Looking For Alaska Review

 

 

Hey guys!


I FINALLY got round to reading Looking For Alaska about a month ago. It's a book that had been on my To-Read List for aaages. I bought it a while ago, in September, but only recently decided to read it, as a break from my essays.


As I loved The Fault in Our Stars and Paper Towns, I was eager to embark on another book by John Green. It's undeniable that John Green is an amazing author - I can't believe I've only just got into his books. The Fault in Our Stars is one of my favourite books. It's realistic, relatable and funny. These three characteristics also apply to Paper Town and Looking For Alaska. Although these two books don't live up to the awesomeness that is The Fault in Our Stars, they are still fantastic novels.


Looking For Alaska is bound to be a book you've heard of - it's arguably one of the most popular young adult books of this century. According to Amazon, Looking For Alaska is "The unmissable first novel from bestselling and award-winning author of The Fault in Our Stars." It is definitely a book you should read if you get the chance. The story focuses on teenager Miles Halter. He is bored of his not-so-exciting life as an outsider and decides to attend Culver Creek boarding school to "seek a great perhaps". It is here that we realise that the Alaska mentioned in the title is an actual person and not the place. Miles also becomes acquainted with Chip, otherwise known as the Colonel, and receives his new name, Pudge. Chip and Alaska, along with fellow student Takumi, introduce Pudge to their crazy antics, involving cigarettes and booze. He starts behaving rebellious, getting caught up in the Colonel and Alaska's pranks.

As with The Fault in Our Stars and Paper Towns, John Green has yet again successfully captured the way in which adolescents think. Alaska is a mysterious character that instantly enthrals Miles and makes him want to find out more about her. I found it interesting how Miles is fascinated by people's last words - it makes him a unique character and relates to the catastrophic event that separates the first part of the book ('Before') from the second part ('After').

Although I also liked the characters of Alaska and the Colonel, I wasn't so keen on their obsession with pulling pranks. They seemed to want to get in trouble, smoking and drinking all the time. I also think that their nickname for Miles is a little rude. Alaska doesn't seem like a very nice character - she can be moody and keeps saying how she won't cheat on her boyfriend, though that is unlikely.


That being said, Looking For Alaska is a brilliant coming-of-age story that deals with tragedy, loss and first love. Looking For Alaska is the perfect read for fans of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Before I Die, If I Stay and John Green's other novels.