Looking For Alaska

Reader reviewed by Katrina

"Looking for Alaska" is one of my all time favorite book. I have read the book countless times and each time, I have been emotionally drained. Greene's style of writing is so desriptive and so into depth that I have quoted soo many lines from the book. I highly suggest anyone to read this book if they're looking for something that is real and not "cheesy" as some books are.

Reader reviewed by Kate

I found the beginning of this book to be slow, but I was VERY glad I kept reading. This book is one that I will not soon forget-- its message is one that sticks.

Friendship, betrayal, love, heartbreak-- you'll find it all in this story. It has very diverse and believable characters that were easy to identify and sympathize with. I especially enjoyed the fascination with last words-- kind of ironic and very cool. Alaska's spirit and sense of life made the whole story worthwhile-- her opinions and ideas are ones that really made me think.

This book will definitely get you thinking and make an impact on your whole life perspectives. I know it did for me :) must read!

Reader reviewed by Allison

Miles is a high school junior who isfinally tired of his dull, run-of-the-mill life, the onyl enjoyment in it being his love of last words. He convinces his parents to send him to Culver Creek boarding school. There he meets new friends, new opportunities, and his new self-"Pudge". Pudge stumbles upon Tamukai(An Asian boy lost in his friends fun), Chip ("The Colonel"-intelligent leader, known for loyalty, memorizing facts, his hatred ofthe rich and snobby, and his mischief), and most inportantly, Alaska (the beautiful, funny, deep, passionate, ceazy, lustful, moody, selfish girl Pudge finds himself falling in love with.

It's so hard to explain to amazingness of this book. It's a must read, one ofthe bests out there. Hope, love, the future, death, suffering-all concepts in this book. It really makes you think aboutthe world you livein and howyou fit into it. Read. Read. Read.

"Damn it. How do i escape this labyrinth?" -read this book.

Reader reviewed by Mairi

Miles is a different kid- not quite a full blown geek, but he certainly has some interesting habits, like memorizing last words. The last words of Francois Rabelais (I go to seek the Great Perhaps) inspire him to seek his own Great Perhaps in boarding school, where he will meet Alaska Young, a girl who cannot be described by anyone. She smokes and sells cigarettes, but there is an almost childlike innocence about her.

I first heard about this book in one of those online what-book-are-you quizzes and, though this was my result, I did not go right out and read it, possibly because of the freaky cover. A good friend and I were hanging out in the library before school one day, looking for books to read, and she recommended this author to me, and this book as one of his best. Truth be told it still did not look that great, but I really needed something to read so I checked it out and started it, after which I could not put it down.

The topics make this book middle school- high school, but it is a pretty easy read.

Reader reviewed by Kristin

When I first read the inside flap of Looking for Alaska, I was a bit confused because it didn't really make any sense. That didn't stop me from continue reading the book because I heard it was awesome.

And it was.
Nothing short of awesomeness.

Okay, so I didn't enjoy the language or some of the things they did, but I truly enjoyed it. The main character--totally spaced on his name--was very relateable. However, I can only wish to have such exciting, charismatic friends like Colonel and especially Alaska. Plus, the pranks were totally awesome!

The climax of the book hit me like a raging bus. I was in shock. I should have picked up the clues, but...However, I felt pain when it happened.

John Green wrote a spectacular book--that's all I can say before I spoil anything.

Reader reviewed by Kayla (Midnight Twilight)

Miles is looking for the "Great Perhaps", this is why he moves to a boarding school called Culver Creek. Here he finds a zany group of friends, "The Colonel" (Miles roommate who gave him the ironic name of "Pudge"), Takumi, and the most influential person, Alaska Young. Alaska buys the cigarettes and booze then sells them to the boys, this starts Miles' bad habits. Alaska is also very good at pranks, so is the Colonel. This may cause Miles more trouble, but he loves Alaska, so he'll take whatever comes at him. But when something goes wrong everyones lives are changed forever.

This book was amazing. It will make you laugh and make you cry many times (at least that's what happened to me.) John Green has become one of my new favorite authors. The characters are very well written and seem down to earth, and the plot keeps you fully attentive. I think this is one of the best coming-of-age books ever!

Reader reviewed by katie

The book, Looking for Alaska, is a reading that opens your eyes to the reality of teenage life. Suicide, drinking, and smoking are all scary things that happen in high school. Instead of saying everything is all good if you just say no, the author, John Green, shows what really happens and the pain of it all. High-schoolers who are looking for an adventure would enjoy this book. Looking for Alaska is also a good read for people who are getting over the death of someone close. The points made in Looking for Alaska on death are ones you can relate to. I think what really makes this book stand out from others is that it doesn't have a happy ever after ending. It is sensible and stays true to its genre, realistic fiction. Overall I recommend this book to people who want an emotional story that makes you start to think.

Reader reviewed by MssJos

What I like about Green's male protagonists is that they aren't jocks, captain of the football team, wizards, invisible, or extraordinary in any particular way (well except for maybe being child prodigies or having memorized every famous persons' last words). Other than though, they are typically completely regular guys who are in search of something. In Miles "Pudge" Halter's case, he is looking for the "Great Perhaps."

While I wasn't completely sure what the "Great Perhaps" was, and for that matter, neither was Miles, I was surely hoping he would find it at Culver Creek private school which happens to also be in the state where I live. (that's probably tmi for a blog but it's a big state so I feel okay about it).

Though the Great Perhaps eluded Miles for the majority of the novel, he did make his first real friend, take his first drink, smoke his first cigarette, and have his first sexual encounter. So it was a big year for Miles. Through Miles, Green reminds us what it was like when we first started letting our parents' voices fade into the background, making our own decisions (some good...some not so good) and living our own lives.

At Culver Creek, Miles meets Alaska Young, a beautiful but deeply troubled young woman who leaves a severe impression on everyone she meets. Alaska reminds me of an ancient Chinese proverb that states:

"Life is like a peice of paper, on which every passerby leaves a mark."

After meeting and befriending Alaska, Miles changes a great deal throughout the novel, sometimes in ways that might make parents reconsider sending their children to private school. But underneath it all, he remains an intelligent, believable, likable, confused young man. If you liked Laurie Halse Anderson's Twisted, and J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye, you will enjoy Green's characters.

Looking for Alaska was a wonderful read and again, another great male perspective ya novel. Green's depiction of teenage dialogue is 100% authentic. Green accurately depicts how truly screwed up being a teenager can be and how the power of friendship can change your life forever. Alaska's intensity, and Miles' need for it, keep the pages of the novel turning rapidly.

Reader reviewed by Chantel

Green did it with this heart stopping novel.
It leaves with you heart ripped in two.
Unanswered question that leave you relating the story to life all the time.
Will anyone ever understand what really happen to Alaska, does she want you to know?
Will Pudge go on without her?
READ IT

Reader reviewed by Brittany Leigh

Looking for Alaska by John Green might be one of my favorite books of all time.

Here's the jist...Miles, the male lead, is a teen obsessed with people's last words. Actors, writers, presidents...you give him a name and, if they have passed, he will know their famous last words.

I guess you could say that Miles wasn't the most popular boy in school. So when he meets Alaska Young, a wild, carefree girl, at his new boarding school, his life gets turned upside down.

He and his new friends have good times and bad times. But it's the worst time that has him and a few friends wondering what happened on a night that no one at Culver Creek Boarding School will ever forget.