On the Shelf: Looking for Alaska

LOOKING FOR ALASKA | JOHN GREEN | SPEAK | 2005

Before: Miles "Pudge" Halter's whole existence has been one big non-event, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave the "Great Perhaps" (François Rabelais, poet) even more. Then 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 was hesitant about posting a review for Looking for Alaska because I wasn’t sure if I could say anything about it that hasn’t already been said. I must be the last book lover to pick up this YA novel. I avoided John Green for a long time (I’m usually wary when a book or an author gets too much hype) and when I finally did read one of his novels (The Fault in Our Stars), it wasn't for me. (You can read my thoughts on The Fault in Our Stars here.)

I didn’t want to give up on John Green altogether. I expected to appreciate the writing in Looking for Alaska, but not necessarily love the plot. However, I was pleasantly surprised. I think it has more charm than TFiOS and I’m looking forward to reading Green’s other novels to see how they fall on the spectrum.

Looking for Alaska reminds me of The Catcher in the Rye except no character in Green’s novel is as insufferable as Holden Caulfield. I loved the layout of the chapters (I kept asking "before what?!" as I read through the first half of the book – and I still didn't quite understand what was going on when the “event” arrived). The characters are complex and filled with flaws (I much prefer flawed characters to cookie cutter stereotypes). The story is sincere and balances philosophical questions with real-life events.

If, for whatever reason, you’re like me and have avoided the John Green craze, I highly recommend Looking for Alaska. It’s a short novel with a quick pace that has a story packed with emotion. I had no idea what direction the narrative was going to take and I think you’ll be surprised as well.