his readers by throwing them into a story headfirst and not allowing them to come up for air. Entranced by Alaska, much like Pudge, the reader is pulled in, only wanting more once the last page is closed.

The book is told in two sections, Before and After. Challenged by many parents due to the character's use of cigarettes and alcohol, it's main objective isn't about this; instead it's about the after - what happens when nothing is ever the same.

Much like Paper Towns, Looking for Alaska is about a boy who's life is changed by one passionate (to the point of being scary) girl. Green's characters are real. Possibly based off people he once knew, they're real teenagers with real problems and real dialogue. I liked them all, even the main group's enemy, the Weekend Warriors who leave campus for their extravagant houses on the weekends. Pudge is an excellent main character - not too meek, but not brash. Insightful and determined, you watch him grow page by page, layer by layer. The Colonel, Pudge's roommate, is someone you want to be friends with. Dedicated and strong, he shows Pudge around campus and stands up for him when needed. And of course, there's the enigma Alaska, who's ruthlessness and vanilla scent will attract any guy.

What starts as a coming of age story quickly skews into part mystery, part seat belts off adventure. The plot and character driven story takes readers through the forests and dormitories of Culver Creek as the kids plan one great prank and learn a lesson they'll never forget, because as the book gets exciting, it takes a dramatic turn that shocks even the most fluent reader.

Pudge's obsession with last words serves as the backbone of the book, with his quest for the Great Perhaps and Alaska's question of "how will I ever get out of this labyrinth"(Simon Bolivar) ringing true for any teenager who's ever felt misunderstood. The book is an wonderful and addictive read that offers a terrific amount of heart, wonder, excitement, insight, and hope. As Green says in his afterward, "I was born into Bolivar's labyrinth, and so I must believe in the hope of Rabelais' Great Perhaps." The book offers a big lesson, and a lot of hope.

John Green on Looking for Alaska
More famous last words
Penguin's reading guide
A thorough Wikipedia page (just don't read the After section, as it gives away a big plot twist)

For those interested, it has been announced that Looking for Alaska may eventually be made into a film. Although nothing is started yet, Josh Schwartz from The OC and, more importantly, Gossip Girl has the rights and is creating a screenplay. Paper Towns is also being made into a film by the people who created Juno. John Green is actually scripting the screenplay for it.