Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Nyxen's Review Of "Looking For Alaska"

Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone! To celebrate this day, I've decided to post my review of "Looking For Alaska."

Looking For Alaska By John Green

BEFORE. Miles "Pudge" Halter is done with his safe life at home. His whole existence has been one big nonevent, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave the "Great Perhaps" (Francois Rabelais, poet) even more. He heads off to the sometimes crazy, possibly unstable, and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny. sexy, self-destructive, screwed- up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young, who is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps and steals his heart.
AFTER. Nothing is ever the same.

I've always wanted to read a John Green original, so when I finally bought his book I was really excited. This was another book that I bought at Festival of Books. At first, when I picked up the book I was nervous that I wouldn't like it even though I am a fan of John Green and his YouTube. Thank God that wasn't the case. I opened the book and was immediately thrust into a world where rules didn't matter and there weren't any parents. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was sad when I finished it. John Green is an excellent writer and I am so glad I finally bought his book.

Miles Halter is teenage boy who isn't very popular and wants something more than living in Florida and his too safe family. He wants to go on an adventure and discover new things about himself. So why not go to Culver Creek Preparatory School in Birmingham, Alabama? Miles leaves his "wonderful" (I put air quotes around wonderful since it wasn't really wonderful) life in Florida to find a Great Perhaps, or something better in Alabama. Miles thought his life wouldn't change that much. As soon as he stepped through the doors of Culver Creek, he knew nothing exciting was going to happen. But, boy, was he wrong.

Miles meets new friends - more than he had back in Florida - that were something else. Chip "The Colonel" Martin, Takumi Hikohito, Lara Buterskaya and the wild Alaska Young. They give him the nickname Pudge, which was ironic seeing as how he was a skinny, gangly boy. He then finds out the finding the Great Perhaps wasn't going to be easy. First, he is mesmerized by Alaska young. A wild, self-destructive, enigmatic girl, plus so much more. She takes him on a journey to find the Great Perhaps but along the process, she captures Pudge's attention and heart. Not only does Pudge find love, he finds adventure. He's caught in the middle of a series of Pranks between the Weekday Warriors - rich kids who went home for the weekend - and the regular boarders. But through it all he still manages to fall in love with Alaska Young, causing trouble amongst each other.

John Gree is an incredible story teller who writes for himself. He's witty, smart, and teaches all the right lessons.. His characters are so easy to relate to in every possible way. They are realistic and face problems that every teenage will eventually have to face in their (high school) life. This coming-of-age novel will fill you with happiness, anger, and even despair. This is a must read in my book.

I rate it Five Stars.

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