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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
To confess upfront: I am too critical of YA literature, and I hesitate to offer an opinion as an adequate interpretation of a text like Looking for Alaska simply because I don't feel that I possess the correct perspective for it. But this is a review, an encapsulation of my thoughts, and so I'll do my best.
Within Looking for Alaska, John Green explores the themes of agency, youthful ignorance and obsession, depression, and the burgeoning sexuality of young adulthood. Our main character, Miles, meets a cadre of characters who form the foundation of his friend group as he acclimates to Culver Creek, a prep highschool. Among these is the titular Alaska, a girl who is terribly impulsive, rash, and moody, but someone who lives deeply and possesses a keen intellect. The chemistry between Miles and Alaska seems odd and was one of the main reasons why I struggled to enjoy this book from the onset.
It was right before I hit the climactic halfway point where I settled on a 2-star rating, of which I revised to a 3 after said point. Alaska's psychosis, for lack of a better word, framed so perfectly with my experiences of friends with similar struggles that it felt as though it pierced my heart. The impulsive recklessness gained a proper framing, and it's something I feel Green deserve high praise for.
What follows afterwards, however, kept this at a 3. I had a similar experience in highschool--albeit much further removed from the individual than Miles was--and in no universe would the faculty have handled it in as grandiose a fashion as the faculty of Culver Creek did. It felt gauche the amount of gravitas and the constant reminders implemented; I could only imagine how traumatic it would be to have such a tragedy baked into my studies at every turn. Instead it's portrayed as completely normal, this forced mass therapy, and it left a bad taste in my mouth.
Ancillary characters felt largely expendable, particularly Lara, a girl with whom Miles enters an extremely short-lived relationship with (and who gives him his first blowjob). Her only defining feature is an accent that, in all honesty, was more annoying to read than endearing.
I'll only comment on the prose insomuch as it is exceptionally brisk, though given the target audience it's entirely expected. It would be unfair to maintain my expectations set by Pynchon earlier this week. I believe Green does a perfectly adequate job writing for young adult readers.
Within Looking for Alaska, John Green explores the themes of agency, youthful ignorance and obsession, depression, and the burgeoning sexuality of young adulthood. Our main character, Miles, meets a cadre of characters who form the foundation of his friend group as he acclimates to Culver Creek, a prep highschool. Among these is the titular Alaska, a girl who is terribly impulsive, rash, and moody, but someone who lives deeply and possesses a keen intellect. The chemistry between Miles and Alaska seems odd and was one of the main reasons why I struggled to enjoy this book from the onset.
It was right before I hit the climactic halfway point where I settled on a 2-star rating, of which I revised to a 3 after said point. Alaska's psychosis, for lack of a better word, framed so perfectly with my experiences of friends with similar struggles that it felt as though it pierced my heart. The impulsive recklessness gained a proper framing, and it's something I feel Green deserve high praise for.
What follows afterwards, however, kept this at a 3. I had a similar experience in highschool--albeit much further removed from the individual than Miles was--and in no universe would the faculty have handled it in as grandiose a fashion as the faculty of Culver Creek did. It felt gauche the amount of gravitas and the constant reminders implemented; I could only imagine how traumatic it would be to have such a tragedy baked into my studies at every turn. Instead it's portrayed as completely normal, this forced mass therapy, and it left a bad taste in my mouth.
Ancillary characters felt largely expendable, particularly Lara, a girl with whom Miles enters an extremely short-lived relationship with (and who gives him his first blowjob). Her only defining feature is an accent that, in all honesty, was more annoying to read than endearing.
I'll only comment on the prose insomuch as it is exceptionally brisk, though given the target audience it's entirely expected. It would be unfair to maintain my expectations set by Pynchon earlier this week. I believe Green does a perfectly adequate job writing for young adult readers.
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wow. Wow, wow, wow. This book.... John Green... Just wow. I can not express this book in words--It's not possible. I've waited so long, and have put off reading this book for so long-- why? John Green always succeeds in changing my views about things. I can't really explain what I mean by this or how he does it, but he just does. Every time I finish a book of his I feel different; I think differently. The characters in this book were so individually different and unique. I absolutely adored the Colonel and Pudges relationship. I loved the humor of this book! Oh my goodness it was so funny! I mean I was in tears from laughing so hard. When they were all rapping it was amazing. That was my favorite scene not only because it was funny, but because it was really the last scene where the characters had a good day of friendship. The last good day before the After...
The after part of the book... I was not ready for it. I was up at midnight reading this book and I was going to stop right when I reached the after portion of the book but I didn't--I kind of wish I had. My heart broke so quickly that I barely had time to blink. Just so freaking sad... It's hard to think about it actually..
But... Just read the book... Read Looking for Alaska. It's one of the best books I have read.
"How will I ever get out of this labyrinth!"
The after part of the book... I was not ready for it. I was up at midnight reading this book and I was going to stop right when I reached the after portion of the book but I didn't--I kind of wish I had. My heart broke so quickly that I barely had time to blink. Just so freaking sad... It's hard to think about it actually..
But... Just read the book... Read Looking for Alaska. It's one of the best books I have read.
"How will I ever get out of this labyrinth!"
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Outstanding. I liked it more than The Fault in Our Stars. Green is never afraid to tackle big ideas and philosophies.
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Tragic and poignant. A great coming of age story from one of my favorite authors.
I was introduced to John Green through his YouTube channel Vlogbrothers, and since I first read his (arguably) best book The Fault in our Stars first, I had high hopes for his other novels. Looking for Alaska wasn't quite as good as TFiOS in my book, but it was still a great novel about being a teenager and dealing with unexpected losses and pains.
John Green has again wrapped me up and gotten me emotionally invested into these characters. I couldn't put it down, except for the very beginning of "after". I was upset. I was so emotionally invested that I literally had to take a minute to not be mad at John Green anymore before reading again. This book is full of lines that can be quoted and re-quoted and are already committed to memory. I can't wait to read The Fault in Our Stars.
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes