Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Looking for Alaska

Title: Looking for Alaska
Author: John Green
Genre: Realistic Fiction, YA
Pages: 221
Purchase this book here

Miles Halter decides to leave his uneventful life in Florida and attend the boarding school his dad went to in Alabama.  He's excited about finally being an independent teenager, and starting his own life, but he's not quite prepared for just how much excitement and thrill is coming his way when he meets Alaska Young, a girl just as captivated as he is with the concept of the mysterious beyond, and the sufferings of life.  

This was a fantastic book!  I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I picked it up, but I sure wasn't expecting such a deep, significant novel.  I'm a sucker for those realistic fiction books with deeper meanings, so I really enjoyed this book! 

 I liked this novel because of it's poetic feel.  The book is full of huge questions about life, and lots and lots of beautiful theories on the nature of humans.  Miles, the main character, takes a world language class, and John Green takes what Miles learns, and throws it into Miles' real life.  You get to experience the trials of livign through the eyes of someone who's always questioning, always conscious of the "great perhaps". 

Miles is also obsessed with people's last words.  The book itself is full of very ironic last words, funny last words, and meaningful last words.  It makes me want to know other people's final statements.  

If I had to pick a favorite character, it would be Alaska.  She transformed her dorm room into a library, which is totally something I would do.  Plus, she's really good at math.  She was in precalculus, and according to Miles she was extremely good at it. She's just pretty awesome in general.   

My only warning about this book is that it does have sexual scenes and drug/alcohol use, so if you're uncomfortable with that, this book is probably not for you.  

Also, it doesn't really have chapters.  It is divided with a bolded header at certain parts, but it doesn't have actual chapters. 

Other than those few things, this book was great!  I definitely recommend it.  




2 comments:

  1. I love to see others opinions I have a review that I am waiting to publish about this book, but I did not enjoy the book that much :/

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    Replies
    1. It's certainly not my favourite book, but I did enjoy the overall message. I'll look out for your review- I'd love to hear what you thought of it!

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