Reviews with content warning for Suicidal thoughts - Looking for Alaska

This book used to be my favourite as a teenager, it’s a romance but it has so many layers. I would say it is quite sad and made me cry a few times but in a beautiful way. The main character is very likeable and you do really feel for him and his emotions throughout the book. I love this book and have read it many times, it’s a book you wish there was a part 2 of. This book is also very young friendly as it isn’t overly sexual or explicit.

Content Warnings

cassnbooks's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

re-reading this as an adult, it’s very easy to say that it was meant for the young teenage version of myself. good book overall, with an important message. john green really likes to write unreliable narrators, which makes for a interesting dynamic between the reader and the book.

Content Warnings

thazell's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

I don't think I know anyone's last words-- Miles, later known as Pudge, is amazed by the last words of famous people and while bored of his home life decides to attend the same boarding school as his dad once did as well as seeking his "great perhaps." And he doesn't take long to find it as the moment he lays eyes on the love interest, Alaska, he has found it. The romance that Miles felt for Alaska felt superficial and throughout the whole novel, the only thing he ever mentions is her curves, books and smoking habits. There was zero chemistry between the characters and Miles was constantly objectifying her. I don't think there was a single time she was mentioned without her curves being mentioned either. And, later when another girl appears the same thing happens. What a coincidence, it's now even more obvious that he is just an ass. I really didn't like his character nor really any of the others... All of them were annoying, self-centred, stuck up and despite preaching loyalty since the start had none of it.

I feel like the plot with the boarding school and pranking could have been fun if it wasn't done out of malice --like literally almost causing someone to drown. It was just all crazy and I would've been fine with prank wars, that's cool but this felt like they were TRYING to harm or harass each other. There was also too much smoking, alcohol and sex. Literally every chapter had it. I found it excessive as half the time they spend it doing the first two and sometimes the third. The plot could have been so much better if it had one, but it was barely there.

At first, I was really enjoying the boarding school vibes and the searching for the "great perhaps" which could've been amazing if it wasn't found in a girl he just met but after that, I found things started to go downhill. Some things also made me uncomfortable like how it made it seem like suicide was heroic in a way? and a deep philosophical thing. Also romanticizing cheating and other things as well. There are definitely lots of trigger warnings for the book and I don't recommend people who are not in the best headspace to read it.

Content Warnings

laelyakhanh0610's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Content Warnings

jillkaarlela's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This was such a hyped up book, with people saying it changed their lives, and that just didn’t happen for me. It was introspective, with a real look at grief and morality within the scope of teenage life, however, there were so many things unanswered that it left me with more questions than answers. However, I think that is the point. To ask ourselves, “how do you get out of this labyrinth?” I wouldn’t say that this book was bad by any stretch of the imagination, it did make me think about important questions, but I just didn’t love it as much as I thought that I would.

Content Warnings

More...