Response & Review: Looking for Alaska by John Green / Post 100!

Here it is! Blog post number 100! It seems good to hit 100 blog posts by doing my first ever review & response to a book or novel. I've said for some time that I was going to start reviewing books that I read, so let's get going. John Green is a writer I've mentioned many times before. Having watched his vlogbrothers YouTube videos for some time and read his recent hit novel 'The Fault in Our Stars' and thoroughly enjoyed it I decided to read all of his novels. Several weeks back I bought "Looking for Alaska" looking for something new and different to read after slaving away at my university dissertation and here is my response/review.

Looking for Alaska follows Miles Halter, a rather apathetic teen obsessed with the last words of famous people, as he moves from his family home to a southern boarding school called Culver Creek.
The book presents several wonderful characters, I particularly enjoyed the interesting proxemics between Miles and his room mate known as 'The Colonel'.

The book builds up an air of suspense from the first page with the book in sections, all labelled "One Hundred and Thirty Six Days Before" thus prompting us to read in pursuit of the question: "before what?"

It made me nostalgic as I cast my mind back to my teens and fun times I had in high school. For a moment this book made me feel a lot younger since my high school days feel a long time ago, but not long enough that I can't remember how they made me feel. I found myself wishing I'd gone to more school sporting events or spent more time just appreciating my time there because it was such a brief period in what I hope my life will be overall.



Things this book has taught or reminded me:

• What a bufriedo is (and if I wasn't trying to lose weight I'd totally try one)
• It reminded me of that old high school feeling of community, but with a combined dissonance; being unified, but different.
• I have never seen a green limousine, but I want to.
• Liquor shops are places that attend to our 'spiritual needs' - I'll hear no argument about it.
• That I wish I had played more pranks on people when I was younger and able to get away with it.
• That I totally want a fox hat like Takumi.
• The importance and impact of subtle foreshadowing. 
• This book reminded me of the importance of changing your surroundings - I went to two primary schools, two secondary schools and I moved across the country for university and I wouldn't do any of it over. This book shows that taking risks and changing your surroundings to 'seek a Great Perhaps' may be just what you need.
• A lot of famous last words

I totally recommend this book to teen readers, especially anyone currently in high school who is unhappy as this book really reminds you that you do not have to put up with being unhappy with your current situation. If you're currently in a school where you are bullied or unhappy this book serves as a wonderful reminder that you can have an active role in your life and education despite youth and that you can change your circumstances. If you're not happy in your current surroundings, migrate. It's a big world and there's space for you somewhere.


Though a lot of people find themselves drawn to the character of Alaska Young I think I'd have to say that my favourite character was Takumi. It took me some time to really get into the book but once I was about a third of the way through I found myself really beginning to enjoy it more. I'd like to say a lot more about some of the later events of the book, but do not want to give out any spoilers. This is definitely a book I would urge you, especially teen and young adult readers, to explore personally. It is a book that reminds us to have fun, but to care for those around us and to be attentive to the problems of our friends.

As a writer this book reminded me of the importance of crafting interesting characters. Every character
seems interesting in some unique way. I particularly like Miles and his interest in the famous last words of different people. This is something John Green apparently conceived when redrafting the novel and it has become one of the most important and favourable aspects of the story overall thus illustrating the importance of really crafting your writing. John Green has a way of masterfully articulating basic human experiences we may not even take the time to notice. There is a real dry humour throughout this book and the essence of real, fun experiences. It serves as an interesting tale that encapsulates a sense of youth and self exploration and, for us older readers, invokes a sense of nostalgia for our younger days.

Definitely read this book if you enjoyed The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen by Dyan Sheldon, etc or shows/films that follow the lives of teenagers like Glee, The Breakfast Club, Easy A. 

Or if you've not read the books above, but enjoyed Looking for Alaska, then I highly recommend looking them out.

Links:
Click here to buy Looking For Alaska on Amazon UK Reader
Click here to buy Looking For Alaska on Amazon.com
John Green/Vlogbrothers on Youtube
JohnGreenBooks.com - Official Website
John Green on Twitter