Looking for Alaska
The award-winning, genre-defining debut from John Green, the #1 bestselling author of The Anthropocene Reviewed and The Fault in Our Stars
Winner of the Michael L. Printz Award - A Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist - A New York Times Bestseller - A USA Today Bestseller - NPR's Top Ten Best-Ever Teen Novels - TIME magazine's 100 Best Young Adult Novels of All Time - A PBS Great American Read Selection - Millions of copies sold! First drink. First prank. First friend. First love. Last words. Miles Halter is fascinated by famous last words--and tired of his safe life at home. He leaves for boarding school to seek what the dying poet François Rabelais called the "Great Perhaps." Much awaits Miles at Culver Creek, including Alaska Young, who will pull Miles into her labyrinth and catapult him into the Great Perhaps.
Looking for Alaska brilliantly chronicles the indelible impact one life can have on another. A modern classic, this stunning debut marked #1 bestselling author John Green's arrival as a groundbreaking new voice in contemporary fiction. Newly updated edition includes a brand-new Readers' Guide featuring a Q&A with author John Green
Winner of the Michael L. Printz Award - A Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist - A New York Times Bestseller - A USA Today Bestseller - NPR's Top Ten Best-Ever Teen Novels - TIME magazine's 100 Best Young Adult Novels of All Time - A PBS Great American Read Selection - Millions of copies sold! First drink. First prank. First friend. First love. Last words. Miles Halter is fascinated by famous last words--and tired of his safe life at home. He leaves for boarding school to seek what the dying poet François Rabelais called the "Great Perhaps." Much awaits Miles at Culver Creek, including Alaska Young, who will pull Miles into her labyrinth and catapult him into the Great Perhaps.
Looking for Alaska brilliantly chronicles the indelible impact one life can have on another. A modern classic, this stunning debut marked #1 bestselling author John Green's arrival as a groundbreaking new voice in contemporary fiction. Newly updated edition includes a brand-new Readers' Guide featuring a Q&A with author John Green
BUY THE BOOK
Community Reviews
I guess my expectations were just too high. I loved the previous two books by Green that I read, [b:The Fault in Our Stars|11870085|The Fault in Our Stars|John Green|https:i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1360206420l/11870085._SY75_.jpg|16827462] and [b:Turtles All the Way Down|35504431|Turtles All the Way Down|John Green|https:i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1503002776l/35504431._SY75_.jpg|21576687] and fully thought I'd feel the same way about this one. I didn't.
Maybe I'm too old... I remember high school and the emotions and drama that went along with it but I didn't care about any of these young people. The protagonist was unlikable to me and struck me as completely self-absorbed and self-centered. I kept waiting for the scene that would turn it all around for me but it never came. In fact, I was mightily tempted several times to just quit but I wanted to be able to check it off of the Great American Read list so I hung in. I'm just glad I'm done.
Maybe I'm too old... I remember high school and the emotions and drama that went along with it but I didn't care about any of these young people. The protagonist was unlikable to me and struck me as completely self-absorbed and self-centered. I kept waiting for the scene that would turn it all around for me but it never came. In fact, I was mightily tempted several times to just quit but I wanted to be able to check it off of the Great American Read list so I hung in. I'm just glad I'm done.
As I've rated the book, it's obvious that I didn't like the book much. It's not exactly the genre i prefer reading. But i really liked the quotes and phrases which I've posted on my account.
There is no denying John Green is an excellent author. I enjoyed the process of reading this novel, even if I didn't much enjoy the novel itself. Hence the three-star rating. Besides, although there were plenty of annoyances, I have been much more annoyed at books.
My major complaints are thus:
1. A whiny and largely uninteresting protagonist. His friends are interesting. He is not. They seem to like him. I don't know why.
2. It was fairly predictable. And then you get annoyed at characters for not realizing things sooner.
3. Alaska is supremely irritating. Like, to the point that I just really didn't like her. I know too many girls like her. Not really that nice and one hell of a bitch most of the time but says one of two profound things and has a rockin' bod, thus people (mostly men) hero-worship her and want nothing more than to get in her pants. Boring.
4. I know it's for teens, but I like it when my teen novels manage to transcend a little. Being no longer a teen, I felt old but also tired of the petty angst. Get over yourselves.
However, I kept reading, so there's that.
My major complaints are thus:
1. A whiny and largely uninteresting protagonist. His friends are interesting. He is not. They seem to like him. I don't know why.
2. It was fairly predictable. And then you get annoyed at characters for not realizing things sooner.
3. Alaska is supremely irritating. Like, to the point that I just really didn't like her. I know too many girls like her. Not really that nice and one hell of a bitch most of the time but says one of two profound things and has a rockin' bod, thus people (mostly men) hero-worship her and want nothing more than to get in her pants. Boring.
4. I know it's for teens, but I like it when my teen novels manage to transcend a little. Being no longer a teen, I felt old but also tired of the petty angst. Get over yourselves.
However, I kept reading, so there's that.
Goodness this book.
I have always enjoyed the way John Green writes his stories but to be completely honest it took me a WHILE to enjoy these characters.
This is a YA novel and I am 21 now, but these characters came across really obnoxious for a big chunk of the first half of this book.
The whole nicknames, âWeekday Warriorsâ thing and ârich vs. poorâ string had me rolling my eyes. (I am poor too, itâs okay I can say it) and Alaskaâs âdeepâ backstory on her whole name thing had me hitting my head against the book. Honorary mention of the iconic Alaska smoking quote (also hitting my head).
I found myself skimming along the last few pages towards the end just because I was ready for it to be over and felt it was dragging on just a little bit.
But at the end, I am glad I read the book and I enjoyed most of it. I liked Miles and Alaskas little thing they had going on for a little bit and enjoyed the themes around grief, friendship, and the very brief glimpse of healing they all experienced.
I have always enjoyed the way John Green writes his stories but to be completely honest it took me a WHILE to enjoy these characters.
This is a YA novel and I am 21 now, but these characters came across really obnoxious for a big chunk of the first half of this book.
The whole nicknames, âWeekday Warriorsâ thing and ârich vs. poorâ string had me rolling my eyes. (I am poor too, itâs okay I can say it) and Alaskaâs âdeepâ backstory on her whole name thing had me hitting my head against the book. Honorary mention of the iconic Alaska smoking quote (also hitting my head).
I found myself skimming along the last few pages towards the end just because I was ready for it to be over and felt it was dragging on just a little bit.
But at the end, I am glad I read the book and I enjoyed most of it. I liked Miles and Alaskas little thing they had going on for a little bit and enjoyed the themes around grief, friendship, and the very brief glimpse of healing they all experienced.
I don't know what John Green has been through in his life, but he is so great at explaining certain emotions and making it relate to everyone, especially someone who has gone through what this character has to.
See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.