Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Looking for Alaska by John Green

146 reviews

allysm0llbean's review against another edition

emotional funny mysterious sad medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Alcohol, Sexual content, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, and Death

carina_dreamer's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective fast-paced

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

3.0

Sendo isto um livro com personagens no 11° ano num colégio interno que são amantes de partidas e de espírito livre, já não sinti que tinha a idade certa para os adorar. 
Esta é uma leitura essencial para os adolescentes porque os temas que aborda são interessantes e causa reflexão sobre a mortalidade que eles não sentem alcançá-los.
Eu gostei mais da parte do "depois", já tinha identificado os sinais e deitei umas lágrimas, mas não foi um pranto como fiz com outros livros. O "antes" foi um pouco enfadonho para mim, mas a escrita do John Green é fluída e isso é um grande ponto positivo.
Adorei como o autor também começou a estória no dia 136 antes e terminou no 136 depois, é o tipo de planeamento caricato que gosto por parte dos escritores.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief and Alcohol

Moderate: Death, Car accident, and Drug use

Minor: Death of parent, Infidelity, and Suicidal thoughts

strapmatey's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.75

after 100 pages i almost stopped reading.
but i like that instead of "real" chapters there are before and after titles

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, and Death

imlaurenshelton's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

This book was okay, the plot reminds me of Paper Towns but with more angst and Alaska is a reflection of Peyton from OTH. The book is well written (duh it’s John Green) and can be enjoyable but the teen angst is nearly unbearable, combined with the vulgarity of these teenagers words and actions.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Grief, Bullying, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Car accident, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Violence, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Body shaming

swiftiesophie's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.0

i hate miles

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, and Alcohol

buttermellow's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Grief, and Car accident

Moderate: Drug use, Infidelity, Bullying, and Alcohol

hufflepuff96's review against another edition

reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.5

It's just fine. Not my cup of tea.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief and Death

Minor: Death of parent, Sexual content, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

kenfrommars's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

“I go to seek a Great Perhaps”

The theme of the book. The question that hung over the whole 221-page novel about the main character, Miles Halter, trying to find just that.

I won’t sugarcoat it. My journey in reading this book is very mixed. The first half of the novel was hard for me to get through at times. I took some days of not reading it and was considering I might drop it, but there was a point where something about it just hooked me. Was it the mystery of Alaska? Was it me finding myself frustrated with the characters and just wanting to finish it because I had made it so far into it as it was?

Not sure, but there was something about this story that just grabbed me, also. I liked the character of Alaska Young. I liked the main group and the side characters. It was very John Green in the sense of these characters being witty, insightful, simultaneously enlightened and ignorant, and just this overall message of hope.

This book came out when I was in high school, but I didn’t read it until now. I wished I had read it when I was in high school, but with the perspective of both a teenager and an adult who has made his own mistakes, I appreciate the themes of hope. Because we all seek that great perhaps of life. The Great Perhaps that gives us purpose. Some of us don’t find it and some of us find then lose it.

I’ve had my issues with John Green in a number of his books, but I thoroughly enjoyed this and it should be read by everyone at least once. It should be experienced by everyone at least once. It’s thought-provoking and insightful and heartwarming, despite the themes of grief.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Drug use, Grief, Suicide, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Misogyny, and Drug abuse

goodin10tions's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Drug use

Moderate: Car accident, Vomit, Alcohol, Death of parent, and Bullying

stephliljazz's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

John Green has the saddest imagination of any author I have read. I went into this book knowing something gravely sad happens because that's how the author writes. However, the character build up outside the plot was a lot and I found myself thinking at some points if parts actually had any relevanxe to the plot or outcome. I still really enjoyed it. My favorite thing about this whole book is Miles paper at the end. I feel like if you are grieving his words will help you think deeply about life and loss. I think even if you do not want to read this whole book reading that paper would make you love it anyway. I also have to say Wil Wheaton narrates this book perfectly. He successfully gave voices to each individual character and added emotions to their words in a very meaningful way. His voice was soothing and steady. I would definitely recommend this audiobook. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Grief, Death, Alcohol, Child death, and Car accident

Moderate: Suicide, Bullying, and Death of parent

Minor: Death of parent, Blood, Sexual content, and Vomit